The University of Arizona’s move this year to the Big 12 Conference is more than just a shift in sports alignments; it represents a major opportunity for Tucson’s tourism industry. The change will bring in a new group of out-of-state visitors, boosting local businesses and further positioning Tucson as a destination for sports enthusiasts, business and tourism leaders say.
“Arizona (football) got good at the right time during this conference realignment,” said sports influencer and “Show About Sports” podcast host Griffin Prock. “The Big 12 is the right place for Arizona, not just geographically, but it has prestige and a strong foundation for the Wildcats to show out.”
The Big 12 Conference, with its established fan base and strong football and basketball programs, brings teams from Texas, Kansas and Iowa with loyal supporters, eager to watch games in person, tagging along.
“We are doing targeted marketing in several different markets, concentrating on teams that usually travel well and will go to other cities to watch their team,” said Felipe Garcia, president and CEO of Visit Tucson. “We are also using technology such as PlacerAi to identify alumni groups interested in traveling.”
For local businesses, this conference change is major. Hotels are likely to see increased occupancy rates during game weekends with average daily rates in Tucson projected to increase from $149 in 2024 to $154 in 2026, according to national research company STR.
Restaurants, bars and retail shops can also expect a steady flow of new customers. Businesses in Main Gate Square, a popular dining and shopping hub on East University Drive near UA’s main gate, already have seen a rise in visitors.
Richard Fifer, who co-owns three Main Gate restaurants – Gentle Ben’s Brewing, Bacio Italiano and Agave House – said more Texas Tech fans traveled to Tucson this past weekend than he has seen from most other visiting teams.
“Colorado, Arizona State and USC were big travelers in the Pac-12, and both Arizona State and Colorado are now in the Big 12. I can only imagine we will do better with away fans in this conference,” Fifer said.
Joining the Big 12 also places Tucson in the national spotlight. The Pac-12 was centered solely around the West Coast, and generally lacked attention from fans east of the Rocky Mountains. Now with the Wildcats in the Big 12, they can play nationally ranked teams in front of a national audience, like the sold-out game at Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium holding over 50,000 people. Sportsmediawatch.com reported that another 907,000 watched the game on ESPN+. UA’s Nearly 2.6 million tuned in to Fox when UA took on Kansas State on Sept. 23.
Given Tucson’s geographical location, Garcia said he believes this will also have a positive effect on traffic from away fans.
“Weather partners will also play to our advantage,” said Garcia. “We can see some cold weather markets more eager to… come to Tucson, especially when we have better weather.”
That will likely be the case when the Colorado Buffaloes take on the Wildcats at Arizona Stadium for homecoming Oct. 19. The game is sold out.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
