The Phoenix Suns weren’t the only ones who benefited from nearly a week in Tucson. Arizona Athletics made out with about $35,000 from the Suns’ training camp stay last Tuesday through Saturday, said John Perrin, associate to UA athletic director Jim Livengood.
The team’s visit garnered about $22,500 from donations at the Suns’ public intrasquad scrimmage Friday night. Arizona sold tickets for suggested donations of $6 for adults and $3 for youth 18 and under. Perrin estimated that roughly 5,000 people were in attendance for the scrimmage, based on those who gave donations, but “”there could have been more than that, that didn’t make a donation,”” he added.
Perrin said the Suns paid $1,600 per day to rent out McKale Center, totaling another $8,000. The team will also reimburse Arizona Athletics approximately $5,000 for other out-of-pocket costs for the scrimmage, including security, parking, standby electricians and custodial cleanup, among other things.
All of the funds go toward a Wildcat scholarship fund, Perrin said.