The countdown for the 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend officially kicked off in Phoenix on Friday, right there at Sky Harbor Airport, with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego laying out one heck of a challenge: make it the “best All-Star Game ever.” You know it’s a big deal when the city’s mayor shows up to drop some serious expectations this early. The full All-Star festivities are set for Feb. 19-21, 2027, with the big game itself hitting the Phoenix Suns’ Mortgage Matchup Center on Feb. 21.
Phoenix Is Betting Big on 2027
Talk about setting the bar high right out of the gate! Mayor Gallego was front and center alongside longtime Suns broadcaster Tom Leander and Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein to light the fuse on this whole thing. She wasn’t holding back, either. Gallego pointed to the WNBA All-Star Game that Phoenix hosted in 2024, noting its “incredible economic impact.” She made it clear they’ve learned from that, and for 2027, they’re “going to only do better.” That’s a massive statement when you’re talking about a premier NBA event. The pressure is on for Phoenix to deliver.
Learning from History to Go Bigger and Better
Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein totally leaned into the challenge. He knows Phoenix has a history with the NBA All-Star Game, having hosted it in 2009, 1995, and way back in 1975. Bartelstein even mentioned remembering those “iconic All-Star Games” as a kid. His team has apparently been taking notes, literally going to other All-Star events for the last five years to see what works and what doesn’t. The goal is to take what’s worked, learn those lessons, and then “put our own flavor into it, how to make it authentically Phoenix, do things bigger and better.” It’s clear they want to distinguish this from the WNBA event and those past NBA showcases.
But before any of that All-Star madness, the NBA season is about to fire up. The league tips off on Tuesday, Oct. 20, with three games. For the Suns, they get their season started the very next day, Wednesday, Oct. 21, hitting the road to face the Trail Blazers in Portland. It’s a long season ahead for them before they even think about hosting the league’s biggest party.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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