Kick off the College Football Season at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
2025 SOLD OUT! To be placed on the table waitlist and receive priority for 2026, please contactÂ
tickets@fiestabowl.org to place a $500 Deposit.
Event Timeline
VIP Meet & Greet (*must purchase VIP Table) - 11 a.m.
Doors Open (Registration, Networking) - 11:30 a.m.
Yellow Jacket Overtime (Post-Event Happy Hour) - 2:30 p.m.
College Football Hall of Fame quarterback and two-time Super Bowl Champion Jim McMahon will bring his colorful personality to the 2025 UMB Bank Fiesta Sports Foundation Football Kickoff presented by Fairmont Scottsdale Princess as keynote speaker.
Arizona's premier college football kickoff event returns to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess on Friday, August 15. The event begins with a VIP session, including exclusive photo opportunities and meet-and-greet with McMahon, at 11 a.m. The pregame networking complete with an immersive college football experience opens to all attendees at 11:30 a.m. with the ballroom doors opening at 12:15 p.m. YJÂ Overtime - the official after-party - follows at 2:30 p.m. to cap off the day.
A portion of each sale helps provide Rate Bowl game tickets to veterans, kids and teachers through the Send-A-Vet, Send-A-Kid and Send-A-Teacher Community Champions program.
During the main program, McMahon will take center stage to discuss his Hall of Fame career at Brigham Young University, his NFL career that included the unforgettable 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl title season, how his charismatic persona came to be and his post-career life as an Arizona resident.
McMahon twice led the nation in passing and total offense in 1980 and 1981 and he guided BYU to a pair of Holiday Bowl victories. A three-year All-American and three-time WAC Player of the Year, McMahon earned NCAA Co-Offensive Player of the Year and was selected as the Davey O'Brien Trophy and Sammy Baugh Award winner in 1981.
Following a career where McMahon set 70 NCAA records from 1978-81, McMahon was the fifth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in the 1982 NFL Draft. McMahon enjoyed a 15-year NFL career and was a two-time Super Bowl champion. Most notably, McMahon quarterbacked the 1985 Bears – arguably one of the greatest teams in NFL history – to a title in Super Bowl XX with a 46-10 win over New England.
Reimagined last year, the UMB Bank Fiesta Sports Foundation Football Kickoff presented by Fairmont Scottsdale Princess returns as the ultimate college football experience. Attendees will be immersed in all of college football's most iconic traditions and revered trophies with photo opportunities and interactive games for all to enjoy, all while dressed in their favorite college football team's apparel and colors.
Fiesta Sports Foundation's preseason boys tackle and girls flag football preseason All-State high school teams will be recognized during the main program. The event will also highlight the Fiesta Sports Foundation's philanthropic impact and will include a paddle raise to raise money for
Palo Verde Fiesta Sports Foundation Wishes for Teachers program. Â
Past speakers have included:
2013 – Bob Bowlsby and Larry Scott
2014 – Jake Plummer and Coach Dick Tomey
2015 – Tommie Frazier and Coach Tom Osborne
2016 – Coach Lou Holtz and Mark MayÂ
2017 – Matt Barrie and Coach Jack Lengyl
2018 – Coach Bob Stoops
2019 – Coach Urban Meyer
2021 – Coach Steve Spurrier
2022 – Raghib "Rocket" Ismail and Alex Flanagan
2023 – Desmond Howard
2024 – Larry Fitzgerald, Jr.
Table Pricing:
Each table includes 10 tickets. Tiers are based on location closest to the stage.
- VIP:Â $9,250
- Includes VIP Meet and Greet for 4 Attendees
- Tier 1: $3,650
- Tier 2: $3,400
- Tier 3: $3,150
Single Ticket Pricing:
