WM Phoenix Open
The WM Phoenix Open is an annual PGA TOUR golf tournament held at TPC Scottsdale, operated by the Thunderbirds nonprofit since 1932, generating over $246M in charitable giving and drawing 700,000+ fans annually through ticket sales, sponsorships, Pro-Am packages, and hospitality venues.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1932
- HeadquartersScottsdale, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WM Phoenix Open does
The WM Phoenix Open, also known as "The People's Open," is an annual PGA TOUR golf tournament held at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona since 1987 (tournament originally founded 1932). It is owned and operated by The Thunderbirds, a 501(c) nonprofit organization founded in 1937 with 55 active members and approximately 350 total members. WM (Waste Management) has served as title sponsor since 2010 under a partnership extended through 2030. The tournament is operated on a week-long annual basis and produces revenues through five primary streams: ticket sales (general admission with free Monday/Tuesday "Ford Free Days," daily/weekly passes, suites and cabanas) sold via the AXS platform; corporate sponsorship (40+ featured sponsors including Coors Light, Ford, Mayo Clinic, DraftKings, and others); Pro-Am participation packages (Carlisle Pro-Am at $7,500 and Annexus Pro-Am at $18,000); premium hospitality venues (1937 Club, Bay Club, Members Club, Skybox 16, etc.); and ancillary concert experiences including the Coors Light Birds Nest concert series and Concert in the Coliseum. The event is delivered through a workforce of 11-50 paid staff, 3,500+ volunteers across multiple committees, and the Thunderbirds membership, all coordinated annually at TPC Scottsdale. Technology infrastructure is limited to standard PGA TOUR-provided systems (ShotLink scoring, broadcast integration, credentialing) plus consumer-facing tools (AXS ticketing, Constant Contact email, Cloudflare Turnstile security). The tournament is recognized as the most-attended golf event in the United States, with 700,000+ fans annually, and has been named the world's largest zero-waste sporting event for 14 consecutive years. Since 1932, the tournament has generated over $246 million in charitable giving through Thunderbirds Charities, with $20.1 million raised in the 2026 edition alone — a single-year record.
WM Phoenix Open firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WM Phoenix Open
- Legal name
- WM Phoenix Open
- Website
- https://wmphoenixopen.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1932
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The WM Phoenix Open is an annual PGA TOUR golf tournament held at TPC Scottsdale, operated by the Thunderbirds nonprofit since 1932, generating over $246M in charitable giving and drawing 700,000+ fans annually through ticket sales, sponsorships, Pro-Am packages, and hospitality venues.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WM Phoenix Open industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Sports Entertainment
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Golf Clubs & Tournament-Host Clubs (Professional/Elite Golf Clubs) (MPAKABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Golf Tours & Professional Circuits (MPAKAAAK), Individual Sports Events (Tennis, Golf, Boxing/MMA, Athletics) (MPAGAMAC)
Keywords
Where WM Phoenix Open is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scottsdale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
WM Phoenix Open business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: General admission tickets, daily and weekly passes, suites and cabanas, and special venue access (Tee-Off Luncheon, Concert in the Coliseum, Coors Light Birds Nest) sold through AXS platform. Monday and Tuesday offer free admission.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Title sponsorship by WM (Waste Management), featured sponsors (ASEI, Annexus, Avnet, AXS, Bylt, Carlisle, Coors Light, Cox, Crescent Crown, Crestins, Crosscountry Mortgage, Culinary Dropout, Don Julio, Dow, DraftKings Sportsbook, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Ford, GoDaddy, Guidepoint Security, Hilton Grand Vacations, Howard Hughes, Jack Daniel's, La Marca Prosecco, Little Miss BBQ, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Lumifi Cyber, Master Electronics, Mayo Clinic, Pacific Life, PING, Power Electronics, PrismJet, Red Bull, Smead Capital Management, Southern Glazer's, Stanley, Swire Coca-Cola, Talking Stick Resort, Taylor Morrison, Tiffany & Bosco, Tito's Vodka, TPQ Foods, WHOOP, Yrefy, Zinburger) providing financial support, product/services, and brand activation.
- Pro-Am Packages: Premium amateur participation experiences: Carlisle Pro-Am at $7,500 and Annexus Pro-Am at $18,000, pairing amateur participants with PGA TOUR professionals.
- Hospitality Venues: Premium hospitality experiences including 18 Overlook, 1937 Club, Bay Club, Cove, Goldwater Grille, Members Club, Nine, Patriots Outpost, Perch, Skybar, Skybox 16, and others offered for corporate and individual purchase.
- Charitable Fundraising: Thunderbirds Charities distributes funds raised through the tournament to local Arizona charities. The tournament operates as a charitable fundraising vehicle, with proceeds benefiting nonprofits across Arizona.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Coors Light Birds Nest Concert - General Admission |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Coors Light Birds Nest Concert - VIP Experience |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Carlisle Pro-Am |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Annexus Pro-Am |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission (Standard Tournament Days) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
WM Phoenix Open product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The WM Phoenix Open produces and sells admission to a week-long PGA TOUR professional golf tournament held each February at TPC Scottsdale, along with separately ticketed entertainment (Coors Light Birds Nest concert series, Concert in the Coliseum), participatory Pro-Am experiences (Carlisle Pro-Am at $7,500, Annexus Pro-Am at $18,000), and premium hospitality venue access. The offering is sold primarily to individual spectators through the AXS ticketing platform and to corporate buyers through sponsorship and hospitality contracts, with proceeds distributed to Arizona nonprofits via Thunderbirds Charities.
Product overview
The WM Phoenix Open is a PGA TOUR golf tournament event producing a single, unified annual sporting event at TPC Scottsdale. The core product is the tournament itself, supplemented by concert experiences (Coors Light Birds Nest, Concert in the Coliseum), Pro-Am participation events (Carlisle Pro-Am, Annexus Pro-Am), ticket and hospitality packages, charitable programs through Thunderbirds Charities, sustainability initiatives, and a volunteer program. The event ecosystem integrates these components to deliver a week-long fan experience combining professional golf, entertainment, community engagement, and charitable giving.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WM Phoenix Open Tournament Week-long PGA TOUR professional golf event at TPC Scottsdale open to the public via purchased admission, with general admission, daily/weekly passes, and premium hospitality options. Target audience is golf fans and sports entertainment consumers.
- Coors Light Birds Nest Concert Series Ticketed four-night concert series during tournament week featuring country and popular music headliners (e.g., Riley Green announced for Feb. 10, 2027), with general admission and VIP tiers. Target audience is tournament attendees and concertgoers seeking evening entertainment.
- Concert in the Coliseum In-stadium concert held inside the iconic 16th-hole Coliseum with major musical headliners, sold as a separately ticketed experience during tournament week. Target audience is tournament spectators seeking premium on-site entertainment.
- Carlisle Pro-Am Monday Pro-Am event on the Stadium Course pairing business leaders and local personalities with PGA TOUR professionals; participation-based paid experience. Target audience is corporate participants and golf enthusiasts seeking direct PGA TOUR access.
- Annexus Pro-Am Wednesday Pro-Am pairing PGA TOUR professionals with celebrities, athletes, and global personalities in a pre-tournament showcase; participation-based paid experience. Target audience is corporate, celebrity, and high-net-worth participants seeking exclusive PGA TOUR access.
- Tournament Tickets and Hospitality Packages Portfolio of paid access products including General Admission, Daily & Weekly Passes, Suites & Cabanas, Tee-Off Luncheon, and premium hospitality venues (18 Overlook, 1937 Club, Bay Club, Cove, Goldwater Grille, Members Club, Nine, Patriots Outpost, The Perch, Skybar, Skybox 16). Target audience is individual spectators and corporate hospitality buyers.
Quantifiable outcome
- $20.1 million raised for charity in 2026 alone, setting a new single-year record
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use WM Phoenix Open
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WM Phoenix Open technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
WM Phoenix Open partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered title sponsor - core, host organization - core, venue partner - core, governing body - core, charity partner, charitable arm - core and featured sponsor.
- WM (Waste Management)title sponsor - coreWM has served as title sponsor since 2010 in a partnership extended through 2030. As North America's leading environmental solutions provider with 45,000+ employees serving 20 million customers, WM leads operational sustainability efforts making the tournament the world's largest zero-waste sporting event for 14 consecutive years. The partnership also includes significant charitable fundraising support with $180M+ raised during WM's tenure.
- The Thunderbirdshost organization - coreThe Thunderbirds, founded in 1937, are the host organization of the WM Phoenix Open with 55 active members and nearly 350 total members. They organize the tournament, manage volunteer operations (3,500+ volunteers), and distribute charitable proceeds through Thunderbirds Charities. The organization has helped raise $246M+ for Arizona charities since the tournament began in 1932.
- TPC Scottsdalevenue partner - coreHost venue for the WM Phoenix Open since 1987. Home to the Stadium Course (par 71, 7,261 yards) featuring the iconic 16th hole Coliseum - the loudest hole in golf. The tournament has been held at TPC Scottsdale for nearly 40 years.
- PGA TOURgoverning body - coreOfficial PGA TOUR sanctioned event. The tournament is part of the PGA TOUR schedule, utilizing ShotLink technology for real-time scoring, Golf Channel/NBC broadcast coverage, and PGA TOUR credentialing systems for media and players.
- Ability360charity partnerLong-time Thunderbirds Charities partner receiving $900,000+ in grants to support the Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center - the only facility of its kind in the Southwest providing adaptive sports programs for people with disabilities since 2011.
- Child Crisis Arizonacharity partnerRecipient of $2.1 million+ from Thunderbirds Charities, including $1 million toward the net-zero Center for Child & Family Wellness in Mesa as official Sustainability and Solar Partner.
- Thunderbirds Charitiescharitable arm - coreThe charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds, formed in 1986 to distribute tournament proceeds. Has awarded $4.8M+ to 70 Valley charities in Fall 2024 funding cycle alone. Total giving exceeds $246M since inception.
- PrismJetfeatured sponsorPrivate jet charter and management company headquartered at Scottsdale Airport named as official private jet charter partner for the 2026 WM Phoenix Open. Will provide charter transportation for players, musical artists, and guests. Fleet includes Challengers, Learjets, King Air, and Global 5000 aircraft.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
WM Phoenix Open competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Travelers Championship: PGA TOUR event in Cromwell, CT operated by The Greater Hartford Community Foundation. Highly comparable operating model: nonprofit-host, multi-million-dollar charitable giving, major title sponsor (Travelers), and engaged fan experience.
- Sentry Tournament of Champions: PGA TOUR season-opener in Kapalua, Maui, with limited-field high-end hospitality model. Comparable on title sponsorship (Sentry), exclusive tournament positioning, and premium pricing structure.
- Genesis Invitational: PGA TOUR invitational hosted by Tiger Woods at Riviera Country Club. Comparable as a West Coast PGA TOUR stop with title sponsorship (Genesis), premium hospitality, and elevated charitable giving through the TGR Foundation.
- Farmers Insurance Open: Annual PGA TOUR event at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Compares as a multi-day West Coast tour stop with title sponsor (Farmers Insurance), multi-venue hospitality, and large volunteer base.
- The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday: PGA TOUR invitational hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Comparable as a high-prestige tour stop with title sponsorship (Workday), strong charitable mission, and premium hospitality offerings.
- Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard: PGA TOUR invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge operated by the Arnold Palmer Foundation. Compares on charity-first operating model, title sponsorship, premium hospitality, and established fan base.
- The Players Championship: PGA TOUR's flagship event held annually at TPC Sawgrass, operated by PGA TOUR itself. Directly comparable as a marquee, full-field PGA TOUR stop with similar ticketing, hospitality, and corporate sponsorship revenue model, and comparable charity focus.
- Charles Schwab Challenge: PGA TOUR event at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas operated by the PGA TOUR. Compares on title sponsorship (Charles Schwab), invitational-style field, and established charitable contributions through the PGA TOUR.
- The Honda Classic: PGA TOUR event in Palm Beach Gardens, FL with title sponsor (Honda) and significant charitable giving through the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation. Comparable Florida-based tour stop with similar nonprofit operating structure.
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Annual PGA TOUR event at Pebble Beach featuring professional-amateur pairings similar to WM Phoenix Open's Carlisle and Annexus Pro-Ams. Compares as a high-profile West Coast tour stop with title sponsorship, hospitality venues, and concert-adjacent fan experiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WM Phoenix Open social profiles
Digital presenceWM Phoenix Open financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WM Phoenix Open leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WM Phoenix Open funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WM Phoenix Open M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WM Phoenix Open
What does WM Phoenix Open do?
The WM Phoenix Open produces and sells admission to a week-long PGA TOUR professional golf tournament held each February at TPC Scottsdale, along with separately ticketed entertainment (Coors Light Birds Nest concert series, Concert in the Coliseum), participatory Pro-Am experiences (Carlisle Pro-Am at $7,500, Annexus Pro-Am at $18,000), and premium hospitality venue access. The offering is sold primarily to individual spectators through the AXS ticketing platform and to corporate buyers through sponsorship and hospitality contracts, with proceeds distributed to Arizona nonprofits via Thunderbirds Charities.
Is WM Phoenix Open a public or private company?
WM Phoenix Open is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was WM Phoenix Open founded?
WM Phoenix Open was founded in 1932. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WM Phoenix Open based?
WM Phoenix Open is headquartered in Scottsdale, United States, in the North America region.
How does WM Phoenix Open make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship, pro-Am Packages, hospitality Venues and charitable Fundraising.
Who are WM Phoenix Open's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Travelers Championship, Sentry Tournament of Champions, Genesis Invitational, Farmers Insurance Open, The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, The Players Championship, Charles Schwab Challenge, The Honda Classic and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Does WM Phoenix Open have an API?
No public API is recorded for WM Phoenix Open.
What industry is WM Phoenix Open in?
WM Phoenix Open's product category is Live Sports Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAE, Golf Clubs & Tournament-Host Clubs (Professional/Elite Golf Clubs), with a secondary code of MPAKAAAK, Golf Tours & Professional Circuits. Its NAICS code is 711310 and its SIC code is 7900.