Az Cardinals Training Camp 2023

What Actually Happens at Az Cardinals Training Camp 2023

The Arizona Cardinals hold their annual training camp at the Phoenix Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Arizona. The 2023 camp ran in late July into early August, leading up to the preseason schedule. It is the normal NFL training camp format: two-a-days, conditioning work, roster cuts down from 90 to 53 players, and the usual spectacle of young players trying to make an impression. Most of it is open to the public, but there are logistics you need to figure out ahead of time. The facility sits right off Ellsworth Road and Rural Road, which means traffic gets backed up quickly on practice days. I learned that the hard way by showing up at 8:30 AM on a weekday in July expecting a reasonable drive. The line for parking stretched nearly half a mile. Next time I went, I parked at the lot near the Tempe Marketplace and walked about twelve minutes. It was better in every way.

Az Cardinals Training Camp 2023

The 2023 camp had particular significance because the Cardinals were coming off a 4-13 season and had new head coach Jonathan Gannon in his second year. The roster was in full evaluation mode. Rookie class included Jordan Mason from Georgia and several undrafted free agents who needed to separate themselves fast. veterans like Kyler Murray and Trent Williams were expected to participate in limited capacity during the early OTAs leading into camp proper. If you want to actually watch meaningful football and not just conditioning drills, you need to understand the daily schedule structure. Practices typically run from around 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM during the heat months. The first hour or so is often walk-throughs and position group work that is hard to see from the stands. The competitive periods where starters and reserves go against each other happen in the second half, usually after the thirty minute mark of practice. I sat in section B near the west sideline during the second week of camp. From that angle you can actually see the quarterback progressions and the defensive backs reading routes. The front rows give you proximity but the sun beats down with no shade. Bring water, a hat, and ear protection if you are sensitive to noise. The stadium acoustics amplify everything and helmets cracking together does not sound pleasant after two hours.

There is one thing nobody warns you about regarding training camp attendance. The WiFi at the facility is terrible. If you want to stream anything on your phone or check game sites while you wait, do not count on it working. I tried to follow along with live stats on my second visit and the connection dropped so frequently I gave up. Just bring a book or something offline to kill time during the position group segments.

Getting Tickets and Access Information

Training camp tickets for the Cardinals are generally inexpensive, often running around fifteen to twenty five dollars per day. They are sold through the official team website and sometimes through the door on practice days. Premium seating or hospitality packages run significantly higher if that matters to you. Season ticket holders get priority access to camp tickets and earlier entry times. If you are not a season ticket member, show up at least forty five minutes before practice starts to get through security and find a decent seat. The best viewing areas fill up well before the first snap, especially during guest appearances or notable roster battles. The facility has concession stands but the food is overpriced and mediocre, which is standard for sports venues everywhere. There are no inside seating cushions or shade structures in most areas. Bring your own sealed water bottle if the facility allows it, though policies change from year to year so check the current rules before packing anything.

What You Will Actually See

Training camp is not a polished product. Players are working through installation of new plays, coaches are correcting fundamentals, and mistakes are constant. That is the point. You will see incomplete passes, blown assignments on defense, and young players looking lost against veteran linebacker speed. This is normal and you should expect it. The quarterbacks run organized team activities style walkthroughs rather than full contact drills. Kicking and punting routines are interspersed throughout. Special teams periods get very little screen time but are important for roster competition. If you stay through the end you might catch the scrimmage segment where coaches evaluate specific players in game like situations. Rookies and undrafted free agents get the most noticeable repetition during camp. Watch them closely if you are trying to evaluate who might actually make the team. The veterans who are healthy spend most of camp in controlled reps to avoid injury before the regular season. You will not see them going hard on every play and that is intentional.

The depth chart gets reshuffled constantly throughout camp. Players who look good in one practice can disappear the next if they struggle in evaluations. Coaches talk about internal competition but the reality is that performance in camp directly correlates with who survives the final roster cuts. The correlation is not perfect because injury history and contract status matter too, but camp performance is still the primary signal.

Practical Tips That Actually Help

Arrive early and pick a seat in the lower sections near the fifty yard line if possible. Upper deck seats are farther away and the heat rising from the concrete makes it even less comfortable. The field level areas give you actual visual information about technique and footwork. From the upper deck it is mostly just seeing bodies move around without context. Bring cash for parking even if they accept cards at the gate. Some of the nearby lots only take cash and the ATM fees in that area are ridiculous. I carry a fifty in small bills specifically for camp days because it saves time at the barrier and avoids the hassle of card decline issues. Wear light clothing and apply sunscreen. Tempe in late July routinely hits one hundred and five degrees or higher during practice hours. The concrete bleachers absorb heat and become uncomfortably hot to sit on. A thin towel or shirt to put between you and the seat makes a real difference.

If you are bringing children, keep them aware of stray balls and kicked equipment. Balls come loose from practice occasionally and they travel fast even at low speeds. The facility is generally family friendly but unsupervised kids near the field perimeter is a real risk.

Downsides You Should Know About

The biggest issue with attending training camp is that it is not guaranteed entertainment. Some days are more productive than others depending on who is healthy and what the coaching staff prioritizes. Roster battles that seem important can fizzle out quietly. Injuries happen at practice and players who look dominant one day can miss the rest of camp. Parking logistics have gotten worse over the years as the facility has expanded and attendance has grown. The lot fills to capacity by mid morning on busy practice days. If you miss your preferred parking window you end up walking from distant overflow areas. I have walked nearly twenty minutes one day because I arrived too late. The concession pricing is steep relative to what you get. A bottle of water runs around six dollars and a hot dog is eight or nine. Bring your own supplies if the facility policy allows it. Outside food and drink policies change occasionally so verify current rules on the team website before you pack anything.

Heat exhaustion is a genuine concern for attendees who are not prepared. I saw two people leave the stands during a particularly brutal July practice with signs of heat stress. One needed water and shade from facility staff. Stay hydrated whether you are watching from the stands or walking around the complex.

Who Should Attend

Training camp is best suited for die hard fans who want to see players in a non game environment and observe development up close. Casual fans might find the experience underwhelming compared to actual games. The quality of football played at camp is noticeably lower and the pace is slower than what you see on Sundays. People interested in player development and roster construction find camp valuable. Watching how coaches correct mistakes and how players respond to instruction gives you information that game tape alone cannot provide. The body language and effort level on off days tells you things about a player that statistics never will. Local residents who live near Tempe have an easy time making it worthwhile since the travel cost is low. People flying in from out of state should weigh whether a full day at camp is worth the expense compared to attending a preseason game where the product is more polished and complete.

The experience changes year to year based on roster composition and team direction. A rebuilding team like the Cardinals were in 2023 offers more developmental storylines but less compelling football. Contending teams tend to have more focused practices with higher intensity because every rep matters for championship preparation. If you decide to go, manage your expectations and come prepared for the environment rather than the football quality. The setting is hot, crowded, and imperfect. The football is unrefined and repetitive. The value comes from seeing the process rather than the product.