If you're organizing a group trip to Mountain America Stadium for an ASU Sun Devils game, the detail that decides whether your day goes smoothly or turns into a logistics headache is simple: where does the bus drop you off, and where does it park while you're inside? Most guides stop at "take the light rail" or "parking is $20." This one goes further — because a 40-person fan group has different needs than a solo commuter hopping on Valley Metro Rail at Tempe Transportation Center.

This guide covers the drop-off and bus parking logistics straight from ASU Athletics' own published game-day guide, then walks through the transit options, the tailgating rules, the bag policy, the approach routes, and what makes a Tempe charter bus rental the right call for groups that want to arrive together and actually enjoy the pregame. The 2026 home schedule is at the bottom, along with the venue and neighborhood details first-timers always wish they'd had up front. For the full picture of how we handle sporting event trips across the Valley, see our Gilbert sporting event transportation service.

Stadium address

500 E Veterans Way, Tempe, AZ 85287

Bus/RV parking

Copper Lot / RV Lot (Lot 10) — ~$75/vehicle via Rio Salado

Capacity

53,599 seats — post-$307M renovation

Lots open

5.5 hours before kickoff (season pass lots: 7 hours)

Nearest light rail

Veterans Way/College Ave station — immediately west of stadium

Gate opening

90 minutes before kickoff

What and Where Is Mountain America Stadium?

Mountain America Stadium sits on the southeastern edge of the ASU Tempe campus, tucked against the Tempe Buttes with Tempe Town Lake to the north and E University Drive managing access from the south. It opened in 1958 as Sun Devil Stadium and was renamed in August 2023 after Mountain America Credit Union secured a 15-year naming rights deal. A three-phase, $307-million renovation completed in 2018 reduced capacity from a 1989 peak of 74,865 to 53,599 seats — but connected the east and west sides of the stadium in a way the old design never managed and unified the student sections into a single, raucous block.

The location is what makes game-day traffic a genuine problem. Mountain America Stadium is hemmed in by Tempe Town Lake to the north, the Rio Salado Parkway corridor, and Veterans Way running east-west across the front. The stadium is a five-minute walk from Mill Avenue, which means the bars and restaurants along Mill and the surrounding neighborhoods fill at the same moment 53,000 fans are trying to exit.

That's the Tempe squeeze. A bus that waits in the Copper Lot and picks you up when you're ready beats hunting for a rideshare on Apache Boulevard in the Arizona heat by a wide margin.

Mountain America Stadium, 500 E Veterans Way, Tempe, AZ 85287 — on the southeastern corner of the ASU Tempe campus, with Rio Salado to the north and University Drive to the south.

Charter Bus Drop-Off and Parking at Mountain America Stadium

Here's the part most rental guides leave out entirely, so let's go straight to ASU's own published information.

For large vehicles including RVs and charter buses, the designated lot is the Copper Lot / RV Lot (Lot 10). The published approach is from Rio Salado: turn north from Rio Salado into the Copper Lot. Per the ASU game-day guide, RV and bus parking is available in the University Center Parking Lot at University and Athletes Way, priced at approximately $75 per vehicle — paid on-site at the lot, not pre-purchased online, and separate from your bus rental quote.

The practical advantage of the Copper Lot routing is that it puts your bus on the north side of the stadium, approaching via Rio Salado rather than fighting the University Drive corridor where standard vehicle traffic converges from the east, south, and west simultaneously. For a 40-passenger charter bus, that approach distinction matters: Rio Salado flows better on game days than the University Drive surface streets, and the Copper Lot is a more direct walk to the north-side gates than the remote south-side surface lots.

The one-line version: charter buses and oversized vehicles use the Copper Lot / RV Lot (Lot 10) off Rio Salado Parkway, with bus parking running approximately $75 per vehicle paid on-site. That cost is separate from your charter rental and worth building into your group's budget before game day.

For drop-off without parking on-site, ASU's game-day guide notes that guests without parking passes — including those with limited mobility — may be dropped off near the South Packard Drive Structure (Structure 7), where cart service to the stadium runs from two hours before kickoff through about one hour after the game ends.

Because lot assignments and approach routes can change based on construction, special events, or season-to-season reconfiguration, confirm the current bus lot assignment directly with ASU Parking and Transportation Services at 480-965-6124 before your game. We do the same verification when we book your trip — the information below reflects the published ASU 2025 guidance, and we confirm the current setup for your specific date.

The Rideshare Reality After the Game

Knowing what the rideshare situation looks like makes clear why a bus that waits in the lot is such a different experience. The City of Tempe's published game-day traffic plan closes Veterans Way in both directions between Sixth Street and College Avenue and College Avenue in both directions between Sixth Street and Veterans Way, starting two hours before kickoff. Valley Metro bus detours activate 5.5 hours before kickoff, with routes along Mill Avenue rerouted south to Apache Boulevard.

What that means after the game: rideshare cars have to navigate around the closure zone, which pushes pickups to the edges of the pedestrian perimeter. After a night game ends and 50,000-plus fans open their apps simultaneously, surge pricing spikes and wait times run 30–45 minutes. A private charter bus is waiting in the Copper Lot area where you arranged to meet, no surge involved and no hunting for a pin in the dark.

In Tempe in August, standing on Apache Boulevard at 11 p.m. waiting for a rideshare match is not the end-of-game experience anyone planned for.

Why Rent a Bus to Mountain America Stadium?

Loop 202 and US-60 are the main arteries feeding Tempe from the south and west. On a normal Thursday evening they move well. On a Saturday home game when 53,000 fans are routing toward the same cluster of surface lots around Veterans Way, they don't.

The City of Tempe's published traffic plan specifically closes the westbound and eastbound SR-202 off-ramps onto Scottsdale Road on game days to manage volume. Fans approaching from Loop 101 or US-60 who plan to exit onto Scottsdale get rerouted, funneling additional traffic onto McClintock Drive and Rural Road instead.

A Gilbert charter bus rental keeps your group out of that car-by-car grind. Everyone boards at one spot — the neighborhood bar where pregame started, the hotel parking lot, the office complex in Chandler — and arrives at the Copper Lot together. The route is taken care of while your group handles the tailgate planning.

That's a different game-day experience than splitting into three carloads and texting "where are you parked?" across a lot that fits 5,000 cars.

There's also the Arizona heat. Late summer and early fall home games — August through October — tip well into the 90s past sunset. Spending the post-game hour navigating surface lots looking for your car, or standing at an Apache Boulevard rideshare zone in the heat, is a specific kind of miserable that a climate-controlled charter bus cuts out completely.

You walk out, the bus is waiting, and you're on your way back to Gilbert while the lot traffic clears itself.

Mountain America Stadium Transportation: Every Option Compared

Tempe has genuinely good public transit for a Sun Belt city — the light rail is right there, the Tempe Streetcar runs to the Marina Heights stop on the stadium's north side, and the Orbit circulators are free on game nights until 10 p.m. We'll be straight with you: for one or two people coming from downtown Tempe or central Phoenix, the Valley Metro Rail is hard to beat. No parking cost, drops you immediately west of the stadium at Veterans Way/College Ave, and the ride home doesn't involve surge pricing.

The math changes the moment your group exceeds four people or you want to tailgate with any real equipment.

Option Cost shape Arrive together? Tailgate possible? Best for
Private charter bus One flat rate, split by the group Yes — one vehicle, one arrival Yes — gear in luggage bays, no one drives 15–56 passengers
Valley Metro Light Rail Per-person fare each way Only if everyone boards same train No — no coolers or gear on the train 1–4 people near a station
Tempe Streetcar Per-person fare each way Partly — if everyone boards together No 1–4 people from Marina Heights area
Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) Per car each way + post-game surge No — multiple cars, staggered arrivals Minimal — no real gear capacity 1–4 per car
Everyone drives and parks $20/car general admission — per vehicle No — caravans split on US-60 Yes, but someone can't drink 1–2 cars max

Once your group hits 10 or more people, the light rail becomes a coordination problem (everyone has to get to a station first, from wherever they're coming from) and rideshare becomes a surge problem (everyone opens the app simultaneously post-game). The bus is the one option that picks your group up at the starting point, gets you to the Copper Lot for a full tailgate, and waits for the return without any post-game chaos. At 30 or 40 people, splitting one bus quote across the group routinely lands cheaper per head than the caravan math of gas plus $20 lot passes times eight cars.

Valley Metro Light Rail — When It Actually Makes Sense

The Veterans Way/College Ave station sits immediately west of Mountain America Stadium on the Valley Metro A Line — it's the closest public transit point in the metro and genuinely useful for smaller parties coming from central Phoenix or downtown Tempe. Valley Metro extends service hours for home games. The Tempe Streetcar connects from the Marina Heights stop on the stadium's north side to the Park and Ride at Dorsey/Apache Blvd, which opens another entry point for groups coming from the east.

The Orbit circulator is free until 10 p.m. weekday and Saturday games, with late-night service extended for night kickoffs on select routes. For current routes and fares, call Valley Metro at 480-858-2350 or visit the Valley Metro website.

The firm limitation: none of these work for a group that wants a real tailgate. A cooler and a propane grill don't fit on a light rail car. A party bus or charter bus does exactly that — undercarriage bays handle the gear and nobody in the group has to be the designated driver.

What Size Bus Does Your Group Need?

The right vehicle comes down to headcount and how much tailgate gear you're bringing. A 35-person fan group hauling two propane grills and four coolers needs something different from a 14-person corporate outing that just wants a premium ride to the suite level.

Vehicle Typical seats Luggage/gear Best for Key amenities
14-passenger Sprinter limo / Sprinter van Up to ~14 Modest — coolers, a few bags VIP groups, small corporate crews, suite guests Premium leather, USB charging, tinted privacy windows
Party bus (15–50 passengers) ~15–50 Lighter — built for the ride, not heavy gear Fan groups who want the pregame energy on the road Built-in bar, color-changing LED lighting, Bluetooth sound, flat-panel TVs, open floor
15–35 passenger minibus ~15–35 Overhead storage plus some underfloor Mid-size groups, tailgate-light trips, corporate shuttles Powerful A/C, plush reclining seats
40–56 passenger charter bus Up to 56 Excellent — deep undercarriage bays Large fan groups, school groups, corporate outings Reclining seats, climate control, overhead storage, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restrooms, undercarriage bays

For fan groups who want the rolling pregame — the Sun Devil energy starts the moment you leave the neighborhood — a 15- to 50-passenger party bus comes with a full-length bar, color-changing LED lighting, and a premium sound system that keeps it going from Gilbert to the Copper Lot. For larger groups or those hauling serious tailgate gear, a full-size charter bus provides deep undercarriage bays to swallow grills, coolers, and folding tables, plus an onboard restroom for the Arizona-heat ride home. ADA-accessible vehicles are always available — just tell us before your departure date and we'll have the right vehicle ready.

Bus Rental Prices for Mountain America Stadium

Party Bus Gilbert offers all-inclusive pricing online in under 30 seconds — you will know the exact price before you ever book. There's no single sticker number because the quote is shaped by a handful of clear factors:

  • Vehicle size — a 56-passenger charter bus and a 14-passenger Sprinter limo are different rates.
  • Total hours — how long the vehicle is reserved for your group, including tailgate time and the post-game wait.
  • Date and game — a mid-October primetime Big 12 matchup prices differently than a September non-conference opener.
  • Pickup location — a Gilbert or Chandler origin is a shorter run than a North Scottsdale or Glendale pickup.

For real ranges: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Pricing depends on mileage, time of year, and vehicle type, but you will never be surprised by hidden costs. The stadium's $75 bus parking pass is a separate on-site cost, not included in your bus rental quote.

Here's the value math that usually settles it. A 56-seat charter bus replaces about 14 cars. That's 14 separate $20 general admission passes, 14 tanks of gas from Gilbert, and at least 14 people who can't drink anything before kickoff because they're driving — versus one flat bus rate split across the whole group and a built-in arrangement so everyone tailgates freely.

Once your party clears ten or twelve people, the bus is usually both simpler and cheaper per head. Call 602-338-9085 for a free, all-inclusive price quote.

A Real Game-Day Example

For a Saturday evening Big 12 game last October, a 35-person Sun Devils fan group booked a 40-passenger party bus out of Gilbert. Pickup was at 2:30 PM from a neighborhood park-and-ride, arriving at the Copper Lot by 3:45 PM — roughly four hours before a 7:30 PM kickoff. The undercarriage bays handled two propane grills, a folding table, and three coolers.

The group tailgated through 7:00 PM, walked to the gates, and the bus waited in the lot for a post-game 11:15 PM pickup. The 9-hour all-inclusive rental came to $2,650 — about $76 per person, with the desert heat, the parking scramble, and the designated-driver problem all solved in one number.

Getting There: Routes, Timing, and the Tempe Traffic Reality

Mountain America Stadium sits at the intersection of several Valley freeways — US-60, Loop 101, Loop 202, and I-10 all feed Tempe from different directions. That sounds convenient until 50,000 fans are trying to use all of them simultaneously on a Saturday night. Here are realistic distances and drive times from common group pickup points before event traffic sets in:

From… Approx. distance Typical drive time (off-peak)
Gilbert / Queen Creek ~10–15 miles 15–25 minutes
Chandler ~8–12 miles 15–20 minutes
Mesa ~8–12 miles 15–20 minutes
Scottsdale ~12–16 miles 20–30 minutes
Downtown Phoenix ~7–10 miles 15–25 minutes
Glendale / Peoria ~22–28 miles 30–45 minutes
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) ~4–6 miles 10–15 minutes

Those off-peak times balloon significantly on game days. The City of Tempe's published traffic plan flags the SR-202 Scottsdale Road off-ramp closures (both directions), the Veterans Way closure from Sixth Street to College Avenue, and the College Avenue closure from Sixth Street to Veterans Way — all activating two hours before kickoff. Groups coming from Scottsdale via Loop 101 or from the east via US-60 should budget 20–40 additional minutes on top of normal drive time once within a few miles of the stadium.

The correct approach for north-side Copper Lot access: from Glendale, take I-10 East to Loop 202 East, exit Washington Street, turn right on N Mill Avenue, then left on Rio Salado Parkway. From Gilbert or Chandler, Loop 101 North or S. McClintock Drive to Rio Salado. For south-side access, US-60 West to Loop 101 North, exit University Drive (Exit 52), then proceed to Rural Road.

Confirm the specific game-day routing for your date using the event closure advisories on the City of Tempe website.

Tailgating at Mountain America Stadium: The Rules

A charter bus with deep luggage bays is the ideal tailgate vehicle — propane grills, coolers, folding tables, and canopies all ride in the undercarriage, nobody has to strap anything to a roof rack, and no one in your group needs to stay sober to drive home. ASU enforces real tailgating rules, and knowing them before you arrive keeps your setup running without a problem. Straight from the published game-day guide:

  • Propane gas grills only in surface lots; charcoal allowed only on the top level (roof) of parking structures. Open fires are not permitted. Generators are allowed if they meet ASU Fire Marshal requirements and are placed in non-confined, well-ventilated areas.
  • One space per vehicle per pass. Tailgate directly behind your vehicle. Spaces cannot be saved, combined, or obstructed for caravans.
  • Beer and wine only — no liquor. No glass containers in lots or structures. No kegs or common sources. No drinking games or apparatus of any kind.
  • No vehicles towing trailers into the lots. For a bus group, your gear rides in the undercarriage bays — which avoids this restriction entirely.
  • All tailgate areas must clear within one hour after the game ends. Build that into your post-game pickup window so the bus is there and ready.
  • Prohibited: golf carts, scooters, pedicabs, and similar personal vehicles in and around the stadium area.

Premium tailgate options are available through ASU Athletics if you want a hosted experience rather than a DIY setup: the Coors Light Sun Devil Tailgate (VIP, three hours before kickoff, at the Desert Arboretum) and the Dos Equis Pitchfork Pregame Tailgate (free and open to the public, three hours before kickoff, north of Desert Financial Arena). A charter bus gets your group there in time for both.

Clear Bag Policy and Gate Entry

Stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. Every guest passes through walk-through metal detectors. Club-level ticket holders get early entry two hours before kickoff through the northwest or southwest pass gates only.

Once your ticket is scanned you cannot re-enter the stadium after exiting — coordinate anything you might need from the bus before going through the gates.

ASU's clear bag policy applies at Mountain America Stadium. Per the official policy at sundevils.com:

  • Allowed: Any clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ × 6″ × 12″; one-gallon clear resealable freezer bags; small clutch bags no larger than 4.5″ × 6.5″ (with or without a handle); seat cushions 18″ or less in width with no pockets, compartments, or zippers.
  • Prohibited: Backpacks (even clear ones), large purses, fanny packs, camera bags, diaper bags, mesh bags, and drawstring bags. There is no bag check or check-in location for prohibited items — they must return to your vehicle before entry, so secure them in the bus before you walk to the gates.
  • Medical exception: Medical bags are permitted and subject to thorough inspection.

Also prohibited inside: glass or ceramic containers, outside beverages, tortillas, balloons, tobacco products, tripods, selfie sticks, full-size strollers, bikes, drones, and large umbrellas. Factory-sealed plastic water bottles of 51 oz or smaller are allowed. For the complete and current list, review the official ASU Game Day Guide before your visit.

What's Happening at Mountain America Stadium in 2026

Mountain America Stadium's calendar reaches well beyond ASU football, and the biggest group-transportation demand concentrates around the home football schedule. The events drawing groups in 2026:

  • 2026 ASU Football Home Schedule. The Sun Devils open at home September 5 against Morgan State, then return for five Big 12 home games: Baylor (Oct. 3), Hawaii (Oct. 10), Kansas State (Oct. 24), Colorado (Nov. 7), and Oklahoma State (Nov. 21). After ASU's perfect 6-0 home record, Big 12 Championship, and College Football Playoff Quarterfinal run in 2025, demand for group transportation to home games is stronger than ever. Book the Colorado and Oklahoma State matchups as early as your headcount is confirmed.
  • ASU Homecoming. Homecoming week in November stacks additional street closures on top of the standard game-day plan, including extra detours in surrounding neighborhoods that are specific to that week. The approach routes change from what a regular home game uses. We confirm those when you book.
  • High school football championships (AZPreps365). Mountain America Stadium hosts the 4A, 5A, 6A, and Open division championship games each November and December. Student sections, parent groups, and booster clubs all need coordinated bus transportation — these weekends rank among the highest-demand charter dates at the stadium outside the Sun Devil schedule. Book early; these games fill the East Valley vehicle supply quickly.
  • ASU Spring Game. The annual spring scrimmage draws large alumni groups and is free to attend. Spring game traffic is lighter than fall, but the Copper Lot still fills on a busy Saturday morning.
  • Fiesta Bowl and bowl game tie-ins. When ASU earns a bowl berth, fan groups booking charter service to State Farm Stadium in Glendale make the same request. We coordinate those trips the same way.

For any Big 12 home game, Homecoming, or the AZPreps championship weekend, lock in your Gilbert charter bus as early as your group has a confirmed headcount. The right-size vehicles go first in the East Valley. Call 602-338-9085 to discuss your event date and lock in your reservation.

Group Trips We Coordinate to Mountain America Stadium

Different groups, same goal: everyone arrives together, the tailgate actually happens, and nobody's negotiating surge pricing on Apache Boulevard after the final whistle. A few of the runs we handle most often:

  • Fan groups and tailgaters. Large-scale fan travel from Gilbert, Chandler, or Mesa where the party starts on the party bus the moment you leave the neighborhood. Built-in bar, LED lighting, and sound to keep Sun Devil energy going from pickup to kickoff.
  • Corporate and suite groups. Move clients and colleagues from Chandler offices, Scottsdale hotels, or Tempe corporate campuses to ASU Athletics suites without anyone worrying about parking passes or the post-game crawl back on US-60.
  • Youth football and school groups. AZPreps365 championship games draw large student and parent groups that are considerably easier to manage in one coordinated vehicle than in a caravan of parent cars fighting the same surface lots.
  • Out-of-town alumni groups. Groups flying into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) — about four miles west of the stadium via Loop 202 — book a coordinated airport pickup that drops at the Copper Lot and picks up post-game. Sky Harbor is one of the closest major airports to any college football stadium in the country.
  • Birthday and milestone celebration groups. A game day that doubles as an adult milestone, with the full party bus experience built into the ride to and from the stadium.

Flying In? Phoenix Sky Harbor Is Four Miles Away

Mountain America Stadium has one of the most convenient airport-to-stadium situations in all of college football. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) sits roughly four miles west via the Loop 202 — about a 10- to 15-minute drive in normal traffic. For out-of-town fan groups flying in for a game, one coordinated pickup at Sky Harbor beats trying to wrangle eight separate rideshares at Terminal 4 baggage claim.

Sky Harbor's rideshare and transportation network pickup is at the Rideshare/TNS Lot on 24th Street, accessible via the Sky Train from Terminals 3 and 4. For a group renting a charter bus for the game, we meet your group at baggage claim and head straight to the Copper Lot for the tailgate — no Sky Train, no rideshare queue, no splitting into multiple vehicles with different arrival times. The airport-to-tailgate sequence is one booking instead of eight.

For groups making a full Arizona weekend of it, Tempe's Mill Avenue corridor and Tempe Town Lake have hotels within walking distance of the stadium. The bus handles multi-hotel pickup sweeps on game morning without any logistical lift from your end.

Booking, Tailgate Timing, and Post-Game Pickup

Booking is straightforward once you have the basics together:

  1. Request a quote with your group size, pickup location, game date, and how much pregame tailgate time you want. General lots open 5.5 hours before kickoff; season pass lots open at 7 hours.
  2. Confirm the vehicle and lot routing. We lock in the right vehicle and verify the current Copper Lot / bus parking assignment for your specific game, including any Homecoming-week extra closures that change the approach.
  3. Set your post-game pickup window. Set the exact pickup time in advance so the bus is there and waiting when your group walks out. All tailgate areas must clear within one hour after the game ends, so build that into your timeline.

A few questions we hear constantly: How early should we arrive for the tailgate? Four hours before a primetime kickoff gives you a full setup window without spending the afternoon waiting. Can the bus hold our gear during the game?

Yes — the bus is booked as a block of hours, so gear stays locked in the undercarriage bays while you're inside the stadium. What about the heat? Late summer games in Tempe are legitimately hot, including post-game.

A climate-controlled charter bus waiting in the lot is the difference between a comfortable ride home and 45 minutes standing in 95-degree heat waiting for a rideshare. Call 602-338-9085 any time for an all-inclusive price quote with no obligation.

Tips for Visiting Mountain America Stadium

  • Arrive early for primetime games. ASU's schedule features multiple 7:30 PM kickoffs, including several Big 12 matchups. Night game parking lots fill faster than you'd expect because fans are trying to beat the afternoon heat and claim tailgate space. Four hours before a night kickoff is not too early for a group with gear.
  • Follow the lot-specific approach. North lots use Rio Salado; south lots use University Drive. The SR-202 Scottsdale Road off-ramps close on game days — don't rely on standard GPS routing that doesn't account for event closures.
  • No re-entry once you scan your ticket. Have everything you need from the bus before you enter the gates. Coordinate with the group so nobody has to leave the stadium mid-game to retrieve something from the vehicle.
  • Propane grills only in surface lots. Charcoal is permitted only on the top level of parking structures. If your tailgate includes a grill setup, propane is what works in the Copper Lot.
  • Budget the $75 bus parking separately. This is paid on-site at the lot, not included in your bus rental quote. Have it ready when you pull in so there's no holdup at the lot entrance.
  • Check the ASU game-day guide before each game. Lot assignments and approach routes can shift for specific matchups and special events. The current information lives at the ASU Sun Devils gameday guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a charter bus drop off and park at Mountain America Stadium?

Charter buses and oversized vehicles use the Copper Lot / RV Lot (Lot 10), accessed from Rio Salado Parkway — turn north from Rio Salado into the Copper Lot. Bus/RV parking runs approximately $75 per vehicle, paid on-site at the lot. For drop-off without parking, the designated zone is near the South Packard Drive Structure (Structure 7), where cart service to the stadium is available from two hours before kickoff.

Confirm the current lot assignment with ASU Parking and Transportation Services at 480-965-6124 before your game, or book with us and we'll verify it as part of your reservation.

How much does it cost to rent a bus to Mountain America Stadium?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours including tailgate and post-game wait, date, and pickup location. As a guide: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; small party buses (15–20 passengers) run $204–$378/hour; mid-size (20–30 passengers) run $244–$414/hour; large party buses and minibuses (35–50 passengers) run $294–$490/hour; and full-size charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. The stadium's approximately $75 bus parking pass is a separate on-site cost.

Call 602-338-9085 for an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds — no hidden costs.

What roads close around Mountain America Stadium on game days?

The City of Tempe closes Veterans Way in both directions between Sixth Street and College Avenue and College Avenue in both directions between Sixth Street and Veterans Way, starting two hours before kickoff and running approximately one hour post-game. Valley Metro bus detours activate 5.5 hours before kickoff. The westbound and eastbound SR-202 off-ramps onto Scottsdale Road also close on game days.

Homecoming week adds additional closure layers. We confirm the current approach route for your specific game date when you book.

What is the bag policy at Mountain America Stadium?

ASU enforces a clear bag policy. Each guest may carry one clear plastic bag no larger than 12″ × 6″ × 12″ (or a one-gallon clear resealable bag) plus one small clutch no larger than 4.5″ × 6.5″. Backpacks, fanny packs, camera bags, diaper bags, and mesh bags are all prohibited.

There is no bag check for prohibited items — they must return to your vehicle before you enter. Factory-sealed plastic water bottles 51 oz or smaller are allowed. Full policy at the Sun Devils clear-bag policy page.

Can a charter bus stay parked during the game?

Yes. The bus is booked as a block of hours, so it parks in the Copper Lot during the game with your tailgate gear secured in the undercarriage bays, and is waiting for your arranged post-game pickup. All tailgate areas must clear within one hour after the game ends — set your pickup window with our team in advance so the bus is right there when you walk out.

Is tailgating allowed at Mountain America Stadium?

Yes. Propane gas grills are permitted in surface lots (charcoal only on the top level of parking structures). Beer and wine are allowed; no liquor, no glass containers, no kegs.

Tailgate within one space per vehicle. No DJ setups. No vehicles towing anything into the lots — for a bus group, gear rides in the luggage bays, which avoids that restriction entirely.

All areas must clear within one hour after the game.

What is the closest airport to Mountain America Stadium?

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is roughly four miles west of the stadium via the Loop 202 — about 10 to 15 minutes in normal traffic. It's one of the closest airport-to-stadium situations in college football. One bus picks up your out-of-town group at Sky Harbor baggage claim and heads straight to the Copper Lot tailgate, no rideshare coordination required.

When does parking open on game day?

General admission lots open 5.5 hours before kickoff. Season pass holder lots open 7 hours before kickoff. Stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.

Club-level ticket holders get early stadium entry two hours before kickoff through the northwest or southwest pass gates.

Do I need to buy bus parking in advance?

The approximately $75 bus/RV parking in the Copper Lot is available on-site — not pre-purchased online the way some venues handle oversized vehicle permits. Spaces are limited and the lot fills on major game days, so arriving three or more hours before kickoff gives you the best access. For the most current policy, call ASU Parking and Transportation Services at 480-965-6124.

How far in advance should we book for a Big 12 game or Homecoming?

As early as your date and headcount are confirmed. The East Valley vehicle supply for primetime Big 12 games and Homecoming weekend fills quickly — right-size vehicles go first. For regular non-conference games, two to four weeks of lead time is workable, but the earlier you call the better your price and vehicle options.

Call 602-338-9085 to lock in your reservation.

Book Your Mountain America Stadium Bus Today

The perfect ride to Tempe for your Sun Devil crew is one call away. Whether it's a tailgate for 40 fans from Gilbert, a corporate suite group from Chandler, a school group heading to the AZPreps championship games, or out-of-town alumni flying into Sky Harbor, Party Bus Gilbert has access to a fleet of party buses, charter buses, minibuses, Sprinter vans, and Sprinter limos across the East Valley and metro Phoenix. Your group arrives at the Copper Lot together while everyone else is fighting the SR-202 Scottsdale Road closure and hunting for a $20 spot on University Drive.

Give us a call any time at 602-338-9085 for an all-inclusive price quote — or use our online tool for instant availability.

Sources & Last Verified

Parking, transportation, and policy details for Mountain America Stadium change by season and event. The information above was verified against published ASU Athletics and City of Tempe sources in June 2026. Confirm event-specific lot assignments, parking rates, and closure details against the official pages below before your game day.