LOOK: Muhammad Ali's letter to NCAA helped Phoenix land the 2017 Final Four
When the NCAA was deciding on Final Four sites a few years back, Ali's words helped boost Phoenix's bid
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Was Muhammad Ali the reason Phoenix will host next year's Final Four?
He was certainly a catalyst.
A few years back, when the NCAA was going through its nomination and bid process for a number of upcoming Final Fours, Phoenix was on the list of finalists. In the wake of Ali's death on Friday, we've learned that he sent a letter to then-chair of the Men's Selection Committee, Ron Wellman.
"When I retired from sport and business," Ali wrote, "I could have chosen anywhere in America to make my family home. I chose the Phoenix area partly because it was a sports town and has a vibrant community that rallies around big events."
Here's the entirety of the letter.
RIP Muhammad Ali. The Phoenix resident wrote a letter to support Phoenix's successful bid to host Final Four. pic.twitter.com/tvAaAWEgpc
— Final Four Phoenix (@FinalFour) June 4, 2016
If there's any doubt that Ali's recommendation carried heft, the NCAA's director of communications tweeted over the weekend, "How were we supposed to say no to #TheGreatest?"
Phoenix was awarded the 2017 Final Four back in 2014.
Ali, who was born and raised in Louisville, attended the 2012 NCAA Tournament in Phoenix, when the University of Louisville reached the Final Four and won out in the West Region. The Greatest watched firsthand as his Cardinals broke through.
A personal anecdote: Ali was sitting a few rows behind me, just over my left shoulder, during that Elite Eight game. Many people approached him, gently, to get a glimpse, to say hello, to say thank you. I simply took a few photos from 15 feet away, not wanting to bother the man. There was an energy around me, though. It was, at times, hard to simply concentrate on the game while Ali was right there behind me. Surreal.
Given his connection to the area and his letter to the NCAA, I would think next year's Final Four in Phoenix will feature a moment of recognition, if not silence, to honor Ali.
