Michael Bidwill, left, vice president and general counsel of the Arizona Cardinals, and Northern Arizona University President John Haeger display an NAU Cardinals jersey during Thursday’s press conference announcing the Cardinals return to NAU for preseason training. (Photo by Jerry Foreman)

Cardinals to migrate back
to NAU for preseason

The Arizona Cardinals will return to Northern Arizona University after selecting the university as the site of their future preseason training camps through at least 2008.

NAU and the Cardinals signed a three-year agreement today in the Babbitt Administrative Center.

NAU, which Sports Illustrated has called among the top five training camps in the NFL, was home of the Cardinals camp since their move to Arizona in 1988 to 2005.

Coaches and staff will begin arriving at NAU on July 25 with players scheduled to arrive July 30. Practices begin July 31.

"The partnership between Northern Arizona University and the Arizona Cardinals makes a real difference in this community and this state," said NAU President John Haeger. "The Cardinals have a long and colorful history but the last three or four years have been amazing, with the hiring of coach Dennis Green, the opening of a new stadium and a very successful draft. It's exciting to be a part of what the Bidwill family has done."

Michael Bidwill, vice president and general counsel of the Cardinals, congratulated the community for bonding together to bring the Cardinals back to Flagstaff, calling NAU "forward thinking and visionary."

"We're building on our plan to put a winning team on the field, and I couldn't think of a better place to train," Bidwill said. "The three things we're hoping to accomplish are: building a championship organization, building a championship team and building a championship."

He also told Flagstaff to get ready for an onslaught of media over the Cardinals. "There will be a lot media showcasing what a great community this is," he said.

A study conducted by the NAU College of Business Administration shows that about $2 million is added to the northern Arizona economy as a result of the Cardinals training camp.

The university—with support from community members, the city of Flagstaff and the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce—worked for months to persuade the Cardinals to return to Flagstaff. An agreement in principle was reached in early March, and contract details were finalized this week.

"Northern Arizona came together to make a presentation to the team that clearly was in the best interest of the community, the university and the team," Haeger said.