Jedi, Jawas, and a Walk-Off Win: Our Star Wars Night Fun in Arizona

Sometimes the best family memories are the spontaneous detours that send you light-speeding toward something unforgettable. That is exactly what happened during ESPN 8: The Ocho when we learned ESPN's Never Tell Me the Odds, a Star Wars podcast, would be recording live during Star Wars Night at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. Within hours, our itinerary was reworked and we were bound for the desert. While my husband and I love baseball and any excuse to visit a new ballpark, it was the Star Wars fun that had our son excited.

Phoenix in August greeted us with triple-digit heat worthy of Tatooine’s twin suns, but the lure of Star Wars magic and live baseball was strong. The moment we arrived, the atmosphere wrapped around us like a Jedi robe. The concourse screens transformed into starfields with moments of hyperspace streaks, lightsaber illuminations, and scenes of ships soaring by — all accompanied by John Williams’ legendary score. Our first prize of the night was a fantastic bobblehead featuring Arizona Diamondbacks centerfielder Corbin Carroll as a Rebel pilot with a removable helmet, which will find its way to Gideon's growing collectibles display.

We made our way to the third-base side for the Never Tell Me the Odds live taping, their first-ever episode recorded with a seated gallery. The ESPN Star Wars podcast is hosted by three sports media personalities, each with a different connection to the galaxy. Ryan McGee grew up on the original trilogy, has deep Han Solo loyalty, and an encyclopedic knowledge of Star Wars vehicles. Arda Öcal is loyal to Grand Admiral Thrawn, enough to appear as the character during SportsCenter. Clinton Yates finds his Star Wars passion in The Clone Wars and Anakin Skywalker.

Their varied fandoms spark dynamic debates, especially during their famous Star Wars Draft episodes, from building the ultimate Galactic Garage of vehicles to assembling a menagerie of the saga’s most memorable creatures. This night, they were offering various prizes including R2-DL70, the Star Wars Droid Factory figure celebrating Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, to audience participants during trivia segments. Gideon hopped to the mic and correctly identified the voice of Darth Vader to claim his. A pair of brothers after him identified Luke Skywalker as the lone pilot who took down the Death Star. The podcast trio also pulled out the Star Wars Conversation Cards by Kelly Knox, leading to a discussion of which character you’d want for a best friend or what planet you would visit. But you can hear all of that when this podcast hits your podcatcher. Just search for ESPN's Never Tell Me the Odds.

After the podcast ended, as game time approached and we made our way down to our seats, we passed Mandalorians, Rebel pilots, Jedi knights, and the occasional Sith. The umpiring team stepped onto the field to the ominous strains of the Imperial March, escorted by Darth Vader and his loyal Imperial entourage. Even the Diamondbacks mascot, Baxter, was clothed in Jedi robes and carrying a lightsaber.

On the screens, the Diamondbacks roster graphics had been hilariously reimagined so that players were introduced as Star Wars characters, with galactic locales swapped for hometowns. At one point, the traditional big-headed mascot race was interrupted by a group of lost Star Trek Starfleet officers who seemed to be at the wrong event, only for Jedi to chase them off the field. Looking around the stadium, we spotted Leia and Han, a Jawa, and even Maul as fans fully embraced the opportunity to show off their love of Star Wars. But my favorite Star Wars overlay to the typical stadium fun was the fan cam, pairing spectators with their Star Wars lookalikes from Palpatine to Chewie to even Maz Kanata.

The baseball was a lot of fun too as the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks consistently got players on base. We were also treated to a pair of home runs, including one by our bobblehead's inspiration, Corbin Carroll. Ultimately, the Diamondbacks clinched a walk-off victory, winning 6-5 and sending the crowd into celebration. As we made our way out, the stadium announcer’s farewell summed up the night perfectly: May the Force be with you.

By blending sports with beloved fictional worlds, teams create an experience that resonates beyond diehard sports fans, inviting families, casual viewers, and entire fandoms to share in the fun. Baseball in the desert was great; baseball within a galaxy far, far away was unforgettable.

Upcoming MLB Star Wars Nights

Announced NHL Star Wars Nights