I will be going to quite a few ST games as I live in Glendale. That being said, renting a house in Snottsdale is going to be $$$$ and really not worth it. Perhaps I am just biased but SDL is way overhyped and too "fake" of a city for me. That being said, you could probably find something over in Peoria or Glendale for a decent rate. If you didnt mind being a little farther out, Avondale or Goodyear may be even cheaper, and still not a long drive over to Maryvale or any of the other parks on the west side of phoenix. As far as night life goes...it really depends on what you enjoy. If you like the college scene (ASU), Mill Ave in Tempe is worth checking out. I have sort of grown out of that phase and prefer smaller hole in the wall type places now. Most places arent overly horrible, but there are certain places to avoid (namely most of the bars/clubs in Central/South Phoenix). You may even want to check out craigslist and see if people would have houses/rooms to rent out.