Sports in Indianapolis
Sports in Indianapolis include major league franchises, collegiate athletics, and a variety of other club and individual sporting events that have taken place in
A number of
Notably, Indianapolis is the headquarters of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the main governing body for U.S. collegiate sports, the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the Indianapolis 500, one of three legs of the Triple Crown of Motorsport.
Major League teams in Indianapolis
Club | League | Sport | Venue | Founded | Established in Indianapolis |
Championships in Indianapolis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indianapolis Colts | NFL | Football | Lucas Oil Stadium | 1953 | 1984 | 1 Super Bowl |
Indiana Pacers | NBA | Basketball | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 1967 | 1967 | 3 ABA Championships; 0 NBA Championships |
Indiana Fever | WNBA | Women's Basketball | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 2000 | 2000 | 1 WNBA Championship |
Indianapolis Colts (NFL)
The
Indiana Pacers (NBA)
The
Indiana Fever (WNBA)
The Indiana Fever are a professional women's basketball team based in Indianapolis. The team is part of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Fever were one of the 2000 expansion teams. The WNBA awarded Indianapolis a team with the opening of Conseco Fieldhouse, now Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever won their 1st game in Miami, against the Miami Sol, on national TV but finished the 2000 season in last place at 9–23 and received the 3rd overall pick in the 2001 WNBA draft. In the draft the Fever selected Tennessee superstar Tamika Catchings, although she was forced to sit out the 2001 season with a knee injury. Catchings won the 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year and has led the Fever in points, rebounds, assists, and steals each season since. They first made the playoffs in 2002 but lost to the New York Liberty in 3 games. Since 2005 the Fever have posted four 21+ win seasons and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times. They reached the WNBA Finals for the first time in 2009, losing to the Phoenix Mercury three games to two. The Fever reached the WNBA Finals for the second time in 2012, and the team defeated the Minnesota Lynx three games to one to win their first WNBA Title.
Minor League teams in Indianapolis
Club | League | Sport | Venue | Founded | Established in Indianapolis |
Championships in Indianapolis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indianapolis Indians | International (Triple-A) | Baseball | Victory Field | 1902 | 1902 | 2 International League;
12 American Association |
Indy Eleven | USLC | Soccer | IU Michael A. Carroll Stadium Eleven Park (planned 2025) |
2013 | 2013 | 1 NASL Spring Season
|
Indy Eleven Women
|
USLW USLS (planned 2025) |
Women's Soccer | Grand Park Eleven Park (planned 2025) |
2022 | 2022 | 1 USL W League |
Indy Fuel | ECHL | Hockey | Indiana Farmers Coliseum Fishers Event Center (planned 2024) |
2014 | 2014 | 0 |
Indiana Mad Ants | NBAG | Basketball | Gainbridge Fieldhouse Noblesville Event Center (planned 2024) |
2007 | 2023 | 0 |
Fishers Freight | IFL | Indoor Football | Fishers Event Center (planned 2025) | 2023 | 2025 (planned) | 0 |
Indy Ignite | PVF | Volleyball | Fishers Event Center (planned 2025) | 2023 | 2025 (planned) | 0 |
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis. The team, which plays in the International League, is the AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis.
Founded in 1902, the Indianapolis Indians are the second-oldest minor league franchise in professional sports, behind only the Rochester Red Wings.
In 1985, a group of local investors formed Indianapolis Baseball, Inc. to pursue a Major League Baseball team. The announcement was met with great fanfare; 12,000 season tickets were sold in anticipation of the new team, to be named the Indianapolis Arrows. The initiative was ultimately unsuccessful and season ticket holders were refunded by the end of the year.[2]
Indy Eleven
Indy Eleven Women
Indy Fuel
The Indy Fuel is a minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL, the third tier of professional hockey in North America. The franchise was founded in 2013 and has been affiliated with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks since the Fuel's foundation. The team has played at Indiana Farmers Coliseum since their founding. They are expected to relocate to the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers in 2024, upon completion of construction of the Fishers Event Center.
Indiana Mad Ants
The Indiana Mad Ants are a minor league basketball team in the NBA G League. The team was established in 2007 in the then NBA Development League (D-League), playing in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They won a championship in the 2014 season. In 2015, the Indiana Pacers bought the team, and in 2023 they announced the team would relocate to Indianapolis. They will play the 2023-24 season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, after which they will move to the newly constructed Noblesville Event Center. This move will also be accompanied by a rebranding.
Fishers Freight
It was announced in November 2023 that the Indoor Football League would expand with a team in Indianapolis. The team is expected to begin play in 2025, in conjunction with the completion of construction of the Fishers Event Center.
Indy Ignite
It was announced in December 2023 that the Pro Volleyball Federation would expand with a team in Indianapolis. The team is expected to begin play in 2025, in conjunction with the completion of construction of the Fishers Event Center.
Top tier amateur teams in Indianapolis
Club | League | Sport | Venue | Founded | Established in Indianapolis |
Championships in Indianapolis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FC Indiana Lionesses
|
WPSL Elite | Soccer | IU Michael A. Carroll Stadium | 2000 | 2000 | 2 WPSL Championships; 2 USASA National Women's Open Cups |
Indianapolis AlleyCats | AUDL
|
Ultimate | Grand Park | 2012 | 2012 | 0 |
Collegiate sports
Indianapolis has three universities that field teams in the NCAA,
Motorsports
Indianapolis is also the central base of several IndyCar racing teams, including Andretti Global, Arrow McLaren, Chip Ganassi Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Juncos Hollinger Racing, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Events hosted
Indianapolis has gained a reputation within the last thirty years for being a strong city for hosting major sporting events. While racing has been a major focus of the city for more than one hundred years, different sports, such as swimming and basketball, have become major focal points of the Indianapolis sports hosting landscape.
NCAA Championships
Indianapolis has a special connection with college sports, as it is the headquarters of the NCAA and the home of the NCAA Hall of Fame. It has also hosted a wide variety of Division I NCAA national championship Events.
Indianapolis has hosted the
Men's Basketball
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
1980 |
Market Square Arena | Louisville |
1991 | Hoosier Dome | Duke |
1997 | RCA Dome | Arizona |
2000 | Michigan State | |
2006 | Florida | |
2010 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Duke |
2015 | Duke | |
2021 | Baylor | |
2026 | ||
2029 |
Women's Basketball
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
2005 | RCA Dome | Baylor |
2011 | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | Texas A&M |
2016 | Connecticut | |
2028 |
Fencing
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
2017 | Indiana Farmers Coliseum | Notre Dame |
Rowing
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
2002 | Eagle Creek Park | Brown |
2003 | Harvard | |
2013 | Ohio State | |
2014 | Ohio State |
Men's Swimming and Diving
The
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
1983 | Indiana University Natatorium | Florida |
1986 |
Stanford | |
1988 | Texas | |
1989 | Texas | |
1990 | Texas | |
1992 | Stanford | |
1993 | Stanford | |
1995 | Michigan | |
1999 | Auburn | |
2013 | Michigan | |
2017 | Texas |
Women's Swimming and Diving
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
1984 | Indiana University Natatorium | Texas |
1987 |
Texas | |
1989 | Stanford | |
1991 | Texas | |
1994 | Stanford | |
1997 | USC | |
2000 | Georgia | |
2013 | Georgia | |
2017 | Stanford |
Indoor Track and Field
Year | Stadium | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
---|---|---|---|
1989 | Hoosier Dome |
Aransas | LSU |
1990 | Arkansas | Texas | |
1991 | Arkansas | LSU | |
1992 | Arkansas | Florida | |
1993 | Arkansas | LSU | |
1994 | RCA Dome | Arkansas | LSU |
1995 | Arkansas | LSU | |
1996 | George Mason | LSU | |
1997 | Arkansas | LSU | |
1998 | Arkansas | Texas | |
1999 | Arkansas | Texas |
Outdoor Track and Field
Year | Stadium | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Carroll Stadium |
SMU | Texas |
Women's Volleyball
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
1987 | Market Square Arena | Hawaiʻi |
Men's Water Polo
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
1989 | Indiana University Natatorium | UC Irvine |
Women's Water Polo
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
2017 | Indiana University Natatorium | Stanford |
College Football Playoff
On November 1, 2017, it was announced that Indianapolis would host the 2022 College Football Playoff Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium, which will serve as the conclusion to the 2021 football season. This is the first time Indianapolis has hosted any iteration of the college football championship. It is also the first time that a college football national championship game will be held outside of the South or West.
Year | Stadium | Champion |
---|---|---|
2022 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Georgia |
Big Ten Basketball tournament
Conseco Fieldhouse will host the
Horizon League Basketball tournament
Indianapolis became an irregular home of the Horizon League men's basketball tournament, as Butler commonly was the first overall seed, thus making Hinkle Fieldhouse a common host for the semifinals and finals. Starting in 2020, Indiana Farmers Coliseum became the contractual home of the tournament.
Big Ten Football Championship Game
In 2011, following the reorganization of the Big Ten Conference into two divisions and the creation of the Big Ten Football Championship Game, Indianapolis was selected to indefinitely host the event in Lucas Oil Stadium. The game is the culmination of the Big Ten football season, in which the East and West Division champions meet to determine who gets an automatic New Year's Six Bowl berth, typically being the Rose Bowl. However, due to the high level of play in the conference, a College Football Playoff berth is often on the line.
Indianapolis Tennis Championships
From 1988 to 2009, Indianapolis hosted a lower level tennis tournament, being classified as an ATP World Tour 250 series event. It was held at the now demolished Indianapolis Tennis Center, which was located on the campus of
. Pete Sampras won the event three times, which is the most of any men's single player.Motorsports
Indianapolis has its original roots in hosting large events in the Indianapolis 500, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Started in 1911, it quickly became among the most prestigious and famous races in the world. It remains the crown jewel of the IndyCar series. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has since added several other events, including NASCAR's Brickyard 400, IndyCar's IndyCar Grand Prix, and the Red Bull Air Race of Indianapolis. The Lucas Oil Raceway, formerly O'Reilly Raceway Park, has also been home to various racing events, most notably the NHRA U.S. Nationals, widely considered the most prestigious drag racing event in the world.
Car Racing
Races | Years | Race | Series | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
101 | 1911–1916 1919–1941 1946–present |
Indianapolis 500 | IndyCar Series | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
56 | 1961–present | NHRA U.S. Nationals | NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series | Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park |
29 | 1982–2011 | Kroger 200 | NASCAR Nationwide Series | Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park |
24 | 1994–present | Verizon 200 at the Brickyard | Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
17 | 1995–2011 2022–present |
TSport 200 | NASCAR Camping World Truck Series | Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park |
15 | 2003–2019 | Freedom 100 | Firestone Indy Lights | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
8 | 2000–2007 | United States Grand Prix | Formula One World Championship | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
6 | 1998–2003 | IROC at Indy | International Race of Champions | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
6 | 2012–present | Lilly Diabetes 250 | NASCAR Xfinity Series | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
4 | 2014–present | IndyCar Grand Prix | IndyCar Series | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Motorcycle Racing
Races | Years | Race | Series | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 2008–2015 | Red Bull Indianapolis GP | MotoGP World Championship | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Aircraft Racing
Races | Years | Race | Series | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2016–present | Red Bull Air Race of Indianapolis | Red Bull Air Race World Championship | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Super Bowl
Lucas Oil Stadium and the city of Indianapolis made a bid to host
Super Bowl XLVI is widely considered to have been hosted extremely well. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suggested that Indianapolis may be a contender for future Super Bowls.Season | Game | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | XLVI |
Lucas Oil Stadium | New York Giants | New England Patriots | 21–17 |
NFL Combine
A few years after the Colts relocated and made Indianapolis its new home, their stadium was utilized for the NFL Combine, a week-long showcase for college football players hoping to get drafted into the NFL. From 1987 to 2008, the events were held as the RCA Dome. Starting in 2009, the NFL Combine moved to the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Coaches, general managers, and other front office management members from all 32 teams report to the city in February to assess young players. This is the largest single opportunity for the teams to evaluate potential draftees before the NFL Draft in April.
All-Star Games
Indianapolis has hosted several all-star games of various leagues. They hosted the ABA all-star game twice, the NBA game once, and the Triple-A all star game once. Indianapolis is currently scheduled to host the NBA All-Star Game again in 2024.
ABA All-Star Game
Year | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
1968 | Hinkle Fieldhouse | East | West | 126–120 |
1970 | Fairgrounds Coliseum | West | East | 128–98 |
NBA All-Star Game
Year | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
1985 | Hoosier Dome | West | East | 140–129 |
2024 | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | East | West | 211-186 |
Triple-A All-Star Game
Year | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Victory Field | PCL | IL | 9–5 |
ECHL All-Star Game
Year | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Indiana Farmers Coliseum | Mountain Division | South Division | 6–5 (SO) |
ABA and NBA Finals
In both the ABA and NBA, the championship series is hosted by the two teams that have advanced to the round, as opposed to the event being awarded prior to the teams being determined, like the Super Bowl. The Indiana Pacers have brought a championship series to Indianapolis multiple times in their history. While still playing in the ABA, from 1968 through 1976, Indianapolis were a partial host of the ABA Finals five times. The Pepsi Coliseum hosted the first four, in 1969, 1970, 1972, and 1973. Madison Square Garden was the Pacers' home for 1975, which would be their last appearance in the ABA Finals. Overall, Indianapolis hosted 13 ABA Finals games, more than any other city. Despite the high level of success of the Pacers during this era and the high number of games, the championship series never ended in Indianapolis, instead always being closed at the alternative team's arena. Following the absorption of the ABA into the more established NBA, the Pacers began competing for the NBA Championship. Indianapolis has only hosted one NBA Finals, in 2000. This time, the games were played in Conseco Fieldhouse, the new home of the Pacers. The city hosted games 3, 4, and 5, with the Pacers winning the first and last of those games while losing the middle. Fittingly, the series was closed out in the other city, Los Angeles.
ABA Finals
Year | Game | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1969 | Game 3 | Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum | Oakland Oaks | Indiana Pacers | 134–126 |
Game 4 | Oakland Oaks | Indiana Pacers | 144–117 | ||
1970 | Game 1 | Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum | Indiana Pacers | Los Angeles Stars | 109–93 |
Game 2 | Indiana Pacers | Los Angeles Stars | 114–111 | ||
Game 5 | Los Angeles Stars | Indiana Pacers | 117–113 | ||
1972 | Game 1 | Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum | Indiana Pacers | New York Nets | 124–103 |
Game 2 | New York Nets | Indiana Pacers | 117–115 | ||
Game 5 | Indiana Pacers | New York Nets | 100–99 | ||
1973 | Game 3 | Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum | Kentucky Colonels | Indiana Pacers | 92–88 |
Game 4 | Indiana Pacers | Kentucky Colonels | 90–86 | ||
Game 6 | Kentucky Colonels | Indiana Pacers | 109–93 | ||
1975 | Game 3 | Market Square Arena | Kentucky Colonels | Indiana Pacers | 109–101 |
Game 4 | Indiana Pacers | Kentucky Colonels | 94–86 |
NBA Finals
Year | Game | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Game 3 | Conseco Fieldhouse | Indiana Pacers | Los Angeles Lakers | 100–91 |
Game 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 120–118 (OT) | ||
Game 5 | Indiana Pacers | Los Angeles Lakers | 120–87 |
WNBA Finals
In the same style as the NBA, the WNBA Finals are only hosted by Indianapolis when the local team, the Fever, make it to the championship round. This has occurred three times, in 2009, 2012, and 2015. Conseco Fieldhouse has been home to all of these events, hosting a total of six games. In each Finals, they have hosted games 3 and 4. In 2012, the Fever won the championship in game 4 of the WNBA Finals, making it the first, and to date only, professional basketball championship to be clinched in Indianapolis.
Year | Game | Stadium | Winner | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | Game 3 | Conseco Fieldhouse | Indiana Fever | Phoenix Mercury | 86–85 |
Game 4 | Phoenix Mercury | Indiana Fever | 90–77 | ||
2012 | Game 3 | Bankers Life Fieldhouse | Indiana Fever | Minnesota Lynx | 76–59 |
Game 4 | Indiana Fever | Minnesota Lynx | 87–78 | ||
2015 | Game 3 | Bankers Life Fieldhouse | Minnesota Lynx | Indiana Fever | 80–77 |
Game 4 | Indiana Fever | Minnesota Lynx | 75–69 |
Bold denotes a team that clinched the WNBA Championship with the conclusion of the game.
Pan American Games
Indianapolis also hosted the Pan American Games in 1987. Over 4,000 athletes from 38 nations participated in 30 sports at these games.
FIBA World Championships
Indianapolis hosted sixteen international basketball teams at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, which went from August 29 to September 8, 2002. This was the fourteenth edition of the event. It was the first, and to date only, time that the United States has hosted the event. The tournament consisted of 62 games. 25 games were held in the RCA Dome, while Conseco Fieldhouse hosted 37 games, including the championship game. The tournament culminated with the now defunct Yugoslavia national team winning the title, their second consecutive. Dirk Nowitzki of the German team was named the tournament MVP. Ironically, the American team, led by head coach George Karl, had their worst showing at the FIBA World Championships, finishing with a 6–3 record and a sixth-place overall finish.
Golf
Indianapolis has played host to many major golf tournaments. Crooked Stick Golf Club, located in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, Indiana, has hosted several events, most notably the 1991 PGA Championship. Other events include the 1993 U.S. Women's Open and the BMW Championship in 2012 and 2016. The Brickyard Crossing Course, partially contained within the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hosted a Champions Tour event from 1994 to 2000, and will host an LPGA event starting in 2017.
Mini-Marathon
Since 1977, Indianapolis has hosted a mini-marathon during the month of May, usually the first weekend of the month. It serves as a lead-up event for the Indianapolis 500. The event, currently called the
Amateur sports
Indianapolis teams
- The minor league football team of the Premier Amateur Football League-Tier 1
- The women's football team of Women's Football Alliance.
- The F. C. Indiana (NPSL) are a soccer team of the National Premier Soccer League.
- The Indianapolis Braves are a soccer team of the National Premier Soccer League.
- The WPSL Elite League.
- The Indianapolis Impalas are a Division 1 rugby team of USA Rugby.
- The Indy Eleven Women are a soccer team set to begin play in the USL W Leagueinaugural season.
Ice hockey
The
Cricket
Hurling
Little League baseball and softball
Defunct teams
- Indianapolis ABCs
- Indianapolis Athletics
- Indiana Blast
- Indiana Blaze
- Indianapolis Blues
- Indianapolis Capitals
- Indianapolis Capitols
- Indianapolis Checkers
- Indianapolis Chiefs
- Indianapolis Clowns
- Indianapolis Daredevils
- Indiana Firebirds
- Indianapolis Hoosiers (American Association)
- Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League)
- Indianapolis Hoosiers (Federal League)
- Indianapolis Ice
- Indianapolis Jets
- Indianapolis Olympians
- Indianapolis Racers
- Indiana Speed (WFA)
- Indiana Twisters
See also
- Sport in Indiana
- List of baseball parks in Indianapolis
References
- ^ "Colts clip Raiders for fifth straight AFC South title". ESPN.com. 2008-01-29. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
- ^ Hunsinger Benbow, Dana (March 7, 2019). "Art Angotti, the man who almost brought Major League Baseball to Indianapolis, dies". The Indianapolis Star. Gannett Co. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
- ^ IU, Natatorium. "Indianapolis University Natatroium". IU Natatorium. IU and Purdue University. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ Anderson, Jared (24 March 2017). "2017 Men's NCAA Championships: Day 3 Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ "Colts' Owner: Indy Barely Lost Super Bowl Bid". WRTV. 2007-05-22. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ "Indy wins 2012 Super Bowl bid". The Indianapolis Star. 2008-05-20. Archived from the original on 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
- ^ "Indiana Cricket".
- Cricinfo.com. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
- ^ "Indy GAA - History". indygaa.com. Archived from the original on 2013-08-25.
- ^ Little League. "Little League Baseball and Softball". Littleleague.org. Retrieved 2021-11-23.