Sports in Indianapolis facts for kids

Sports in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a big deal! This city is home to many exciting sports teams, from professional leagues to college athletics. Indianapolis has 11 professional sports teams and three college teams that play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Two of the biggest teams in Indianapolis are the Indianapolis Colts (football) and the Indiana Pacers (basketball). The Indiana Fever, a women's basketball team in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), also plays here. They started in 2000 and are owned by the same group as the Pacers.

Indianapolis also has several minor league teams. The Indianapolis Indians baseball team has been playing since 1902, making them one of the oldest minor league teams! The Indianapolis AlleyCats started in 2012 as a founding team in the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL). The Indy Eleven soccer team began playing in 2014. The Indiana Mad Ants, a basketball team linked to the Pacers, moved to Indianapolis in 2023. They are now called the Noblesville Boom and moved to Noblesville in 2025.

Indianapolis is also important for sports because it's where the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has its main office. The NCAA is the main group that organizes college sports in the U.S. The city is also famous for the Indianapolis 500 car race, which is one of the biggest races in the world.

Major League Teams

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	basketball, Women'sWomen's basketball	Gainbridge Fieldhouse	2000	2000	1 WNBA Championship

Indianapolis Colts (NFL)

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team. They play in the National Football League (NFL). The Colts have won five NFL Championships, including two Super Bowl titles. The team moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984.

Since 1998, the Colts have been one of the best teams in the league. They were the first team in NFL history to win 12 or more games for five years in a row (2003–2007). In 1998, the Colts drafted Peyton Manning, a famous quarterback. With Manning, the Colts made the playoffs in 10 out of 12 years. They won Super Bowl XLI in 2006, beating the Chicago Bears 29–17. The Colts now play their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium, which opened in 2008.

Indiana Pacers (NBA)

The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team in Indianapolis. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pacers started in the ABA in 1967 and won three ABA Championships. In 1976, they joined the NBA.

In 1987, the Pacers drafted Reggie Miller, a star player from UCLA. Miller helped the team reach the playoffs 14 times in 17 seasons. In 1998, they moved into their new arena, Conseco Fieldhouse, which is now called Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers reached their first NBA Finals in 2000 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Reggie Miller retired in 2005.

Indiana Fever (WNBA)

The Indiana Fever is a professional women's basketball team in Indianapolis. They are part of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Fever joined the league in 2000. They won their first game on TV against the Miami Sol.

In 2001, the Fever drafted Tamika Catchings, a superstar player. Even though she missed her first season due to injury, Catchings won the 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award. She led the Fever in points, rebounds, assists, and steals for many years. The Fever made the playoffs for the first time in 2002. They reached the WNBA Finals in 2009, losing to the Phoenix Mercury. In 2012, the Fever won their first WNBA Championship, beating the Minnesota Lynx. In 2024, the team drafted Caitlin Clark, a very popular college player. This helped the Fever set new WNBA records for how many fans came to their games.

Minor League Teams

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	2013	2013	1 NASL Spring Season
Indy Eleven Women	USLW	Women's Soccer	Grand Park	2022	2022	1 USL W League
Indy Fuel	ECHL	Hockey	Fishers Event Center	2014	2014	0
Noblesville Boom	NBAG	Basketball	The Arena at Innovation Mile	2007	2023	0
Fishers Freight	IFL	Indoor Football	Fishers Event Center	2023	2025	0
Indy Ignite	PVF	Volleyball	Fishers Event Center	2023	2025	0

Indianapolis Indians

The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team. They play in the International League and are linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates major league team. The Indians play their games at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis Indians were founded in 1902. This makes them the second-oldest minor league team in professional sports.

Indy Eleven

Indy Eleven is a professional soccer team that started in 2013. They play at the IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium. The team won its first championship in 2016, finishing the Spring Season undefeated. They almost won the NASL Championship that year but lost in a penalty shootout. In 2018, the Eleven joined the USL Championship, which is the second-highest soccer league in the U.S. The team plans to move to a new stadium called Eleven Park in downtown Indianapolis when it's finished in 2025.

Indy Eleven Women

The Indy Eleven is a women's professional soccer team that started in 2022. They play at Grand Park in Westfield, a suburb of Indianapolis. They won their first championship in 2023, winning the USL W-League Championship. This team also plans to move to Eleven Park in downtown Indianapolis when it's built in 2025. They might even join a new top-tier league called the USL Super League.

Indy Fuel

The Indy Fuel is a minor league ice hockey team. They play in the ECHL, which is the third level of professional hockey in North America. The team started in 2013 and has been connected to the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks since then. The Fuel have played at Indiana Farmers Coliseum since they started. They moved to Fishers, a suburb of Indianapolis, in 2024 when the Fishers Event Center was completed.

Noblesville Boom

The Noblesville Boom is a minor league basketball team in the NBA G League. The team started in 2007 in Fort Wayne as the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. They won a championship in 2014. In 2015, the Indiana Pacers bought the team. In 2023, they announced the team would move to Indianapolis and be called the Indiana Mad Ants. The team then moved to Noblesville in 2025 and changed its name to the Noblesville Boom. They play at The Arena at Innovation Mile.

Fishers Freight

In November 2023, it was announced that a new Indoor Football League team would be in Indianapolis. This team, the Fishers Freight, started playing in 2025. They play at the Fishers Event Center.

Indy Ignite

In December 2023, it was announced that a new Pro Volleyball Federation team would be in Indianapolis. This team, the Indy Ignite, started playing in 2025. They also play at the Fishers Event Center.

Top Tier Amateur Teams

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 with teams in the NCAA:

• Butler University (Butler Bulldogs) plays in Division I.
• Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indy Jaguars) plays in Division I.
• The University of Indianapolis (Indianapolis Greyhounds) plays in Division II.

Butler is part of the Big East Conference, IU Indy is in the Horizon League, and UIndy is in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Marian University also has teams that compete in the NAIA.

Motorsports

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is home to the Indianapolis 500, one of the most famous car races in the world. It's the biggest single-day sporting event in the world, with huge crowds! In May, before the Indianapolis 500, the Speedway also hosts the IndyCar Grand Prix. Both of these races are part of the IndyCar Series. The Speedway also hosts NASCAR's Brickyard 400. In the past, it hosted Formula 1 races (from 2000 to 2007) and Moto GP motorcycle races (from 2008 to 2015).

Many IndyCar racing teams are based in Indianapolis, including Andretti Global, Arrow McLaren, and Chip Ganassi Racing.

Events Hosted

Indianapolis has become well-known for hosting big sporting events over the last 30 years. While car racing has always been important, other sports like swimming and basketball have also become major events in the city.

NCAA Championships

Indianapolis has a special connection to college sports. It's where the NCAA (the main college sports organization) has its headquarters and its Hall of Fame. The city has hosted many NCAA national championship events for different sports.

Indianapolis has hosted the Men's and Women's NCAA Final Fours for basketball many times. It has hosted the second-most Men's Final Fours, with eight. Indianapolis is set to host its ninth Final Four in 2026. It is also tied for hosting the most Women's Final Fours.

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		UConn
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 Indiana University Natatorium has hosted 13 Olympic Trials for swimming. Many world records have been broken there by famous swimmers like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

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 Indianapolis hosted the 2022 College Football Playoff Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium. This was the first time Indianapolis hosted a college football championship. It was also the first time this championship game was held outside of the South or West regions of the U.S.

Year	Stadium	Champion
2022	Lucas Oil Stadium	Georgia

Big Ten Basketball Tournament

Gainbridge Fieldhouse has hosted the Big Ten men's tournament 12 times through 2025. This includes five years in a row from 2008–2012. The 2021 tournament was held at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis has also hosted the Big Ten women's tournament 21 times through 2025, all at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Gainbridge Fieldhouse will host both tournaments again in 2026.

Horizon League Basketball Tournaments

Indianapolis has often hosted the Horizon League men's basketball tournament semifinals and finals. Since 2020, Corteva Coliseum has been the official host for the semifinals and finals of both the Horizon men's and women's tournaments.

Big Ten Football Championship Game

Since 2011, Indianapolis has been the host city for the Big Ten Football Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium. This game is the final event of the Big Ten football season. The champions from the East and West Divisions play to see who wins the conference title. The winner often gets to play in a major bowl game or even the College Football Playoff.

Indianapolis Tennis Championships

From 1988 to 2009, Indianapolis hosted a professional tennis tournament. It was held at the Indianapolis Tennis Center. Many famous players, like Boris Becker and Pete Sampras, played in this tournament. Pete Sampras won the event three times, more than any other male player.

Motorsports Events

Indianapolis is famous for its car racing events, especially the Indianapolis 500, which started in 1911. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway also hosts NASCAR's Brickyard 400 and IndyCar's IndyCar Grand Prix. The Lucas Oil Raceway also hosts various racing events, including the NHRA U.S. Nationals, which is a very important drag racing event.

Auto Racing

Races	Years	Race	Series	Venue
109	1911–1916 1919–1941 1946–present	Indianapolis 500	IndyCar Series	Indianapolis Motor Speedway
63	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
30	1994–present	Brickyard 400	NASCAR Cup Series	Indianapolis Motor Speedway
20	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
13	2012–present	Lilly Diabetes 250	NASCAR Xfinity Series	Indianapolis Motor Speedway
12	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

Indianapolis hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Many people thought Indianapolis did a great job hosting the Super Bowl. The NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, even said that Indianapolis might host future Super Bowls.

Season	Game	Stadium	Winner	Loser	Score
2011	XLVI	Lucas Oil Stadium	New York Giants	New England Patriots	21–17

NFL Combine

The NFL Combine is a week-long event where college football players show off their skills to NFL teams before the NFL Draft. Indianapolis has hosted the NFL Combine since 1987. From 1987 to 2008, it was held at the RCA Dome. Since 2009, it has been at the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Coaches and team managers from all 32 NFL teams come to Indianapolis in February to watch these young players. This is a very important chance for teams to see potential new players.

All-Star Games

Indianapolis has hosted several all-star games for different sports leagues. They hosted the ABA all-star game twice, the NBA all-star game twice, and the Triple-A baseball all-star game once. Indianapolis hosted the NBA All-Star Game 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

WNBA All-Star Game

Year	Stadium	Winner	Loser	Score
2025	Gainbridge Fieldhouse	TBD	TBD

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

When the Indiana Pacers make it to the championship series, Indianapolis hosts some of the games. The Pacers played in the ABA Finals five times when they were in the ABA. Indianapolis hosted 13 ABA Finals games, more than any other city. However, the Pacers never won the championship at home during the ABA era.

The Pacers have hosted the NBA Finals once, in 2000. These games were played at Conseco Fieldhouse. The series ended in 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
2025	Game 3	Gainbridge Fieldhouse	Indiana Pacers	Oklahoma City Thunder	116-107
	Game 4		Oklahoma City Thunder	Indiana Pacers	111-104
	Game 6

WNBA Finals

The Indiana Fever have hosted the WNBA Finals three times: in 2009, 2012, and 2015. All these games were played at the arena now known as Gainbridge Fieldhouse. In 2012, the Fever won the championship in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. This was the first time a professional basketball championship was won 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 means the team won the WNBA Championship in that game.

Pan American Games

Indianapolis hosted the 1987 Pan American Games in 1987. Over 4,000 athletes from 38 countries competed in 30 different sports during these games.

FIBA World Championships

Indianapolis hosted 16 international basketball teams for the 2002 FIBA World Championship from August 29 to September 8, 2002. This was the first time the United States hosted this event. The tournament had 62 games, with the championship game played at Conseco Fieldhouse. Yugoslavia won the title. The U.S. team finished in sixth place, which was their worst performance at this event.

Golf

Indianapolis has hosted many big golf tournaments. Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, a suburb of Indianapolis, has hosted events like the 1991 PGA Championship. The Brickyard Crossing Course, which is partly inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hosted a Champions Tour event for several years and now hosts an LPGA event.

Mini-Marathon

Since 1977, Indianapolis has hosted a mini-marathon in May, usually the first weekend of the month. It's a warm-up event for the Indianapolis 500. This event, called the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, is the largest mini-marathon in America. It's known for selling out all its spots every year since 2001. The 13.1-mile race starts downtown, includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and then finishes back downtown.

Amateur Sports

Indianapolis Teams

• The Indianapolis Tornados are a Men's AAA minor league football team.
• The Indiana Speed are a women's football team.
• The F. C. Indiana (NPSL) are a soccer team.
• The Indianapolis Braves are a soccer team.
• The F. C. Indiana (WPSL) are a soccer team.
• The Indianapolis Impalas are a rugby team.
• The Indy Eleven Women are a soccer team that started playing in the USL W League.

Ice Hockey

The Indiana Ice played in the United States Hockey League, which is an amateur league for players aged 20 and younger. They played most of their home games at the Fairgrounds Coliseum before the team stopped playing after the 2013–14 season.

Cricket

Cricket is a popular sport among South Asian communities in Indianapolis. The city built the Indianapolis World Sports Park and its cricket stadium to host cricket games. Indianapolis has a club called Cricket Club of Indianapolis. Many local amateur teams play with tennis balls in central Indiana. Indiana Youth Cricket (INYCA) helps grow youth and school cricket in Indiana.

Hurling

Hurling is a summer sport played by Irish communities in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association has been playing hurling since 2002. They also compete in Gaelic Football and Camogie (women's hurling).

Little League Baseball and Softball

Little League, which started in 1939, opened its Central Region Headquarters in Indianapolis in 1989. Since 2011, this headquarters has hosted tournaments for 11–12 year olds. These tournaments decide which teams will represent the Central Region in the Little League Baseball World Series and the Little League Softball World Series.

Defunct Teams

See also

• Sports in Indiana
• List of baseball parks in Indianapolis