Sports in Indianapolis

Indianapolis is the home to 10 professional sports teams. The city is also the home to two National Collegiate Athletic Association collegiate teams. Two teams from the four major American sports, the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers, are located in Indianapolis.

The headquarters of the NCAA, the main governing body for U.S. collegiate sports, is located in Indianapolis, as well as the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Teams in Indianapolis

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football based in Indianapolis. The team is part of the South Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Colts have won five NFL Championships, including two Super Bowl titles. The Colts relocated from Baltimore in 1984, and began their stay in Indianapolis winning 90 of 228 games through the 1997 season, including 5 playoff games. Since Jim Irsay assumed control of the franchise in 1998 after the death of his father Robert Irsay, the team has become the first in league history to win 12 games or more in five consecutive seasons (2003-2007).cite web | url = http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271216013 | title = Colts clip Raiders for fifth straight AFC South title | publisher = ESPN.com | date = 2008-01-29 | accessdate = 2008-01-29] After their first playoff berth in Indianapolis in 1987, they missed the playoffs 7 consecutive years. In 1995 the Colts made it to their 1st AFC Championship Game since relocating but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a last second play. In 1998 GM Bill Polian drafted Peyton Manning out of Tennessee helping to turn the franchise around. Since drafting Manning the Colts have made the playoffs in 7 of 9 years and won Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears in 2006, 29-17. Lucas Oil Stadium will open before the 2008 season, replacing the RCA Dome, as the new home of the Colts.

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The team is part of Central Division in National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pacers began play in the ABA in 1967 and won 3 ABA Championships. In 1976 the Pacers received an invitation to join the National Basketball Association. In the 1987 NBA Draft the Pacers selected Reggie Miller out of UCLA. Miller helped the team to make the playoffs 14 out of 17 seasons. To start the 1999 NBA season they opened their new arena, Conseco Fieldhouse, after playing at Market Square Arena for 25 years. The Pacers reached their first and only NBA Finals in that same season but lost to the Lakers in 6 games. During the 2004-2005 season the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl took place in Detroit and the team has struggled with their off the court image with numerous incidents. Reggie Miller retired the same season. Since then the Pacers missed the playoffs in 2007, the first time since 1997 and for only the second time in 22 years.

Indiana Fever

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. 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 three straight 21 win seasons and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals twice.

Indianapolis Indians

The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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.

Indiana Ice

The Indiana Ice is a Tier I ice hockey team formed in 2004, formerly the Danville Wings. They play the majority of their home games at the Pepsi Coliseum, located in the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Some of its home games are also played at Conseco Fieldhouse. The President of the Ice is Paul Skjodt.

The Ice filled a professional hockey void left by the unrelated Indianapolis Ice franchise that existed from 1988 to 2004. For most of that team's seasons the Ice served as the minor-league affiliate of the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks.

Other Indianapolis teams

*The Indiana Speed are a women's football team of Women's Professional Football League.
*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 F. C. Indiana (WPSL) are a soccer team of the Women’s Premier Soccer League.
*The Indianapolis Trax are a minor league ice hockey team of the Midwest Hockey League.
*The Indiana Impalas are a rugby team of USA Rugby.

College Sports

Indianapolis has two universities that field teams for the NCAA, Butler University (Butler Bulldogs) and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI Jaguars). Butler is a member of the Horizon League and IUPUI is a member of The Summit League.

Defunct teams

*Indianapolis ABCs
*Indiana Blast
*Indiana Blaze
*Indianapolis Blues
*Indianapolis Capitals
*Indianapolis Capitols
*Indianapolis Clowns
*Indianapolis Daredevils
*Indiana Firebirds
*Indianapolis Hoosiers
*Indianapolis Ice
*Indianapolis Jets
*Indianapolis Olympians
*Indiana Twisters

Events hosted

Indianapolis has hosted the Men's and Women's NCAA Final Fours, as well as other rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament, several times. Conseco Fieldhouse, will host the Big Ten Men's Tournament for five straight years, that started in 2008, after it won the Big Ten bid over Chicago and the United Center. Indianapolis has also hosted the Big Ten Women's Tournament every year, except 2001, since it started in 1995.

Indianapolis also hosts the Indianapolis Tennis Championships, one of the many tournaments which are part of the U.S. Open Series.

Indianapolis is well known for its ability to host large events. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts two major races every year, the Indianapolis 500 and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Starting in 2008, the MotoGP Motorcycle series will host a weekend at the speedway for the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix.

Lucas Oil Stadium and the city of Indianapolis made a bid to host Super Bowl XLV in 2011 but lost to Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium by only two NFL Owner votes.cite web | url = http://www.theindychannel.com/sports/13366980/detail.html | title = Colts' Owner: Indy Barely Lost Super Bowl Bid | publisher = WRTV | date = 2007-05-22 | accessdate = 2008-02-01] However, the city made another bid to try and host Super Bowl XLVI and managed to beat out Houston, Texas and Phoenix for the rights to host the Super Bowl.cite web | url = http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/SPORTS03/80520035 | title = Indy wins 2012 Super Bowl bid | publisher = The Indianapolis Star | date = 2008-05-20 | accessdate = 2008-05-20]

Indianapolis also hosted the Pan American Games in 1987. Over 4,000 athletes from 38 nations participated in 30 sports at these games.

Gallery

References