He Caitlin Clark This effect has paid off big for the Indiana Fever and women's basketball.
Pacers Sports & Entertainment unveiled its $78 million plan to build a “world-class” performance center in downtown Indianapolis exclusively for its WNBA team, which is expected to open before the start of the 2027 season.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks with Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half in Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 25, 2024. (Paul Rutherford/Image Images)
“We are excited to partner with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett to identify the perfect location for the Indiana Fever Sports Performance Center,” PS&E owner Herb Simon said in a statement. “The city of Indianapolis continues to be a great partner as we elevate our team, players and community.”
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The 108,000-square-foot practice facility will be connected to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where both the Fever and the Indiana Pacers play, and construction is expected to begin in August 2025.
According to a team press release, the center's design will be geared toward “the specific needs of female athletes competing at the highest level, including performance and conditioning, recovery and rehabilitation, mental health and well-being, and lifestyle support.
“This elite training facility is a reflection of our organization's continued commitment to ensuring our players have the highest level of resources to succeed,” Indiana Fever President of Basketball and Business Operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement. statement provided by the team.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots as the Dallas Wings' Jacy Sheldon (4) and Natasha Howard, right, defend in the first half of a WNBA game on Sept. 1, 2024 in Arlington , Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutiérrez)
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“As we look to the future, the focus on creating a world-class player experience designed exclusively for female athletes will set us apart.”
The new center will have two regulation courts, a full-service kitchen and areas dedicated to yoga and Pilates. Additionally, the team said other features incorporated into the design include “a hair and nail salon, a childcare space, and a content and podcast production studio to support the players' lifestyle.”
The Fever have their own independent training facility at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which was last renovated in 2020.
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Clark's historic rookie season generated WNBA record numbers in both viewership and attendance. For the first time in league history, the league announced full-time charter flights for all of its teams in May, which were projected to cost about $25 million per year for the next two seasons.
Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark reacts after a three-pointer during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on August 16, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Las Vegas, Seattle and Phoenix have opened new training centers in recent years, and Chicago has one under construction.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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