The Caitlin Clark effect has paid off in a big way 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 to Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half of Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena Sept. 25, 2024. (Paul Rutherford/Imagn 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 tremendous partner as we elevate our team, players and community.”
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The 108,000-square-foot practice center will be connected to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where both the Fever and the Indiana Pacers play, and construction is expected to begin in August 2025.
According to a press release from the team, the design of the center 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 wellness and lifestyle support.”
“This elite training center is a reflection of our organization’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that our players have the highest level of resources to be successful,” Indiana Fever president of basketball and business operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a 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 Sept. 1, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
“As we look to the future, the focus of creating a first-class player experience designed exclusively for women athletes will set us apart.”
The new center will have two regulation courts, a full-service kitchen and areas dedicated to yoga and Pilates. In addition, the team said other features incorporated into the design include “a hair and nail salon, child care space and podcast and content production studio to support player lifestyles.”
The Fever have their own standalone training center at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which was last renovated in 2020.
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Clark’s historic rookie season generated record numbers for the WNBA, both in viewership and attendance. For the first time in league history, the league announced full-time charter flights for all its teams in May, which were projected to cost around $25 million per year for the next two seasons.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever reacts after a 3-pointer during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Aug. 16, 2024, in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Las Vegas, Seattle and Phoenix have all opened new training centers in the last few years, and Chicago has one under construction.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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