The state of Indiana is home to two major professional sport franchises, and a number of college sports teams. Indiana is also prominent in auto racing.
Indiana has a rich basketball heritage that reaches back to the formative years of the sport itself. Although Canadian educator and inventor James Naismith developed basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891, Indiana is where high school basketball was born. In 1925, Naismith visited an Indiana basketball state finals game along with 15,000 screaming fans and later wrote "Basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport." The 1986 film Hoosiers is inspired by the story of the 1954 Indiana state champions Milan High School.
Indiana has produced more National Basketball Association (NBA) players per capita than any other state. Muncie has produced the most per capita of any American city, with two other Indiana cities in the top ten.[1] Professional basketball player Larry Bird was born in West Baden Springs and was raised in French Lick. He went on to lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986.[2]
The Indiana Pacers of the NBA play their home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse; they began play in 1967 in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and joined the NBA when the leagues merged in 1976.
Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference. The Colts have roots back to 1913 as the Dayton Triangles. They became an official team after moving to Baltimore, MD, in 1953. In 1984, the Colts relocated to Indianapolis, leading to an eventual rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens. After calling the RCA Dome home for 25 years, the Colts currently play their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. While in Baltimore, the Colts won the 1970 Super Bowl. In Indianapolis, the Colts won Super Bowl XLI, bringing the franchise total to two. In recent years the Colts have regularly competed in the NFL playoffs.
| Club | Sport | Established | League | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Fever | Basketball | 2000 | Women's National Basketball Association | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | |
| Indiana Pacers | Basketball | 1967 | National Basketball Association | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | |
| Indianapolis Colts | Football | 1953/1984 | National Football League | Lucas Oil Stadium | |
| USL Super League Indianapolis[3] | Soccer | 2024 | USL Super League | Eleven Park (planned) |
| Club | Sport | Established | League | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville Otters | Baseball | 1995 | Frontier League | Bosse Field | |
| Evansville Thunderbolts | Ice hockey | 2016 | Southern Professional Hockey League | Ford Center | |
| Fort Wayne Komets | Ice hockey | 1952 | ECHL | Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | |
| Fort Wayne TinCaps | Baseball | 1993 | Midwest League | Parkview Field | |
| Gary SouthShore RailCats | Baseball | 2002 | American Association | U.S. Steel Yard | |
| Indiana Mad Ants | Basketball | 2007 | NBA G League | Noblesville Event Center | |
| Indianapolis AlleyCats | Ultimate | 2012 | American Ultimate Disc League | Grand Park Events Center | |
| Indianapolis Indians | Baseball | 1902 | International League | Victory Field | |
| Indy Eleven | Soccer | 2014 | USL Championship | IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium | |
| Indy Fuel | Ice hockey | 2014 | ECHL | Indiana Farmers Coliseum | |
| Kokomo BobKats | Basketball | 2020 | The Basketball League | Memorial Gymnasium | |
| Lebanon Leprechauns | Basketball | 2021 | The Basketball League | Rosenstihl Gymnasium | |
| Medora Timberjacks | Basketball | 2021 | The Basketball League | Medora High School | |
| South Bend Cubs | Baseball | 1988 | Midwest League | Four Winds Field |
| Club | Sport | Established | League | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 SC | Soccer | 1927 | Midwest Premier League | ||
| Crestwood Panthers | Collegiate summer baseball | 2017 | Northern League | ||
| Dubois County Bombers | Collegiate summer baseball | 1998 | Prospect League | League Stadium | |
| Elkhart County Miracle | Collegiate summer baseball | 2023 | Northern League | ||
| Fort Wayne FC | Soccer | 2019 | USL League 2 | Shields Field | |
| Fort Wayne Spacemen | Junior ice hockey | 2012 | United States Premier Hockey League | ||
| Griffith Generals | Collegiate summer baseball | 2014 | Northern League | ||
| Indy Eleven (Women) | Soccer | 2021 | USL W League | Grand Park | |
| Indianapolis Impalas | Rugby | 1980 | USA Rugby | Indianapolis World Sports Park | |
| Kokomo Jackrabbits | Collegiate summer baseball | 2014 | Northwoods League | ||
| Lafayette Aviators | Collegiate summer baseball | 2015 | Prospect League | Loeb Stadium | |
| Lake County Corn Dogs | Collegiate summer baseball | 2022 | Northern League | ||
| Northwest Indiana Oilmen | Collegiate summer baseball | 2012 | Northern League | ||
| Richmond Jazz | Collegiate summer baseball | 2016 | Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League | ||
| Southland Vikings | Collegiate summer baseball | 2011 | Northern League | ||
| South Bend Lions | Soccer | 2019 | USL League 2 | TCU School Field | |
| Terre Haute Rex | Collegiate summer baseball | 2010 | Prospect League | Bob Warn Field |
| Club | Sport | Years | League | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Kekiongas | Baseball | 1866–1871 | National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, National Association of Base Ball Players | |
| Hammond Pros | Football | 1920–26 | National Football League | |
| Indianapolis Blues | Baseball | 1878 | National League | |
| Indianapolis Hoosiers | Baseball | 1884 | American Association | |
| Indianapolis Hoosiers | Baseball | 1887–1889 | National League | |
| Indianapolis Racers | Ice hockey | 1974–1978 | World Hockey Association |
| Club | Sport | Years | League | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chi-Town Shooters | Ice hockey | 2008–11 | All American Hockey League | |
| Elkhart Express | Basketball | 2006–09 | International Basketball League | |
| Evansville Crush | Indoor Soccer | 2010–13 | Premier Arena Soccer League | |
| Evansville IceMen | Ice hockey | 2008–10 | All American Hockey League | |
| Evansville IceMen | Ice hockey | 2010–2016 | ECHL | |
| Evansville Jr. Thunderbolts | Junior ice hockey | 2015–2019 | North American 3 Hockey League | |
| Evansville Kings | Indoor Soccer | 2013–14 | Premier Arena Soccer League | |
| Fort Wayne Fever | Soccer | 2003–09 | USL Premier Development League | |
| Gary Steelheads | Basketball | 2000–08 | International Basketball League | |
| Illiana Blackbirds | Junior ice hockey | 2012–2016 | MnJHL/USPHL | |
| Indiana Blizzard | Ice hockey | 2010 | All American Hockey League | |
| Indiana Ice | Junior ice hockey | 2004–2014 | United States Hockey League | |
| Indiana Invaders | Soccer | 1998–2011 | USL Premier Development League |
Indiana has had great sports success at the collegiate level. NCAA Division I athletic programs in the state are:
| Team | City | Type | Conferences | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Mid-American Conference (FBS) | |||
| Private / non-sectarian | Big East Conference / Pioneer Football League (FCS) | |||
| Private / Methodist | Missouri Valley Conference (non-football) | |||
| State | Big Ten Conference (FBS) | |||
| State | Missouri Valley Conference / Missouri Valley Football Conference (FCS) | |||
| State | Horizon League (non-football) | |||
| Private / Catholic | Atlantic Coast Conference / FBS independent | |||
| State | Big Ten Conference (FBS) | |||
| State | Horizon League (non-football) | |||
| State | Ohio Valley Conference (non-football) | |||
| Private / Lutheran | Missouri Valley Conference / Pioneer Football League (FCS) |
NCAA Division II athletic programs in the state are:
| Team | City | Type | Conferences | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Great Lakes Valley Conference | |||
| State | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (non-football) |
NCAA Division III athletic programs in the state are:
| Team | City | Type | Conferences | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | HCAC | |||
| Private | North Coast | |||
| Private | HCAC | |||
| Private | HCAC | |||
| Private | HCAC | |||
| Private | HCAC | |||
| Private | HCAC | |||
| Private | Michigan | |||
| Trine Thunder | Private | Michigan | ||
| Private | North Coast |
NAIA athletic programs in the state are:
| Team | City | Type | Conferences | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | Crossroads | |||
| Private | Chicagoland | |||
| Private | Crossroads | |||
| Private | Crossroads | |||
| Private | Chicagoland | |||
| Private | Crossroads | |||
| Private | Wolverine–Hoosier | |||
| Private | Crossroads | |||
| State | River States | |||
| State | River States | |||
| State | River States | |||
| State | Chicagoland | |||
| State | Chicagoland | |||
| State | ||||
| Private | Crossroads | |||
| Private | River States | |||
| Private | Crossroads | |||
| Private | River States | |||
| Private | Crossroads |
NJCAA athletic programs in the state are:
| Team | City | Type | Conferences | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | MCCAA | |||
| State | OCCAC | |||
| State | MWAC |
Indiana has an extensive history with motorsport. Indianapolis hosts the Indianapolis 500 mile race over Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every May since 1911. The name of the race is usually shortened to "Indy 500" and also goes by the nickname "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." The race attracts over 250,000 people every year, making it the largest single day sporting event in the world. The track also hosts the Brickyard 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series since 1994. From 2000 to 2007, it hosted the United States Grand Prix (Formula One). From 2008 to 2015, it hosted the Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix.
Indiana features the world's largest and most prestigious drag race, the NHRA's U.S. Nationals, held each Labor Day weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Indiana.
The United States Auto Club is headquartered next to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and sanctions the Indiana Midget Week in June and the Indiana Sprint Week in July. Notable short ovals in Indiana include Indianapolis Raceway Park (NASCAR Trucks and USAC Silver Crown), Anderson Speedway (Little 500 and ARCA/CRA Redbud 400), Salem Speedway (ARCA, USAC Silver Crown), Terre Haute Action Track (USAC Silver Crown Sumar Classic, Hut Hundred, Hulman Classic), and Winchester Speedway (USAC Silver Crown and ARCA/CRA Winchester 400). The Indiana State Fairgrounds used to host the USAC Silver Crown Hoosier Hundred from 1953 to 2020.
Ironman Raceway hosts annual rounds of the Grand National Cross Country since 1995 and the AMA Motocross Championship since 2014. In addition, the AMA Supercross Championship visited the RCA Dome from 1998 to 2008, and the Lucas Oil Stadium has hosted a round since 2009.
Indiana is also host to a major unlimited hydroplane racing power boat race circuits in the major H1 Unlimited league, the Madison Regatta (Madison).
| Auto racing | Indianapolis 500 | IndyCar Series | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway | 1911 |
| GMR Grand Prix | 2014 | ||||
| Gallagher Grand Prix | 2020 | ||||
| Verizon 200 at the Brickyard | NASCAR Cup Series | 2021 | |||
| Pennzoil 150 | NASCAR Xfinity Series | 2012 | |||
| Battle on the Bricks | IMSA SportsCar Championship | 2014/2023 | |||
| Dodge//SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals | NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series | Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg | 1961 | |
| TSport 200 | NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 1995/2022 | |||
| Reese's 200 | ARCA Menards Series | 1983/2022 | |||
| Hoosier Hundred | USAC Silver Crown Series | 1946/2023 |
Pari-mutuel betting was legalized in 1989. Hoosier Park opened in Anderson in 1994, and off-track betting parlors opened in the state in 1995. Indiana Downs opened in Shelbyville in 2002. Hoosier Park became a racino on 2008 and Indiana Downs did the same in 2009.
| Team | League | Total | Season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary SouthShore RailCats | American Association of Professional Baseball | 3 | 2005, 2007, 2013 | |
| Indiana Fever | WNBA | 1 | 2012 | |
| Indiana Mad Ants | G League | 1 | 2013–14 | |
| Indiana Pacers | ABA | 3 | 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73 | |
| Indianapolis Colts | NFL | 1 | 2006 | |
| Indy Eleven | USL W League | 1 | 2023 | |
| Evansville Otters | Frontier League | 2 | 2006, 2016 |