3C: Sports + Competition
From Olympic Trials to NCAA Final Fours and from Super Bowl XLVI to national competitions in practically every known sport, Indy knows how to host the world’s best athletes. Still, it may be more accurate to call us the place people find their competitive edge. What is less known is our platform to host competitive conferences, competitions and juried ideas in things as varied as the Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation to marching band national championships and from competitions for pianists and violinists to film festivals. Continue to support efforts that bring regional, national, and international competitions to Indy and promote the city as the place where success gets discovered. Encourage these efforts to more intentionally leverage the talent they bring in for the benefit and inspiration of the local community.
Value to the Community
Many of these competitions bring a significant number of visitors to Indy, supporting the hospitality jobs that keep them coming back. Access to such high-profile talent, whether it be the world's top athletes, scientists, or musicians, is rather unique for a city the size of Indy, offering front-row seats to inspire us with what's possible. An opportunity exists to leverage this talent to more intentionally benefit Indy's residents.Value to the Hospitality Industry
Indy's amateur sports strategy can be credited with helping put Indy on the global map, breathing new life into downtown Indy, and jumpstarting the city's convention and visitor industry. It is no longer limited to just sports, and continuing to position Indianapolis as a place that embraces competitive spirit continues to be a core driver for hospitality.Updates
- March 2025. Indy Set to host first-ever TEDSports Event. Organized by Indiana Sports Corp. and Next Practice Partners, TEDSports Indianapolis will gather leading thinkers and changemakers to explore ideas shaping the past, present, and future of sports. The event will feature TED Talks, interactive workshops, panels, Discovery Sessions, and curated experiences designed to spark conversation and inspire global impact through sport.
- August 2024. Indy to Host 2025 WNBA All-Star Game. After successfully hosting the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, Indy was selected to host the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game on July 19, 2025.
- March 2024. Indy Recognized for Sports Excellence. The Sports Business Journal listed Indianapolis as the 5th Best Sports Business Cities in the country, basing their ranks off a city’s ability to be successful at attracting and hosting sporting events.
- March 2024. Ground broken for World Sports Park. Indy Parks and Mayor Joe Hogsett officially broke ground as construction starts on the Indianapolis World Sports Park on the southeast side of the city. One of many Lilly Endowment grant projects, this one will provide a new concession pavilion with restrooms and a paved parking lot for existing sports fields.
- February 2024. Indy Hosts the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. Indianapolis hosted the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend for the first time since 1985.
- January 2024. Indy Hosts the 2024 Olympic Team Swimming Trials. The USA Swimming, in partnership with the Indiana Sports Corp., will hold the 2024 Olympic Swimming Trial in Indy 2024, which marks the 100th anniversary of when Indiana hosted the same trials back in 1924 for the Olympic Games in Paris.
- December 2023. Indy Hosts the Big 10 NCAA Tournament. Indianapolis hosted the 13th annual Big Ten Football Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
- November 2023. Financial District for New Stadium. Indy Eleven’s new Soccer stadium and entertainment district is underway downtown. The Metropolitan Development Council approved a professional sports development area, which will contribute to state tax to cover its debt service.
- May 2022. NFL Combine Selects Indianapolis. Indy was selected to host the NFL Combine again for 2023 and 2024 after winning the first competitive bid to host the event since Indy first hosted it in 1987.
- March 2022. Olympic Swimming Trials. Indianapolis was selected as the host of the U.S Olympic Swimming Trials to be held in 2024, exactly a century after hosting the event in Broad Ripple. In both 1924 and 2024, the Indy qualifying event led athletes to Olympic games in Paris.
- January 2022. Indy Hosts First College Football Championship. Indy successfully hosted the 2022 CFP Championship game, its first time hosting the event.
- June 2021. Research & Development Hub opens at Grand Park. Grand Park launched the hub to serve as a center of innovation for entrepreneurs, businesses and universities that are developing new technologies, services and research projects related to facilities and activities within the sports tourism industry.
- March 2021. Indy Hosts Entire NCAA Men's Tournament. In a pandemic shift, Indy was selected to host the entire NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
- December 2017. Indy Championships Fund Established. The Fund was established to support the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the 2022 College Football Playoffs Championship Game, and the 2024 (rescheduled from 2021) NBA All-Star Game
- June 2014. Grand Park Opens. The City of Westfield opened Grand Park, a 400 acre park featuring an events center, 26 diamonds, and 31 fields.
Key Partners
Confirmed Partners
Recommended Partners
Priority + Progress
Active priorities are the top 20% or so of actions that TTI is most focused on and engaged with.
TTI Role
The encourage role means TTI is offering encouragement to partners pursuing this action. This is the least-involved type of role and typically applicable when partners don't need much help.
