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 with 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 on September 25, 2024. (Paul Rutherford/Imagn Images)
“We are pleased 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 lift our team, players and community.”
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The 108,000-square-foot training center will be connected to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where both the Fever and 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 target “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 our players have the highest level of resources to succeed,” Indiana Fever president of basketball and business operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a team statement.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots as Dallas Wings’ Jacy Sheldon (4) and Natasha Howard, right, defend during the first half of a WNBA game Sept. 1, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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“As we look to the future, a focus on creating a premium 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. In addition, the team said other features incorporated into the design include “a hair and nail salon, childcare space, and podcast and content production studio to support the player’s lifestyle.”
The Fever have their own independent training center at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which was last renovated in 2020.
Clark’s historic rookie season generated record numbers for the WNBA, both in ratings and attendance. For the first time in league history, the league announced full-time charter flights for all of its teams in May, which was expected to cost about $25 million per year for the next two seasons.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever reacts after a 3-pointer in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Aug. 16, 2024, in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Las Vegas, Seattle and Phoenix have all opened new gyms in the past few years, and Chicago has one under construction.
