INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis will host the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game for the first time at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, the league announced Wednesday.
This summer’s game featured the All-Star team against the U.S. Olympic team and was played in front of a sellout crowd of 16,407 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. A television audience of 3.44 million watched the All-Stars win 117-109 on July 20 in the most-watched WNBA All-Star Game.
“The city of Indianapolis and the entire state of Indiana have such an incredible and enduring passion for the game of basketball, making the region the perfect host to celebrate the WNBA and the game’s greatest stars,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
A 3-point shooting contest and skills challenge will be held July 18.
The Indiana Fever, fueled by the buzz surrounding rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, are the focal point for the dramatic increase in the WNBA’s popularity this year. The Fever’s average attendance of just under 17,000 leads the WNBA, and 10 of their games have set league TV viewership records.
“We are in the middle of a pivotal, transformational moment in the history of the WNBA and women’s basketball, and we are thrilled Indiana will be the center of it all with the game’s biggest stars on display during next season’s All-Star Game,” said Mel Raines, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “Leaders across our community are going to do what we do best: welcome fans from around the nation and the globe to Indiana, raise the bar for future host cities, and leave a lasting legacy for our city and state.”
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
