INDIANAPOLIS -- It's official: Indianapolis will host the WNBA All-Star Game for the first time.
Riding off the Fever's new wave of popularity with rookie Caitlin Clark, the WNBA officially awarded Indianapolis the 2025 All-Star Game, set for July 19. The game, as well as the 3-point contest and skills challenge on July 18, will take place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“We are excited to bring AT&T WNBA All-Star to Indiana for the first time,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a release. “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.”
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The WNBA's popularity is exploding, and the Fever are in the middle of it all. The Fever are the most-watched team in-person, home or away, this season, and they have had a 246% rise in ticket sales at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during Clark's rookie season. Indiana also has 38 games on national television -- most among all teams this season.
Indiana had three All-Stars this season, including Clark, second-year center Aliyah Boston, and seventh-year guard Kelsey Mitchell.
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“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,” Mel Raines, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, said. “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.”
While this is the first time Indianapolis will host the WNBA All-Star Game, the city has experience with events like this. It hosted the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend back in February at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and hosted NBA Crossover, a fan-first festival with multiple different activations, at the Indiana Convention Center.
Engelbert was at NBA All-Star weekend this past February, and she raved about the city and state's commitment to the sport of basketball. The league will likely host its version of NBA Crossover, WNBA Live, at the Indiana Convention Center as well.
“No doubt about it,” Engelbert said in February when asked if the league would consider a WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis. “Summer’s nice here, we won’t have that snow in July. Absolutely. I have been so impressed with the branding of the city, the support of the city … I know that in the state, in the city, basketball is so popular. I mean, it's pretty incredible.”
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Indiana saw a massive economic impact from NBA All-Star weekend this year, generating over $400 million in a three-day span. More that 81,000 people attended some portion of All-Star weekend, with 43,000 coming from outside Indianapolis -- staying in hotel rooms, eating out, and spending money in other ways.
Mayor Joe Hogsett on the announcement: "Indianapolis is on a roll as the host city for major events. ... Right now, the entire country is feeling the excitement and energy of the WNBA. I’d argue no where is feeling it more than Indianapolis. Our Indiana Fever leads the league in attendance for both away and home games. The Caitlin Clark effect is here and our city is truly at the center of the women’s basketball world. I have said it once, and I will say it again, no one knows how to host the biggest events in sports like Indianapolis – the WNBA All-Star Game will be no exception."
WNBA All-Star Game 2025 tickets
The Fever do not yet have an official date when tickets for the skills challenge or game will go on sale. Fans who want to get first notice about ticket information can join the WNBA experiences waitlist here, which will send emails about ticket sales and the event in general.
WNBA All-Star Game 2025 date
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be held July 19.
WNBA All-Star Game 2025 location
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be in Indianapolis.
