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As of 2013 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.[156] It has a rich basketball heritage that reaches back to the formative years of the sport itself. The Indiana Pacers of the NBA play their home games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse; they began play in 1967 in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and joined the NBA when the leagues merged in 1976. Although 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. 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.[157] 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. Auto racing File:2008 Indy 500 video.ogv The 2008 Indianapolis 500, the 92nd running of the race. Indiana has an extensive history with auto racing. Indianapolis hosts the Indianapolis 500 mile race over Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every May. 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 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (NASCAR) and the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix (MotoGP). From 2000 to 2007, it hosted the United States Grand Prix (Formula One). Indiana features the world's largest and most prestigious drag race, the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, held each Labor Day weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in Clermont, Indiana. Indiana is also host to two major unlimited hydroplane racing power boat race circuits in the major H1 Unlimited league: Thunder on the Ohio (Evansville, Indiana) and the Madison Regatta (Madison, Indiana). Teams and Venues The following table shows the professional sports teams in Indiana. Teams in bold are in major professional leagues. Club Sport League Venue Indianapolis Colts American football National Football League Lucas Oil Stadium Indiana Pacers Basketball National Basketball Association Bankers Life Fieldhouse Indiana Fever Basketball Women's National Basketball Association Bankers Life Fieldhouse Fort Wayne Mad Ants Basketball NBA Development League Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Indianapolis Indians Baseball International League (AAA) Victory Field FC Indiana Soccer Women's Premier Soccer League Michael Carroll Stadium Indy Eleven Soccer North American Soccer League Michael Carroll Stadium Indy Fuel Ice Hockey ECHL Fairgrounds Coliseum The following is a table of sports venues in Indiana that have a capacity in excess of 30,000: Facility Capacity City Tenants Indianapolis Motor Speedway 257,325 Speedway, Indiana Indianapolis 500 Notre Dame Stadium 80,795 South Bend, Indiana Notre Dame Fighting Irish Lucas Oil Stadium 63,000 Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis Colts Ross-Ade Stadium 62,500 West Lafayette, Indiana Purdue Boilermakers Memorial Stadium 52,929 Bloomington, Indiana Indiana Hoosiers National Historic Landmark Hinkle Fieldhouse, located at Butler University. College sports Further information: Hoosier Hysteria Indiana has had great sports success at the collegiate level. Schools fielding NCAA Division I athletic programs include: Ball State Cardinals Butler Bulldogs Evansville Purple Aces Indiana Hoosiers Indiana State Sycamores IPFW Mastodons IUPUI Jaguars Notre Dame Fighting Irish Purdue Boilermakers Valparaiso Crusaders |
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