Kelly Krauskopf, president of the Indiana Fever, sits for a portrait Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in
Kelly Krauskopf, president of the Indiana Fever, sits for a portrait Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Indiana Fever are heading into a big offseason after a first-round playoff exit, and now they’ll be doing it without one of the most important figures in franchise history as team president Kelly Krauskopf is stepping down.
The Fever announced on Friday that Krauskopf, who helped build the franchise from scratch ahead of its inaugural season in 2000, will leave her post after nearly three decades with Pacers Sports & Entertainment. According to the team, Krauskopf made the decision and informed leadership before the end of the 2026 regular season.
Fever’s Season Ends Early
The Fever entered the 2026 WNBA playoffs as the sixth seed, then fell to the Las Vegas Aces in a best-of-three first-round series. Las Vegas won the decisive Game 3 by a score of 94-83.
That came one year after the Fever reached the WNBA semifinals in 2025. And Caitlin Clark admitted that the team left something on the table down the stretch, saying, “we could’ve put ourselves in a better spot going into the postseason,” via the Associated Press.
Now, the front office will look different heading into 2027. General manager Amber Cox remains in her role, but the Fever have not yet announced a succession plan for Krauskopf, according to the Indianapolis Star.
The Fever’s front office also spent much of the season dealing with criticism of the team’s fanbase.
Earlier this month, Cox pushed back hard, saying “the attacks on our fan base have no basis in reality, and they need to stop,” via Awful Announcing. But a day later, star guard Kelsey Mitchell offered a much different view.
“Showing up every day to compete for fans that may or may not like you is hard,” Mitchell said, via The Athletic.
Mitchell added that the attention is especially intense for Caitlin Clark’s teammates.
“Playing with (Clark) and having the eyes that she’s got (on her), we get a lot of flak just from being on her team,” she said.
That led prominent sports analyst Bomani Jones to argue that the Fever have a “big problem” with their fans that they have “no idea how to solve.”
‘She Built It’
Krauskopf joined PS&E in 1999 as the Fever’s original president and general manager. Under her leadership, the Fever made 13 postseason appearances, including a WNBA-record 12 straight, reached three WNBA Finals, and won the franchise’s first title in 2012.
In 2018, she moved over to the Indiana Pacers as assistant general manager, becoming the first woman in NBA history to hold an executive basketball management role. She returned to the Fever in 2024 as president of basketball and business operations.
“When we started the Fever, Kelly saw what this franchise could become,” PS&E owner Herb Simon said in a statement. “She built it, delivered a championship and came back when we needed her. She has played an extraordinary role in the growth of women’s basketball in Indianapolis, and our family is grateful for everything she’s given this organization.”
Krauskopf thanked Simon and said she believes the franchise is in good hands.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to help build and steward the Indiana Fever with the support and trust of Herb Simon,” Krauskopf said. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunities, relationships, and shared accomplishments that have shaped my time with this organization. The Fever is poised for an exciting future, and I am proud to have helped lay the foundation for its continued growth and success.”
Before leaving, Krauskopf also helped lead the development of the Fever’s new $78 million sports performance center, which is scheduled to open in March 2027.
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LeBron James at the 2026 media day for the Philadelphia 76ers. Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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