A notable season-ticket holder was seated courtside during the Indiana Fever’s last home game. It was Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has become a regular at Fever games where he watches his friend and colleague Caitlin Clark shine on the same floor where he makes his coin.
A day later, the WNBA sister team returned the favor as Aliyah Boston, Makayla Timpson and other Fever players attended the Pacers-Knicks playoff matchup on Sunday night. The back-and-forth cheer-a-thon is the latest example of the organic support system between the pro basketball teams, which play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and operate under parent company Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
“We’re lucky,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said in a phone interview. “We’ve got some great players who are good people and they all really like each other. The teams are complementary, but I think it certainly starts with Caitlin and Tyrese’s friendship.”
Clark and Haliburton, who went on a double date with their significant others to a Justin Timberlake concert last year, are most responsible for the recent financial success for Pacers Sports & Entertainment. The organization is slated to have its best revenue year to date in large part due to season ticket sales, broadcast deals, new sponsors and renewals behind both teams’ second straight season in the national spotlight.
The Fever, who hired former Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White and added complementary stars like six-time All Star DeWanna Bonner, have sold out of their season ticket allotment for a consecutive season as they surge in popularity. Since the arrival of Clark, who has been a catalyst for an explosion of growth leaguewide, the Fever have also added a handful of new sponsors including Old National Bank, Chicken Salad Chick and LaCroix.
This progression coupled with the Pacers getting at least two more home games in the Eastern Conference finals, including hosting the Knicks in Game 4 on Tuesday, has the parent company on track to surpass its total earnings last year. The 2023-24 season was an all-time high as the Pacers fell to the defending champs Boston Celtics in the same round.
Raines declined to specify 2025 revenue goals, but says that hosting more playoff home games than the guaranteed pair of Eastern Conference finals home games provides a “significant revenue lift” opportunity.
“Every year you want to grow your business and do a little bit better,” she said. “You want to think about the fan and make this as (great) as an experience for them as you can. And we’re doing that 365 days a year now. There’s really no offseason here.”
Clark, the reigning Rookie of the Year, will be sidelined for at least two weeks due to quadriceps muscle strain. It’s expected to be a speed bump in this season’s overall business growth, as the club has already capitalized on preseason anticipation. The Fever, who have a league-record 41 of their 44 regular season games on national television, have gotten sharper with their approach, particularly around merchandise.
One of the most in-demand WNBA teams for hoodies, shirts and jerseys, the Fever constructed a proactive e-commerce plan six months in advance to readily sell gear to their fans. It’s a follow-up on last season, where they saw Fever jersey sales increase by more than 1000% year-over-year.
The Pacers, meanwhile, have solidified themselves as title contenders after sneaking their way into the conference finals last year. They aim to take a commanding 3-1 lead on the Knicks Tuesday as season ticket and premium renewals wind down. The Pacers’ second deep playoff run in as many years comes at a great time for their parent company, while the sister team has ambitions of becoming “America’s Team” behind arguably the game’s most popular player.
“Both teams being good at the same time is the problem you dream of,” senior vice president of marketing and content Tyler Beadlescomb said in a phone interview earlier this month. It’s an integral time to maximize the opportunity for corporate partners, including arena naming rights partner Gainbridge, which also sponsors the Indy 500.
Indianapolis has been getting ample screen time in recent days and is coming off the Indy 500, where race winner Álex Palou made an appearance during Game 3 of the Knicks-Pacers series. Pacers Sports & Entertainment, which also operates G-League squad Noblesville Boom, hosted Palou and other celebrities that night, though not in the abundance that can rival Madison Square Garden. But the Hoosiers believe they have enough star power in between the lines with a core group led by Haliburton and Clark, who will continue to drive more celebrities like WTHelly rapper Rob49 to their games.
“The list of people interested in attending Fever games, with a celebrity row style is very long,” Beadlescomb said. “We’re excited about some of the faces that people will see all summer.”
Both teams operate under a shared services business model and are owned by shopping center mogul and real estate developer Herb Simon. The 90-year-old billionaire is the longest-tenured owner in NBA history, having owned the Pacers since 1983. The Hall of Famer (inducted as a contributor) has also owned the Fever for 26 years. While he witnessed the Fever win a title in 2012, the franchise’s lone championship, he has yet to see the men’s squad hoist the trophy. This year is a chance to change that.
“We want to make our ownership proud,” Raines said. “We want to make them proud every day, both on and off the court.”