Indianapolis, Indiana
🏀 Indiana Pacers

A pioneer in pro sports venues, Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse sits on the cutting edge of basketball-specific arena design and serves as a hub for the phenomenon known as Hoosier Hysteria. While the passion for basketball in Indiana is usually thought of in reference to high school and college, it also extends to the professional level – namely the NBA’s Pacers, who have been dominating the court since 1967.

With the opening of the Fieldhouse in 1999, a new standard was set throughout the league for what an NBA arena could be. It became so much more than a building, a palace dedicated to staging some of basketball’s biggest competitions and housing decades of Hoosier history within its walls. The brick-clad venue replaced old Market Square Arena, located just a few blocks away, as the premier indoor events center in downtown Indy.

The arena is also the home of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and has hosted both indoor football and ice hockey at times too, though sightlines for the latter are poor due to the seating bowl’s basketball-focused configuration.

Despite its 30th anniversary fast approaching, the Fieldhouse seems like it was conceived in just the past few years, a testament to its timelessness. This is partly in thanks to incredible renovations that took place from 2020 to 2022, which saw the addition of new common areas, exterior improvements and amenity upgrades that enhanced the fan experience.

In-game presentation further cements the arena’s top-notch status, with indoor fireworks during pre-game introductions and staircase lighting that twinkles in tune with elements of the production, such as the national anthems.

While the Fieldhouse is symbolic of the future of professional basketball, it is also a shrine to the sport’s past in the state of Indiana. Old uniforms, balls and programs are showcased throughout the concourses in glass cases that touch on everything from middle school hoops to the NBA.

Pacers accomplishments are particularly highlighted, including their three title-winning seasons in the ABA in 1970, 1972 and 1973. In the years since that league’s merger with the NBA in 1976, the Pacers have yet to claim another crown, though they’ve come close with championship appearances in 2000 and 2025.

Indianapolis is no stranger to world-class events, hosting Super Bowls, Final Fours and the annual Indy 500, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse has played a crucial role in this regard as well. Both the men’s and women’s Big Ten Tournaments have been held at the arena regularly, in addition to multiple NCAA Tournaments and even the NBA All-Star Game in 2024. And while it’s still striving to join the legendary ranks of Hinkle and Assembly Hall in the almost supernatural storybook of hoops in the Hoosier State, the Fieldhouse still stands out as one of the finest NBA facilities in the nation, a worthy destination in its own right.