The Indiana Fever got a franchise refresh the past two seasons with No. 1 draft picks Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. Now the Fever are getting a new $78 million training facility that is set to open in August 2025 in downtown Indianapolis.
It reflects the recent trend for WNBA franchises to have their own dedicated practice facilities to not only maximize the team's performance but also lure free agents and entice players already with teams to stay.
The Fever have been transformed with the additions of the past two WNBA Rookies of the Year, Clark (2024) and Boston (2023). The Fever made the WNBA playoffs this past season for the first time since 2016 and regularly sold out games at home and on the road. Indiana will be hosting the WNBA All-Star Game this summer for the first time.
The Fever already have their own practice court and training area as part of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where both the NBA's Pacers and the Fever play. It was renovated in 2020. But the Pacer Sports & Entertainment organization is going to the next step with the stand-alone facility for the Fever.
Aliyah Boston, when asked about the new facility Thursday, said, "The Fever does so well at pouring into us and making us feel like the professional athletes that we are. It's amazing to have your own space and say, hey this is our building."
"It's a blessing to play at Gambridge, and we sell out every single night," Boston said. "And wow! We're going to have our own practice facility ... that's pretty dope."
The facility will have two regulation-size courts with natural light, strength and conditioning equipment, and a full-service kitchen. Among many amenities will be hydrotherapy pools, a hair and nail salon, child care space and a podcast and content production studio.
"This elite training center is a reflection of our organization's ongoing commitment to ensuring that our players have the highest level of resources to be successful," Fever president Kelly Krauskopf said. "As we look to the future, the focus of creating a first-class player experience designed exclusively for women athletes will set us apart."
Krauskopf is part of a retooled brain trust for the Fever that took over after the completion of last season. She was the longtime leader of the Fever from 2000 to '18 before transferring over to be assistant GM for the Pacers. Now, she has returned to the Fever, who also hired Stephanie White as head coach and Amber Cox as general manager.
The Fever's new facility will be a three-story, 108,000-square-foot training complex connected by sky bridge to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
"We are excited to partner with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett to identify the perfect location," Pacers and Fever owner Herb Simon said. "The city of Indianapolis continues to be a tremendous partner as we elevate our team, players and community."
"Last year, we experienced an unprecedented boom in interest and attention on women's sports around the world, led in large part by our very own Indiana Fever," Hogsett said. "Indianapolis is proud to see this significant investment from Pacers Sports & Entertainment drive further momentum in women's basketball in our community and continue to elevate our status as a major league sports."