Sources: Indianapolis to host WNBA All-Star Game in 2025

ByALEXA PHILIPPOU
August 14, 2024, 5:19 PM

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be held in Indianapolis, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

The league will announce the news later this week, sources said.

It will mark the first time that Indianapolis has hosted the WNBA All-Star Game. The city's team, the Indiana Fever, are riding a wave of popularity after drafting the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, Caitlin Clark, No. 1  in April.

Clark, who has been paired with fellow former No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston and No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith, form an exciting young core in Indianapolis that has prompted massive attendance and viewership numbers: The Fever lead the league in attendance for both home and away games and have seen a 265% jump in attendance from last season.

Indiana also leads the league with 38 nationally televised games, and 10 of its game broadcasts have set WNBA viewership records across various networks.

Recent WNBA All-Star Games have been in Phoenix (2024), Las Vegas (2023, 2021, 2019) and Chicago (2022).

Clark had four points and a team-high 10 assists last month for Team WNBA, which beat Team USA 117-109 in the All-Star Game.

The 2024 NBA All-Star Game was held in Indianapolis' Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and the city also will host the 2026 men's Final Four (Lucas Oil Stadium) and 2028 women's Final Four (Gainbridge Fieldhouse).

The Fever, who currently sit in seventh in the league with a 11-15 record, are hoping to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the final year of franchise-great Tamika Catchings. Following a monthlong Olympic break, Indiana resumes regular-season play Friday at home against the Phoenix Mercury.