The Business of Sport
Data-driven insights. Stronger organizations. Stronger communities.
The Indy Chamber and the IU Indianapolis Sports Innovation Institute collaborate to deliver independent research and interactive analytics exploring sports business, workforce and economic impact across the regional sports ecosystems.
Indianapolis Turned Sports Into an Economic Development Strategy
For more than four decades, the city has treated sports as economic infrastructure, building one of the country’s most complete sports business markets across governing bodies, teams, major events, sports technology, startups, media, operations, sponsorship, hospitality, and leadership.
That long-term bet is now paying off. Indianapolis has nearly twice the national average concentration of sports employment, sports-sector growth that outpaces the broader regional economy, nationally significant headquarters, a deep event pipeline, and one of the strongest leadership environments for women in professional sports.
A MID-SIZED CITY WITH NATIONAL SCALE
A metro of more than two million residents has built a level of sports business concentration typically associated with markets many times its size. Despite its size, Indianapolis has one of the most concentrated sports economies in the United States.
A LEADING CITY FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO RUN SPORTS
The findings position Indianapolis among the top markets nationally for women in executive sports leadership. Indianapolis is not only a leader in hosting women’s sports events. It is also emerging as one of the strongest cities in America for women leading sports organizations.
GROWTH THAT OUTPACES THE MARKET
Indianapolis’ sports sector is growing faster than the broader regional economy and faster than peer sports markets. These gains signal acceleration. Together, these trends indicate not just growth, but sustained acceleration, positioning the sports sector as a leading driver of economic expansion in Indianapolis.
