When you think of professional sports in Indiana, what comes to mind? Is Indianapolis a Colts town, or a Pacers town? Maybe it depends on who the better team is at that time, or simply your personal preference of football vs. basketball. It’s a shame Indiana will never have a professional baseball team (so I’ve been told), but don’t forget about Victory Field and the Indianapolis Indians.
The Indians are the AAA minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and while that may not be as intriguing as when they were the Reds minor league team, it’s still a lot of fun to spend some time at one of the greatest minor league ballparks in the country. A lot of minor league ballparks are in small cities, or in the middle of nowhere. At Victory Field, you’ve got a beautiful view of downtown Indy and the buzz of the city while at the game.
This year, the Indians are averaging over 7600 fans per game, which is the fourth highest average among all minor league teams. And they haven’t had any big-time prospects drawing fans in this year. If you’re a baseball fan and keep up with top prospects, you can look at the Indians schedule and see when some big names are coming through town. There’s not a bad seat in the house, and you get an up-close look at future stars of the game. You also get the occasional MLB star playing at Victory Field if he’s rehabbing from an injury. I remember seeing Fred McGriff, Derek Bell, Willson Contreras and others in rehab games over the years.
This week, the Iowa Cubs are in town, adding another level to the intrigue of these games. I grew up going to Iowa Cubs/Indians games as a kid, before they changed divisions and didn’t return for over a decade. Now that they’re back in the same league, they visit Victory Field a few times per year. And when they’re here, they’re in town for a full week. I got to see Cubs legend Kyle Hendricks in a rehab start in Indy earlier this year, and got to interview him after the game. This week, my eyes are glued to Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, in what may be his final week in the minors before getting a call to Chicago.
There are also a number of great promotions at Victory Field. This weekend is Nickelodeon themed with a lot of fun planned for families. A press release from the Indians states: “This weekend includes character meet-and-greets all weekend long, starting with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and postgame fireworks on August 25. SpongeBob SquarePants and Bikini Bottom take over the Center Field Plaza on August 26 before the hero pups from PAW Patrol save the day during Kids Eat Free Sunday on August 27. The Indians will wear Nickelodeon-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off starting August 25 until the end of the seventh inning on August 27, with proceeds benefiting Indianapolis Indians Charities.”
Every Tuesday is dollar menu night, and every Friday night, fans can stick around after the game for fireworks. They do a great job with the firework show, and fans don’t have to wait too long after the game before it starts.
After the Iowa series, there are two more home-stands left for the Indians this season: Sept. 5-10 and 19-24. There’s still time to head to Victory Field for a fun evening.
Tyler Smith covers the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Hoosiers for IndySportsLegends and is a frequent contributor to the Journal Review and is the sports director at New Hope Christian Church.
