Indianapolis steps into the national spotlight this Friday as the host city for the NBA All-Star Weekend 2024, a hotly anticipated event that brings together the top talent from across the pro basketball world for a high-profile celebration of sport and community. As the 28th largest media market in the US, with a population of just under 3M, Indianapolis offers a vibrant backdrop for this basketball extravaganza: it’s hosted 450 national and international sporting events, a testament to its dedicated fan base and growing importance on the national sports scene.

Pepsi holds the most sponsorships in the market with 10 deals––though curiously, none are with Indy’s major pro sports teams. The beverage giant instead opts to partner with colleges and motorsports rights holders, including the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Local brands like the Hoosier Lottery and electric company AES Indiana––with 9 and 7 deals, respectively––both endorse the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Pacers, further highlighting the city’s diverse sponsorship ecosystem.

Among rights holders, the Colts lead with an impressive portfolio of more than 130 sponsorship deals––a notable 37% of which are with local brands. The total branded social engagement across the Indianapolis media market is nearly 8M, with the Colts and the Pacers collectively driving half of this engagement. This considerable digital footprint reflects both these teams’ strong market presence, and the outsize role sports play in the cultural and economic fabric of the city called the “Crossroads of America.”