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Indy Eleven eyeing MLS alternative as current league expands divisions

March 20, 2025

The Indy Eleven franchise has played in the second-tier USL Championship league since 2018 but now has a chance to advance to the league’s new Division One league.

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Grand Park considered as team training base camp site for 2026 World Cup

June 12, 2024

Mickey Shuey and Associated Press

FIFA announced Wednesday that Westfield’s Grand Park Sports Campus was selected as one of 24 potential locations to serve as a team base camp training site during the early rounds of the 48-country soccer tournament that will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada in June and July 2026.

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Fishers-based Spokenote gaining traction with sports teams

June 7, 2024 |

Susan Orr

Fishers-based tech startup Spokenote, which signed a first-of-its-kind sponsorship deal with the Indiana Pacers several months ago, said that deal has led to additional opportunities with other sports teams, including the Indy Eleven.

City-County Council approves mayor’s plan for new soccer stadium district

June 3, 2024 | Taylor Wooten and

Mickey Shuey

The City-County Council on Monday evening approved a major piece of the Hogsett administration’s plan to lure a Major League Soccer team to Indianapolis, advancing a proposal for a new professional sports development area intended to fund a soccer-first stadium.

IBJ Podcast: Downtown soccer battle update—stadium design, burial sites, Simon family land

May 28, 2024 |

Mason King

The saga has taken several turns with fresh revelations about what’s underneath the ground set aside for the stadium complex that developer Keystone Group wants to build and who owns the land the city has identified for another site that Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration has championed.

Governor says he won’t get involved in spat between city, Keystone over MLS team and stadium deal

May 24, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey

Eric Holcomb told IBJ while he is hopeful Indianapolis will secure a Major League Soccer club—an effort Joe Hogsett announced during a public address on April 25—it will have to do so without having him play facilitator.

Hogsett ‘serious’ about leaving proposed Indy Eleven stadium site undeveloped

May 24, 2024 | Taylor Wooten

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration could pursue a plan to turn the proposed Indy Eleven stadium property into a memorial park to honor its history as an early cemetery grounds rather than let it be developed, the mayor’s spokeswoman confirmed Friday.

City faces challenges, new considerations in effort for MLS

May 24, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey

Although the possibility of a Major League Soccer stadium in Indianapolis is still up in the air, city officials are considering design possibilities for their preferred site, on the east side of downtown.

Mayor’s stadium plan faces more criticism, gets additional sponsors in introduction to City-County Council

May 14, 2024 | Taylor Wooten

Mayor Joe Hogsett’s plan to create an additional professional sports development area in downtown Indianapolis was introduced to the City-County Council on Monday with two additional council sponsors—and questions over the committee assignment for the proposal.

Billionaire hoping to ‘move the needle’ on Indy Eleven’s battle with Hogsett administration

May 9, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey

Fort Wayne businessman Chuck Surack could give the Indy Eleven access to millions more in capital and new lines of credit, but the mayor’s office is expected to continue its own strategy for landing a Major League Soccer team.

Westfield leaders keep eye on Indy Eleven situation as Grand Park negotiations continue

May 9, 2024 | Daniel Bradley

Westfield Mayor Scott Willis said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s decision to pursue a Major League Soccer franchise without involvement from the Indy Eleven “sent shockwaves through Westfield.”

Indy Democratic caucus to meet privately with soccer executive Tom Glick

May 8, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey and Taylor Wooten

The members are set to meet behind closed doors Wednesday with the man behind Mayor Joe Hogsett’s effort to score a Major League Soccer franchise.

Indy Eleven add businessman Chuck Surack to bolster MLS fight with city

May 8, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey

Surack’s addition is set to reinforce the financial muscle of a group of investors that already includes the Ricker and Traylor families, Jeff Laborsky of The Heritage Group and Fred Merritt with LFM Investments.

With Indy’s soccer future in balance, city to go all-in on MLS

May 3, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey and Taylor Wooten

The April 25 announcement that the city is pursuing a Major League Soccer franchise followed more than three months of secret phone calls, emails and other interactions between city leaders, MLS officials and a longtime soccer executive named Tom Glick.

How the city’s negotiations with Keystone over Diamond Chain site broke down

May 3, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey and Taylor Wooten

City officials say the decision to walk away from the Eleven Park development was in taxpayers’ best interest. But the Keystone Group says the move was driven by misplaced ambitions and a lack of interest in discussing specifics of the project’s finances.

Owner of historic building in possible MLS stadium development area says she won’t sell

April 29, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey

A proposal to develop a Major League Soccer stadium on the east side of downtown Indianapolis is facing some early resistance from the owner of a historic property in the heart of the proposed development area.

Indianapolis wants an MLS expansion team, so how does it work?

April 26, 2024 | Daniel Bradley

MLS is the highest level of men’s professional soccer in North America, with 29 teams in the United States and Canada. The league’s 30th team, which reportedly came at the cost of an $500 million franchise fee, will begin play next year in San Diego.

Hogsett says city to pursue Major League Soccer franchise

April 25, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey and Taylor Wooten

The city is forgoing its relationship with the Indy Eleven to work with an undisclosed ownership group to develop a stadium at one of two potential sites.

Keystone says city is backing out of Eleven Park deal as mayor plans ‘significant’ announcement

April 25, 2024 |

Mickey Shuey

City officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Keystone’s statement. But the Mayor’s Office announced that at 5:30 p.m., Hogsett would make a “significant announcement about the future of sports in Indianapolis.”

City-County Council approves downtown sports taxing district, purchase of Broad Ripple Family Center

December 4, 2023 |

Mickey Shuey

The council also approved tens of millions of dollars in bonds to support the redevelopment of Old City Hall, a demolition of the former Jail I building and renovation of portions of the City-County Building. Also passed Monday was a plan to create a study commission on the use of artificial intelligence.

Mark Lowry steps down as head coach of Indy Eleven

November 28, 2023 | IBJ Staff

Lowry, 38, became the fourth non-interim coach for the Indy Eleven in November 2021 and compiled a regular-season record of 25-28-15 over two seasons.

City dismisses application of 1923 law on development of historical burial grounds

November 22, 2023 | Taylor Wooten and

Mickey Shuey

The city’s findings dash the hopes of a historical preservation group that the old law would require a full excavation of the city’s first public cemetery site before work could begin on a bridge over the White River and a proposed Indy Eleven soccer stadium.

JUNE 12-18, 2026

Digital Edition

Orr Fellowship sees success in Evansville expansion

Susan Orr

Grand Park Sports Campus adds NFL flag football youth event

Mickey Shuey

Q&A: CEO leads OrthoIndy through period of growth

Daniel Bradley

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