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Once-thriving tennis tournament struggles to stay relevant

A dearth of name players, slumping attendance and an outdated venue have some in the local tennis community wondering if the
Indianapolis Tennis Championships–formerly known as the RCA Championships–needs some serious re-stringing. Attendance at
the nine-day event, which ran July 12-20 this year, was on pace through July 16 to be at a 20-year low.
But attendance is far from the tournament’s only challenge.

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CMG Worldwide takes tussle over vintage baseball cards to court

New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig died in 1941 of a disease that came to bear his name. Six years later, second baseman
Jackie Robinson famously broke through baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers, earning the league minimum $5,000.
He died in 1972. Mark Roesler believes the best earning years still lie ahead for both legendary players, as well as many
others like them. But first he must untangle their image rights in federal court in Indianapolis.

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NASCAR sponsors eyeing IRL

Subway restaurants won’t be the last NASCAR sponsor racing to the Indy Racing League, according to motorsports marketing experts.

An idea that seemed laughable a year or two ago is now reality. Subway, a big-time NASCAR sponsor, this week announced it…

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Time to say adios to Bush Stadium

Yankee Stadium, the House that Ruth Built, the home of 26 World Series Champions, a pillar of the Big Apple since 1923, will be demolished next spring.

Yet Indianapolis refuses to put Bush Stadium…

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Scrub named 400 grand marshall

Actor John C. McGinley, best known for his role as the sarcastic Dr. Perry Cox on the long-running network comedy “Scrubs,” was announced today as the grand marshal for the Allstate 400 at…

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Sarah Fisher back on track

Sarah Fisher Racing officials today announced they signed a deal with Dollar General Stores that will put Fisher on the track for races in Kentucky Aug. 7 and Chicago Sept. 7.

Though Fisher wouldn’t…

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Peyton Manning is Colts’ sales MVP

Despite the hype surrounding Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, it’s still easy to underestimate—or simply forget about—the impact this one player has on the team. That impact goes beyond winning on the field.

The…

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Report: Swarbrick headed to ND

It looks like Indiana University can scratch one of the candidates for its soon-to-be-vacant athletic director position off the list.

Late yesterday, word began to spread that Indianapolis attorney Jack Swarbrick is a candidate for the Notre Dame athletic director position….

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Tracks fight for spot on IRL slate

There will be a flurry of off-track activity in the next two weeks as the Indy Racing League finalizes its 2009 schedule. Series officials are expected to sit down with several track operators in the next few days to discuss…

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A&E: Icarus rises after ISO program

This week, a visit to Symphony on the Prairie yields an unexpected treat. Plus, tips for making the most of your evening on the lawn. The crowd was already thick when I arrived a good hour before show time for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s “Glorious Fourth” concert at Conner Prairie. And so rather than squeeze my blanket onto one of the small patches of available space, I opted to sacrifice sight-lines, staking a claim instead at the upper fringe. There,…

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Events facing higher costs at Lucas Oil Stadium: Venue managers also bracing for additional expenses

Local big-draw events are itchy to make their first-ever runs in the $675 million Lucas Oil Stadium, in hopes the roomier venue will let them draw more attendees who want to kick the tires and enjoy the new stadium smell. But there’s a trade-off-a bigger price tag to cover security guards, ushers and cleanup. And at least one event is weighing higher ticket prices as a result. “I don’t think there’s any doubt [Lucas Oil Stadium] will cost more based…

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ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: What we can learn from our kids’ summer activities

Summer is at its midpoint, and with it comes the end of youth baseball, scout camp and a seemingly endless string of swim meets for the Hicks household. Like many of you out there, I welcome a few more quiet evenings at home. But during those long third-inning stretches and sleepless evenings in a tent, I spent some time calculating how much we value these youth sports and activities. You might be surprised what this math tells us about ourselves….

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Ice Miller attorney departs, takes sports practice with him

Sports agent Andrew “Buddy” Baker has left locally based law firm Ice Miller and is taking with him the firm’s sports division,
IM Sports Services, which he wants to develop into a giant agency with a national reach. Baker’s new firm, Exclusive Sports
Group, starts with a list of high-profile clients.

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SPORTS: Pacers are walking a tightrope-and doing it well

The Indiana Pacers, abandoned by so many, are re-establishing their relevance. Given up for dead, the Pacers have a pulse. Leading them out of the wilderness is the hands-on owner, Herb Simon; the thoughtful, prudent and brilliant community leader, Jim Morris; and our Indiana basketball icon, Larry Bird. The draft-night wheeling and dealing created an instant buzz about the Pacers, the most positive since the brawl in 2004. It showed that, if I may lean on the cliché, there is…

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Sports Corp. made city a sports giant, but real estate plans fell short

Construction of Pan Am Plaza in the mid-1980s was a major step in the evolution of Indianapolis into a sports town worthy
of hosting a Super Bowl. But the office building, parking garage, skating rinks and public gathering place came up short over
the years in other ways for both taxpayers and developer, the Indiana Sports Corp.

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Has George doomed open wheel?

Officials for the Indy Racing League are pretty pleased with the way the first half of the season has gone. Last week at Watkins Glen, they announced yet another new series sponsor, Izod. Earlier this year, IRL officials inked deals…

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Could Manning abandon Colts?

The Brett Favre saga in Green Bay had the guys on ESPN Radio yesterday morning discussing the possibility of the all-pro quarterback playing for another team next season if he comes out of…

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IRL draws record crowd at The Glen

The Indy Racing League race July 6 at Watkins Glen drew a 1.0 overnight TV rating, meaning 1 million households nationwide tuned in, according to Nielsen Media. That is the same rating as last year. This year’s race aired on…

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Stewart cut teeth on DQ deal

Two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart has been granted a release from the final year of his driving contract with Joe Gibbs Racing after 10 seasons with the team. On Thursday at Chicagoland Speedway,…

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Brandon Rush wants to mirror Miller

Attention all real estate agents. The city’s soon-to-be newest millionaire is looking for a house.

Brandon Rush said he expects to sign a contract to play for the Indiana Pacers tomorrow and will be…

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