2026 Data

The Indy Sports Poll is conducted by the Sports Innovation Institute at IU Indianapolis. This survey captured the attitudes, behaviors, and preferences of 487 Central Indiana sports fans, along with a comparison group of 93 non-sports fans. Respondents were recruited through a Qualtrics consumer panel and completed the survey online during the final week of 2025. Results carry a margin of sampling error of ±5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Note: While this sample reflects a broad cross-section of Central Indiana residents, it skews toward male, college-educated, and younger adults relative to U.S. Census estimates for the Indianapolis metro area. Findings should be interpreted with this in mind.

Despite a turbulent 12 months for all three of Indianapolis's professional franchises with significant highs and lows, Central Indiana sports fans remain broadly optimistic. Clear majorities believe each team is moving in the right direction—and younger fans are even more bullish.

Among young adult superfans, confidence runs even higher: 81% for the Colts, 69% for the Pacers, and 67% for the Fever.

Central Indiana Sports Fans broadly support using public funds to build new sports venues if Indianapolis can attract franchises in the other three major professional leagues. Support holds even among non-sports fans.

Among non-sports fans, support remained solid: 65% (MLS), 55% (NHL), and 53% (MLB).

Top Leagues for Central Indiana Sports

The picture shifts by gender. Women ranked NCAA Football second, just behind the NFL, with the Olympics third. Men placed the NBA second and favored MLB over soccer in their top five.

When ranked across 17 Indiana college and pro teams, the Colts stand alone at the top. IU Basketball and the Indianapolis Indians join the Pacers just behind them—all with strong positive scores.

Top Indiana Teams for Central Indiana Sports Fans (5-point Love-to-Hate Scale)

The Indiana Fever rank third among female respondents, just behind the Colts and Pacers.

For fans under 30, the Pacers, Butler Basketball, and Fever trail only the Colts. Older fans—the 50+ crowd—tend toward Notre Dame and IU basketball and football after the Colts.

Even among self-identified non-sports fans, the Colts and Pacers claim the top two spots. When asked to name a single favorite team, fans chose the Colts (27%) and Pacers by wide margins. The Indianapolis Indians, Fishers Freight, and Indiana Fever rounded out the top five. Indiana Football led among college programs.

Central Indiana sports fans are active, multi-platform consumers—and sports betting is reshaping why many of them tune in at all.

Why Fans Consume Sports Media

For sports fans, betting tops the list of motivations for consuming sports content— 44% rank it as their primary reason. Fantasy league management and team news and analysis each rank second at 15%.

Non-sports fans tell a different story: their top reasons are team news and analysis (20%) and scores and results (16%).

How Central Indiana Sports Fans Access Sports News

• 66% primarily use their phone
• 56% use TV
• 43% use a laptop
• 31% read a print newspaper
• 27% listen to the radio

Other Media Habits

• 58% subscribe to a local media outlet for team coverage
• 58% subscribe to a national media outlet
• 37% pay for at least four streaming services to watch live sports—just 2% pay for none
• 56% prefer to watch the full game live as their primary way of following results; 23% rely on YouTube highlights and 12% use social media updates

Ticket pricing perception varied significantly across Indianapolis's professional franchises. Pacers and Indians tickets were seen as most fairly priced, while Colts tickets drew the most pushback on cost.

The Indy Ignite topped the "best deal" rankings (23%), followed by the Indians (20%). Across all fan groups, ticket price was the single most important factor influencing the decision to attend a game.

Central Indiana sports fans expressed strong, consistent belief that sports are a net positive for the city—economically, culturally, and personally. Notably, non-sports fans were nearly as positive on each measure.

When asked to compare Indianapolis to other sports cities, 30% of sports fans called it one of the best sports towns in the country and another 40% rated it above average. Just 6% rated it below average or among the worst.

Indiana legalized sports betting in 2019, and participation among Central Indiana sports fans is now nearly universal—with daily or near-daily engagement common. But enthusiasm comes paired with real concerns about the integrity of games.

Nearly all bettors say gambling increases their interest in watching the sports they've wagered on.

Why Fans Bet

• 62% cite fun as a very important reason
• 56% love of sports
• 53% support of their team
• 49% socializing
• 43% to win money
• 40% as an escape from everyday life

Why Some Fans Don't Bet

• 58% cite the possibility of losing money as very important
• 27% say they don't have enough money
• 20% have a moral opposition to gambling
• 16% don't know anyone else who bets
• 12% don't know how to bet

Integrity Concerns

Daily fantasy sports participation rivals—and in some ways exceeds—sports betting in frequency.

27% engage in daily fantasy every day or almost every day; another 41% engage once or twice a week.

Sports video games on consoles are also widely played: 37% play every day or almost every day, and another 39% do so about once or twice a week.