History of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 18, 2026

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, located in downtown Indianapolis, is a premier multi-purpose indoor arena and a landmark in the city's sports landscape. Opened in 1999 as Conseco Fieldhouse, it serves as the official home court for the NBA's Indiana Pacers and the WNBA's Indiana Fever. Renowned for its unique design that blends a classic, retro-style fieldhouse aesthetic with modern amenities, it provides an intimate atmosphere for spectators. Beyond professional basketball, the venue hosts a wide variety of events, including major concerts, collegiate tournaments, and high-profile entertainment shows. Its central location makes it a vital anchor for the Indianapolis sports district, contributing significantly to the city's economy and culture. Following a major multi-year renovation completed in 2022, the facility continues to serve as a world-class venue, maintaining its reputation for high-quality event experiences while keeping pace with contemporary technical and fan-service standards.

1998: Commencement of Venue Evaluation Journey

In 1998, The Ultimate Sports Road Trip began its comprehensive journey of visiting and evaluating all 122 franchises across the four major sports leagues.

November 6, 1999: First NBA game at Conseco Fieldhouse

On November 6, 1999, the Indiana Pacers hosted their inaugural regular-season home opener at the newly opened Conseco Fieldhouse against the Boston Celtics.

November 1999: Grand Opening of Gainbridge Fieldhouse

In November 1999, the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena officially opened its doors in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, serving as the new home for the Indiana Pacers and replacing the previous Market Square Arena.

1999: Indianapolis Ice Begin Play at Fieldhouse

In 1999, the Indianapolis Ice, a team in the Central Hockey League, began their tenure playing games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

1999: Initial Seating Capacity Established

Starting in 1999, the venue's basketball seating capacity was established at 18,345.

2000: 2000 NBA Finals at Conseco Fieldhouse

During the 2000 NBA Finals, Conseco Fieldhouse hosted Games 3, 4, and 5 of the series between the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers, ultimately resulting in a series loss for the Pacers.

2000: 2000 Ray Miron President's Cup Finals

In 2000, Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted two games of the Ray Miron President's Cup finals, where the Indianapolis Ice defeated the Columbus Cottonmouths to win the series 4 games to 3.

2001: World Championship Wrestling Sin PPV

In 2001, Gainbridge Fieldhouse served as the venue for the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) pay-per-view event titled Sin.

2001: Indiana Firebirds Begin Play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

In 2001, the Indiana Firebirds of the Arena Football League officially relocated from Albany, New York, to begin playing their home games at the venue then known as Conseco Fieldhouse.

2002: 2002 FIBA World Championship at Conseco Fieldhouse

In 2002, Conseco Fieldhouse hosted significant matchups for the FIBA World Championship, specifically serving as the venue for both the tournament's semifinals and the final game.

2002: Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Begins Even-Year Rotation

In 2002, the fieldhouse began hosting the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament during even-numbered years.

October 11, 2004: Attendance Record Set

On the evening of October 11, 2004, the event drew 11,488 spectators, establishing a new attendance record for a U.S. Swimming event occurring outside of the Olympic Games.

October 2004: 2004 FINA Short Course World Swimming Championships

During October 2004, Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted the FINA Short Course World Swimming Championships, featuring the installation of a temporary competition pool and a warm-up pool, with 71,659 total tickets sold for the four-day duration.

2004: Professional Bull Riders 2004 Indianapolis Event

During the 2004 season, the Professional Bull Riders held a Built Ford Tough Series event in Indianapolis at the RCA Dome.

2004: Indiana Firebirds and Indianapolis Ice Conclude Venue Residency

In 2004, both the Indiana Firebirds and the Indianapolis Ice finished their final season playing at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

2004: Indiana Firebirds Conclude Tenure at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Indiana Firebirds ended their stint playing at the fieldhouse in 2004, marking the conclusion of their time in Indianapolis after arriving in 2001.

2005: Ranking as Top NBA Venue

In 2005, Conseco Fieldhouse was recognized as the number one venue in the NBA according to the Sports Business Journal/Sports Business Daily Reader Survey.

2006: The Great American Bash

In 2006, Gainbridge Fieldhouse served as the venue for the professional wrestling event known as The Great American Bash.

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2006: Top Venue in Major Sports Leagues

In 2006, The Ultimate Sports Road Trip reaffirmed Conseco Fieldhouse as the best venue across all four major sports leagues, a title it also held during this year's rankings.

2006: Seating Capacity Adjustment

In 2006, the basketball seating capacity at the venue was adjusted to 18,165, a level maintained until 2016.

2007: Conclusion of Initial Even-Year Rotation

The year 2007 marked the end of the initial arrangement where the fieldhouse hosted the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in even-numbered years.

2008: Tournament Exclusive Hosting Period Begins

In 2008, the Big Ten men's basketball tournament moved to Conseco Fieldhouse to be held there exclusively for a five-year period through 2012.

2008: SummerSlam

The major professional wrestling event SummerSlam was hosted at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena in 2008.

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2009: 2009 WNBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

In 2009, Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals, where the Indiana Fever competed against the Phoenix Mercury but ultimately lost the series.

May 2010: CNO Financial Group Corporate Rebranding

In May 2010, the company known as Conseco officially rebranded itself as CNO Financial Group, although the arena continued to operate under the Conseco Fieldhouse name.

January 2011: Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series Debut at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

In January 2011, the Professional Bull Riders brought their Built Ford Tough Series bull riding tour to the fieldhouse for the very first time.

June 5, 2011: Big Ten Conference Tournament Location Announcement

On June 5, 2011, the Big Ten Conference announced a new scheduling agreement where the men's and women's basketball tournaments would alternate between Chicago and Indianapolis starting in 2013.

December 2011: Renaming to Bankers Life Fieldhouse

In December 2011, the owner CNO Financial Group officially changed the name of the arena to Bankers Life Fieldhouse, reflecting the branding of its subsidiary, Bankers Life and Casualty.

2011: Inaugural Crossroads Classic

In 2011, Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted the inaugural Crossroads Classic, a yearly college basketball event featuring the Butler Bulldogs, Indiana Hoosiers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Purdue Boilermakers.

2012: 2012 WNBA Finals Victory

During 2012, the Indiana Fever hosted games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals at the fieldhouse and successfully defeated the Minnesota Lynx to win the title.

2012: Bankers Life Fieldhouse Scoreboard and Audio Upgrade

In 2012, Bankers Life Fieldhouse underwent a significant technology upgrade featuring a new scoreboard system with twin 50-foot long 1080p HD screens and additional baseline screens, alongside the installation of a new sound system to enhance the spectator experience.

2012: Survivor Series

In 2012, Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted the annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event.

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2012: 12th Big Ten Women's Tournament Hosted

In 2012, the fieldhouse hosted the Big Ten women's basketball tournament, marking the 12th time the event had been held at the venue in a 13-year span.

2013: Start of Alternating Tournament Rotation

In 2013, the Big Ten Conference began a four-year cycle of alternating their basketball tournaments between Indianapolis and the Chicago area.

2014: Bankers Life Fieldhouse Hosts Big Ten Tournaments

In 2014, Bankers Life Fieldhouse served as the official site for both the men's and women's Big Ten basketball tournaments.

2015: Indy Invitational

In 2015, Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted the Indy Invitational, which featured midget car racing and outlaw kart racing conducted on a temporary dirt track installed on the arena floor.

2016: Bankers Life Fieldhouse Hosting Duties

In 2016, the fieldhouse returned as the host venue for both the men's and women's Big Ten basketball tournaments.

2016: Clash of Champions

The professional wrestling event Clash of Champions took place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in 2016.

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December 2017: Announcement of 2021 NBA All-Star Game Hosting

In December 2017, the Indiana Pacers held a press conference to officially announce that the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena had been selected to host the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.

2017: 2017 NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds

In 2017, Gainbridge Fieldhouse served as a host venue for the first and second-round games of the men's NCAA basketball tournament.

March 11, 2019: Metallica Attendance Record

On March 11, 2019, the band Metallica established a new attendance record at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis by drawing a crowd of 18,274 fans, surpassing the previous record held by Billy Joel.

April 2019: Approval of Gainbridge Fieldhouse Renovation

In April 2019, the Marion County Capital Improvement Board officially approved a comprehensive $360 million renovation project for the arena, securing the Pacers' commitment to stay in Indianapolis for at least 25 additional years.

June 30, 2019: Expiration of Naming Rights Sponsorship

On June 30, 2019, the naming rights agreement held by CNO Financial Group expired, and the company elected not to renew its sponsorship of the arena.

2020: Displacement of the Indiana Fever

Due to construction phases of the arena renovation, the Indiana Fever were displaced from their home venue for the entire 2020 WNBA season.

2020: Rescheduling of the NBA All-Star Game

In 2020, due to challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and scheduling conflicts with the 2021 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis, the NBA announced that the city's hosting duties for the All-Star game would be pushed back.

September 27, 2021: Gainbridge Announced as New Naming Partner

On September 27, 2021, it was announced that the Indianapolis-based financial platform Gainbridge would take over as the new naming partner for the arena in a multi-year agreement.

2021: Continued Arena Construction

Construction on the $360 million fieldhouse project continued throughout 2021, resulting in the Indiana Fever remaining displaced from Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the full 2021 WNBA season.

2021: Gainbridge secures naming rights for the arena

In 2021, the arena formerly known as Bankers Life Fieldhouse underwent a rebranding to be officially called Gainbridge Fieldhouse after the firm Gainbridge acquired the naming rights.

2021: 2021 NCAA Tournament Rounds

In 2021, the venue hosted an expanded selection of games for the men's NCAA tournament, including the first, second, and regional semifinal (Sweet 16) rounds.

2021: Final Crossroads Classic

The year 2021 marked the conclusion of the Crossroads Classic held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which featured annual matchups between the Indiana Hoosiers, Butler Bulldogs, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Purdue Boilermakers.

2022: 2022 NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds

During the 2022 season, the arena hosted the first and second-round matchups for the men's NCAA basketball tournament.

2022: Bill Simmons Praises Gainbridge Fieldhouse

In 2022, prominent sportswriter Bill Simmons praised Gainbridge Fieldhouse as an incredible venue, highlighting its unique basketball-centric design that makes fans feel closer to the court compared to other NBA arenas.

2022: Completion of Renovation and Venue Transition

In late 2022, the $360 million renovation project was completed, featuring a new outdoor plaza and interior upgrades; concurrently, the Fever split their 2022 schedule between Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

2023: Fastlane

Gainbridge Fieldhouse was the site for the 2023 edition of the WWE Fastlane pay-per-view.

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2024: Revised NBA All-Star Game Hosting Year

Following the 2020 scheduling changes, it was confirmed that Indianapolis would serve as the host city for the NBA All-Star Game in 2024 instead of the originally planned 2021 date.

2024: 2024 NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds

Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted the opening first and second-round games of the men's NCAA tournament in 2024.

2025: 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

In 2025, Gainbridge Fieldhouse served as the venue for games 3, 4, and 6 of the NBA Finals; ultimately, the Indiana Pacers were defeated in the championship series, losing four games to three.