WATER RISING, CHECKS DROPPING: Colts and Pacers Team Up for $250K Flood Relief
The water's rising, but so are Indy's sports franchises. With Indiana drowning in some of the worst flooding in decades, the Colts and Pacers aren't just tweeting prayers—they're cutting checks. $125,000 each. Straight to the American Red Cross. No hesitation. No press conference drama. Just action.
The joint flex went down before Sunday's Colts training camp practice at Grand Park Sports Complex. And it wasn't just the big dogs: the Indiana Fever and G League's Noblesville Boom also joined the relief effort, proving this is a whole state rallying together.
A State in Crisis
This isn't a light shower. At least seven people have lost their lives. Hundreds more have been forced out of their homes. President Donald Trump has already signed off on an emergency declaration covering more than half of Indiana's 92 counties. We're talking historic, catastrophic flooding.
Even Sunday morning, heavy rain crashed down again before the sun finally broke through for practice. But the damage is already done for too many Hoosiers.
It's Personal
For Colts co-owner Kalen Jackson, this hits close to home. "It is emotional to see some of the pictures and videos of places I went to as a kid," she said, calling out Conner Prairie and the Fashion Mall—spots she visits regularly, now under siege by water. "I have friends who live in areas that have been affected, so this is a very personal thing."
Terry Stigdon, CEO of the American Red Cross Indiana Region, laid out the real-time need: 200 people were served Saturday night alone, and more than 4,700 meals and snacks have been dropped in recent days. That's a lot of hungry, displaced families who need the help now.
More Than a One-Time Play
This isn't the first time Indy's pro teams have linked up for the community. And it won't be the last. Pacers Foundation chairwoman Rachel Simon, daughter of owner Herb Simon, knows how special this partnership is. "It's incredible to have a partner you can call and that's going to say yes because they care," she said. "I think the partnership, it's unique."
In a city that lives and breathes sports, this is the ultimate team effort. When the game is life, the Colts and Pacers just ran the two-minute drill to perfection.