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New Pacers CEO leads All-Star festivities
Mel Raines officially became CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment in June, succeeding longtime executive Rick Fuson.
The move made Raines the first female CEO in franchise history and only the third active female top executive for an NBA franchise.
She took the reins four months after the Indiana Pacers and the city hosted the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, an event Raines had helmed since 2017.
The All-Star festivities generated more than $400 million for the central Indiana economy over five days in February, according to a study commissioned by the NBA.
It’s been a big year for the Pacers organization, which also owns the Indiana Fever and in April drafted standout college player Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. Clark sparked intense interest in the franchise and the league throughout her first season, leading to numerous sellouts at home and on the road.
Then in August, the WNBA announced that Indianapolis would host the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, the city’s first time as host.
The July 19 game will be part of a weekend of events that is expected to include community programs and entertainment. On-court activities are set to include a skills competition and a 3-point contest. The event will also mark the fourth year of WNBA Live, which the league describes as a two-day celebration of the intersection of women’s basketball with sports, fashion, music and culture.
“We are in the middle of a pivotal, transformational moment in the history of the WNBA and women’s basketball,” Raines said at the time of the announcement. “And we are thrilled Indiana will be the center of it all with the game’s biggest stars on display during next season’s All-Star Game.”•
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