I remember calling my family and being like, "This is the moment that I could show indie what I can do. I can show the sports world what I can do. I'm going to give everything I have." Indianapolis wraps its arms around whatever it is hosting in a way that just other cities do not. Every time something like this comes, you have an expectation and they just knock it out of the park. Opening night, we broke the world record for largest attendance ever.
I literally ran through sweet level just like screaming. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are, however you may be listening. Thanks for tuning in to the Get Indiana podcast network. My name is Dominic Miranda and I've been covering sports for nearly a decade. Most of which right here in Indianapolis. This is the Get In Sports Podcast.
We're going to be covering everything in the Hooser State, high school, college, pro, in the sports capital of the universe, in the greatest state on planet Earth. Thanks so much for coming on this journey with us. Let's get into it. On today's episode of Get In Sports, we welcome on an elite guest here in Indianapolis. Currently serving as the chief of staff and strategy at Indiana Sports Corp. one of the many responsible for bringing so many incredible sporting events to our city like the US Olympic swim trials.
Oh, by the way, and many, many other things and to the state of Indiana. Sarah Meyer joins the program. We're so happy to have her. Sarah, thank you for being here. How are you doing? I'm doing really well.
Doing really well. Yeah, this is cool. I have the good fortune of crossing paths with the Sports Corp a lot with what I do at Channel 13 and cover all these different events. I have to imagine very rewarding just off the jump. You have to love what you do. Absolutely.
I mean, we were talking a little bit earlier. It's awesome that we have a different schedule every year. It makes it challenging. I'm not like I'm not going to lie about that, but it is so fun to bring different events here every year and have the community come together around them and have Indianapolis be so proud of what we do. So, it's it's you do you get a lot of fulfillment out of it. It's a lot of responsibility, but a lot of fulfillment.
Indianapolis wraps its arms around whatever it is hosting in a way that just other cities do not. And they take a lot of pride in it and I can see why because we do go to a lot of different other cities where there's no signage at the airport. You don't even know what's happening. Yeah. The WNBA Allstar game in Phoenix comes to mind. Didn't even know the locals didn't even know what's happening.
So Indianapolis does a phenomenal job. Yeah. Thanks in part to people like Sarah Meyer. So I want to detail not only your experiences and what you're proud of at Indiana Sports Corp, but how you got there. So, was being in and around sports something you were interested in growing up? I mean, we talked about you growing up in Cleveland, so this that goes without saying, but uh what can you tell us about kind of your path that guided you to where you are ultimately now?
Yeah, I think I loved sports growing up, but I think it was more about the camaraderie and community that comes from sports. I also I I mean I played softball, basketball, volleyball, swam. Really went into swimming when I was was in high school and coached a little bit too which I loved. But I mean I also did music too. I was in musicals and was in choir and was really exploring that too. My my parents were really awesome about like hey if you like it like let's explore it.
So that was awesome. But I think the thing I loved was bringing people together. I was the kid that everyone was like okay what are we doing tonight? You know like where are we biking to? super shy. Very shy child.
Yes. Yeah. My parents were like, "Okay, they they have to stop calling and you just need to make a decision on what we're do, what they're all doing tonight." So, I always loved events. I just loved how events brought people together and the excitement. And I I obviously loved watching sports growing up and what it could do for people, like what it could bring bring out of people.
It's just so cool to watch and be a part of. And I loved the planning part. I started getting really into the planning part of things. Um, so yeah, I was in Cleveland and heard about this college called Butler University and uh moved to Indie to go to Butler, majored in journalism with a PR concentration and media arts was my minor. So I thought maybe I would be behind the camera friend for a little bit. You made the right choice, I think.
[laughter and gasps] Yeah. So I um and the nice thing about going to school in Indie is that you have all these opportunities with sports organizations and events and things. So I was I got to work the camera for Indians games. I did group sales for the Pacers as an intern. I volunteered for the 2004 World Swimming Championships at the then ConCo Fieldhouse. Really?
Yeah. What's wild is that was 2004 and then I led the swim trials in 24. So like full circle moment. How did they do that at Conco? They put a pool in there. No way.
Yep. It was a 25 m pool. Uh it was awesome. It was really I did not know that. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that sparked the Yeah. what happened 20 years later perhaps. Yeah, that is really wild.
Serendipity right there. She was clearly doing what she was supposed to be doing. But yeah, you went to Butler. How was your experience there? Because people get on Butler's campus and I hear this from every coach I talk to, every person associated with Butler. When you get them on campus, they do not want to leave and they come back and it's a done deal.
So, how was your experience? That's absolutely it. I mean, I I loved the school. I I went there only knowing a couple other people. It was good for me to push myself out of my comfort zone. Um, and I think you need to do that while you're at Butler, too.
It it can be a bubble where you you stay on campus. You got a one-way street to Broadripple, basically. Um, so I think but I had a lot of um professors that really pushed me to explore Indianapolis and the opportunities there. And I just met some great friends there, too. I mean, people that I'm still friends with today. Um, and I love I love still being in, you know, Indie and still, you know, getting coffee with Butler students and still being so connected on campus, but yeah, I mean, my experience was great there.
So, so it was easy. First of all, not that far from home. Comparable city. I mean, Cleveland's pretty sweet from what I've heard. Had never been, I should get there, but uh, but yeah. So, I'm assuming you not only you fell in love with Butler, but it seems to me you fell in love with Indianapolis as well.
Did that start in college? It started in college, but I will be honest with you, I I just assumed that I would go back to Cleveland pretty pretty shortly after college. But through, you know, working for the Pacers and the Indians and exploring downtown and being like, okay, like city's pretty cool. And then I got a job at Neuvo News Weekly, which was a weekly newspaper came out every Wednesday for free. Whenever I talk to college students, I'm like, yeah, there's this thing. It was called a newspaper.
[laughter] I used to read the newspap in high school. I would read the newspaper every morning. I mean people, this city loved Neuvo. I mean that was it told you where to go and what to do in Indie. And so as a person who was working there, we were always going to concerts and festivals and sporting events and cuz you had to if you worked there, you had to be in the know about what was going on. So that's how I met a ton of people throughout the community and then really started volunteering at a lot of things.
Um and that's really I mean I continue to volunteer for sports corp events too. Volunteered for final fours, the Super Bowl in 2012. So um yeah. Oh, I know. I know. I hope we get another one.
I don't know. It's harder and harder when everyone's getting new brand new stadium. You hit it right on the head. I was gonna say the NFL is going after those bright shiny stadiums. But like, [laughter] but the the more places I go, the more I feel like Lucas Oil has aged so well. Yeah.
Yeah. And the walkability and everybody who comes to events here just loves it. Like, why not? You tell me we can't get one more Super Bowl. I mean, you would be the person to talk to about this. I know.
Well, it's hard, though. It's got to be. I will say we still hear comments about the Indie Super Bowl. Like, people truly do remember that. That's not just fluff. Like, people really do.
That and the weather played nice. Oh my gosh. I always hear about the zipline thing. Oh, I did it. That's all I hear about. Oh, it was the best.
I mean, Dave Calabro did down Capitol Avenue. Like, are you kidding? Oh my word. Yeah, we're going to get another Super Bowl. I'm sure the NFL people will be listening to this podcast and they'll reach out to Sarah and everything will work and work out. This is this is pushing it over the edge.
This is what we're here for. We we fight on behalf of the state. Uh but I do see yes, you were involved in marketing. So number one, great on you not going into media doing this. Great choice. Very happy for you.
But yeah, so marketing's kind of been your ball game throughout your career. Neuvo News Weekly, like you said, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Yeah. Yep. and then ultimately the sports corp. So talk me through those experiences and kind of how you found your way to to the sports corp cuz really like different differing places, right?
Yeah, it was funny because I feel like Nuvo taught me how to connect to the city, taught me how to develop relationships, really build trust with people. The symphony taught me so much about marketing. They do 200 concerts a year and they do everything from classical to pops to their UI series which was Christmas, Symphony on the Prairie. So you've got so many different audiences that you have to market to and message to. It and it can't all be the same. So that demands a lot of hard work.
It demands you to be thinking outside the box. It really demands you to get out of your own head. I think the biggest lesson in marketing that I learned is that you are not always your audience and you have to not assume what your audience likes. always have to be studying your audience, getting to know your audience, making sure that you understand how they get their information, how they get pulled in to make a decision. And so I learned a lot of that while I was at the symphony. I also learned how to manage people, how to manage through crisis.
We went through a huge financial crisis when I was there. So a lot of crisis comms and PR and yeah, it was it was amazing. My one of my favorite CEOs there really helped me find my voice, too. I was one of the only women on our executive team. And I remember walking out of a meeting one time and and he said he pulled me aside. He's like, "Come to my office."
And we sat down. I was so scared. And he said he said, "I know you had things to say that would have contributed to helping us find solutions and you said nothing." And he was like, "I need you to speak up." And for him to give me that permission was huge. And I think like now it's people probably are like, "When is she going to shut up?"
[laughter] Thanks, dude. But it is it was something I just needed to hear. from a man too. Like I think like I really needed to hear that and then that was I feel like a huge catalyst in me wanting to be a leader and me wanting to advocate for other people in my workplace. That is so refreshing and like that just that's really cool to hear that he said that to you and how empowering that must have felt and what a sigh of relief like I'm not going to feel stupid if I contribute to this meeting not only cuz I'm young not cuz I'm a woman just because I have something to say and that's cool and what's wild when you think about it like that was in the arts like what a good prep for me to get into sports then which is also very ma male-dominated. I'm in rooms where I'm very much very often the only woman or one of a couple women in the room.
And so to tell me to find my voice and then go work in sports, it was good timing. Yeah, very good timing. Do you do you find yourself like are you very proud of that fact that you are representing someone who is a woman who's doing this at a super high level, who's making these decisions, who's being like instrumental to these things. Like if you had told yourself who was told that by that CEO that you would be doing what you're doing now. That's pretty cool. It's pretty awesome.
I think I think what you have to do is realize the responsibility you have in those rooms too. I've you know some of the things I'm really proud of for Sports Corp. I've gotten them to expand maternity and paternity leave. Um we've gone from having sick days to personal wellness days. So that goes for personal health and mental health. You don't have to tell us why you're sick, why you're not feeling great about your health.
you just take a day. I've advocated for women in the workplace and getting them promoted and, you know, even helped start a women's leadership development program called We Are Next, which is helping elevate women in sports and events. So, I I think there's a lot and honestly, too, like we just have to look at work differently. And I'm not a parent, but like it was a really big passion of mine to advocate for moms and dads in the workplace. If dads have to go pick up their kids, they got to go pick up their kids. I trust my employee enough to go do the work when he can do it.
I don't need this 9 to5. Like I I I trust my people and I want them to feel really great about showing up for their family cuz that means they're going to show up really well at work. Yes. 100%. When you have a workplace who supports you and knows that a you're you hire the right people so you know they're getting their work done. Okay.
Y and then to to have that freedom like life gets busy. messy. There's colorcoded schedules for kids events and like there's a lot going on. So that's really cool. That's just a really huge thing. I think I've realized too like burn and you probably can level with this too.
I've realized that burnout usually isn't always like I have too much work to do. It's because I don't feel like I'm showing up in one of those places. So like you just don't have the time. Exactly. So how do we like help, you know, cultivate a a workplace that supports you in both areas so you feel really energized in both? That's really really cool.
That's That's We're very thankful for I'm sure a lot of people are very thankful for people like you. So that's awesome. So you arrived at Indiana Sports Corp in 2019. Yeah. My god. And this is where the story really begins.
This is awesome. So you had you've had a ton of different roles. Chief of marketing, event director, the swim trials. We're going to get to that. And ultimately chief of staff strategy. So, how has that been over a six, you know, seven year stretch working your way through an organization who's just, you know, I think people knew its value, but I feel like during this time primarily it has been more pronounced.
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I thank you by the way. It's al awesome always hearing that that people have recognized it a lot more. Um, it's been incredible. I mean, the lessons learned obviously I started in April 2019.
you know, 11 months later, the world shuts down. So, um, just to go through that, um, in in any world, but the event in Sports World was was really wild. Taught us a lot of lessons. I will never forget when I got the call in November of 2020 that we could potentially host the entire March Madness tournament. And so that was a huge turning point for me because I had been at Sports Corp for a year and a half and I said, I mean, I remember calling my family and being like, this is the moment like that I could show indie what I can do. I can show the sports world what I can do.
I'm going to give everything I have to this tournament if we get it. And we ended up getting it. We had 75 days to plan it. And I went all in. I mean, I was at the office every day. I was just working so hard on it.
And because I knew that if we could do this, if we could do this for the city, like that was how we could give back. And then personally for me, I knew like if I if I don't screw this up, I could really be able to figure out like what what this path is for me here, what this journey is. And so two months after we finished March Madness, that's when uh my boss sat me down and said, "Hey, do you do you want to consider leading the swim trials?" Yeah. Yeah. Really?
Yeah. So that early, too. Well, I guess I mean, you got to, right? Yeah. It's pretty wild. People don't realize how far out we planned, but we have to plan pretty far out.
So 75 days wasn't exactly that many to do an entire NCAA tournament, which went flawlessly, by the way. Only one game was cancelled due to co which is crazy. Yeah. Mhm. Like that is actually insane. And I mean it was it was HLE and it was Gamebridge and it was Lucas Oil and then IU and Purdue were in the mix as well.
Ball State. Ball State was in the mix. M I will never forget that. I know it was it was insane. We So we did obviously men's final four this past spring and it was a 5. Thank you.
And it was the 5year anniversary of it. So of course like a lot of the NCA staff and we were all just kind of reminiscing a ton during that whole plan. How much how much did you age in those five years? Oh my god. Right. Well and we did honestly when you said like yeah we're we're more pro.
We're doing a lot more things. I did actually take a look at what we call tier one events, which based on how much economic impact and how many people in media like we put them in tiers of of what kind of event they are. Between 2014 and 2019, we did 12. Between 2020 and 2026, we did 24 tier one events. Really? So, I was like, "Oh, this is why I'm tired."
[laughter] Yeah. Right. Why am I just exhausted always? Oh, that's because Indianapolis is just the host for everything. I mean, it's hard to, you know, like when there's an event you want to go after or when you get asked to do an event like with the WNBA Allstar, I mean, they called Mel Reigns and said, "Hey, you know, in July of 24, they called her and said, "Hey, do you want to host this next year?" She's not going to say no.
Like, I mean, all the momentum we've had. Exactly. [laughter] Got to capitalize. And then I, you know, the NBA Allstar game was supposed to happen. Was it 2020? 21.
21. And that had to be moved. Yeah. Yeah, we were so glad that they moved it too. Um, we were I mean it was just going to be so co impacted if we had hosted it in 21. So that was a huge sigh of relief when we when we got it moved and obviously was it was incredible.
Um, I thought yeah, I mean that PSN team deserves so much credit because they did that and then they had like the like Caitlyn came to the Fever and then they had the Pacers playoffs run and like the F like it just and then and then WNBA all start like it just never ended for them. But that's kind of I mean that's that's the cool thing about this city is that you know that if those things are coming up PE people are just going to lean in like it's it's no challenge is too huge. So, no, I mean it the NBA All-Star game was awesome. It snowed like 6 in one night. Unreal. We went into the arena came it was clear came out.
It was just a mess. But it didn't deter like all the activations were awesome. I know. I remember catching up with Adam Silver over on the west side. I think he's building like a gym or something. Like there was just so many little things like that happening.
Like the NBA does a good job and I'm sure you guys did a good job of just making that all happen. And I just remember we had something every um the packing of the meals at the Lucas Oil Stadium that was a really cool like Ron our test was there just talking to him and like a hairet like what is happening this is awesome but yeah that the only thing about Allstar weekend that was not good was the g was the game nobody nobody cares about then everyone's like okay like yeah this is over now uh that was really cool and yeah the WNBA all-star game I mean Indie is like leading the charge and it probably a lot to do with Caitlyn Clark being here Right. But just the momentum of women's sports and hosting and like you're absolutely right to see when you guys put in so much hard work to put these events on to see the community response time and time and time again. Like that has to make it all worth it.
Like this isn't for 10,000 people to show up. No, this is for like hundreds of thousands over the course of a weekend or a couple days to show up. Yeah, absolutely. It's it's really fun when the rights holders, so we call them rights holders, whether that's the NBA, NFL, USA swimming. It's really fun when they see it and they realize what's happening in Indie and how special it is. I remember when we were planning around the swim trials, you know, we had pitched like, oh, and we'll do Georgia Street and we're going to activate for all nine days and we're going to do this and here's how much it's going to cost.
as soon as we said like this is how much it'll cost and what you know they're like oh I don't we just want to put on a really really great swimming event and so we actually flew out to Colorado Springs to present to their board on like this is what happens in Indie like this if you want your event to be considered a major event like you have to do everything else around it and we will help you get there we're not this isn't just we will help you get there and I remember their leadership team like walking through that first day and being like oh Okay. Okay. I get it. And it was just um so it is it's sometimes you really do have to bring people along. I I didn't work on the Super Bowl, but Allison Mington will tell stories of getting the NFL on board with the entire use of Georgia Street um Super Bowl village. Like that was an idea that was, you know, concepted by Indianapolis.
And so I I can't imagine the meanings of that where they're like, "Yeah, we're just going to activate all week." especially, you know, not knowing what the weather was. But of course, now you have to have a Super Bowl village. It's part of the bid. So, yeah. Indianapolis is just every time something like this comes, they just over you have an expectation and they just knock it out of the park.
Have you seen the perception of Indianapolis change for the better? Not that it was bad, but everyone looks forward to this now. It's just it's their thing. Yeah. No, I I definitely think it has. I think a lot of the people that we work with, a lot of the athletes, I love seeing the athletes um reactions to how easy it is to get around cuz for them like they're they're all focused on how they perform.
And so to have a compact downtown where they don't have to like get on a bus for forever or walk around forever like that really means a lot to them. So, it's always interesting to hear the perspective of not just the fans who are coming in, but a lot of the athletes and the people the the big decision makers who get to Indie for the first time. And obviously, the fans are a huge part of it. I mean, I remember when the Big 10 football game, we were bidding on that for 25 through 28 and word got out that Vegas wanted it. And the loudest people about not moving it to Vegas were the fans, like people who were like, "That has to stay in Indie." So, I think that speaks volumes to the experience that people get and just how much they love coming here for events cuz when you think Big 10, you think the desert in [laughter] Las Vegas, give me a break.
Like, come on. Um, okay. So, let's let's get into the swim trials here. So, 2020, great proof of concept. All right. You're pretty This Sarah Meyer, she's pretty she's pretty good at what she does.
Okay. So, how does that conversation go that you're kind of going to be leading that as the event director? Yeah. Was there like an oh crap moment like there is a lot to go on here and how did that evolve from 2020 to 2024 to ultimately pulling that off? Still one of the most impressive events there has been. Well, I remember when our president at the time, his name was Ryan Vaughn, he came into my office in 2019, and he said, "Hey, there's conversations going that USA Swimming is actually going to look at possibly doing their swim trials in an NFL stadium.
They want it to be here." And I just like sat back like, "Oh my god, I just started this job. What is going on?" So, it was just wild to hear the concept for the first time. But with swimming in my background and obvious like loving the Olympics, I was I I wanted that event so bad. And so we worked on the bid actually in the summer of 2020.
And that bid was so special for us because in a time where the Olympics had just been cancelled, right? Um you know, all of our events were cancelled. You just want to grasp on a hope for the future. To work on a bid for something in the year 2024 that could be in like a pools in an NFL stadium, be a first time ever for something like we were so excited about that bid. Vibes were not high during that [laughter] time. Like people were not okay.
Like we were all like, is this ever going to end? So that had to make it better. Totally. And so for the bid process too, you always try to figure out how to get really creative to tell your story of like why your city should be selected. So we called Lily King actually and so because she, you know, she's in Bloomington training there and said, "Do you think that you could actually do a tour of downtown and how easy it is to get around?" And so she came in, everyone masked up, got a video crew, she did a whole tour, and that was part of our bid presentation, which obviously was all done through Zoom.
Um, but then, yeah, but then we um we got the event, we went to the trials in Omaha in 21, got to see how they did it, and then just got obviously so excited for Yeah. The whole time you're [laughter] like, "Okay, this is going to be so awesome. Like, we see this, just wait." Yeah. And so, um, yeah. So, we started planning probably really started getting into planning in 2022 and obviously just all of the things of doing an event for the first time.
Obviously, they've done a swim trials before, but to do something at that magnitude is wild. And I wasn't scared when they first asked me, but when I started to realize like, oh, we have 30,000 seats in Lucas Oil Stadium and we have 17 sessions of swimming. So, the sessions are prelims in the morning and finals at night. And I'm just thinking to myself, how am I going to fill those seats for every single like cuz of course we as indie, we want to break the record for the biggest swim meet ever. And I'm like, okay, no, no small task cuz it's just when you think about the other major events we do, final four sell out, CFPs sell out, NBA Allar sell out. Our job really as indie is usually to push people and really promote and market the fan events that surround it.
Well, for swim trials, not only are we pushing the fan events, we're pushing the actual ticket sales, too. So, um, so we have a huge responsibility for that. Um, so it was, I mean, an definitely a challenge in marketing. So, I I really made an effort to get to know the swim community here locally. Got to know a lot of people, especially in Carmel, who call calls himself Swim City. Holy cow.
Um, but we actually created a committee of um, people who were leading their swim clubs from all over the country and we would get on the phone with them once a month, update them on things, make sure they knew, you know, how to get here. We had pools all around central Indiana that we booked for swim time. So, if a team came in, cuz these teams want to come in and see it, but they also have to practice, right? So, it was getting to know, it was really getting to understand from the swim community like what is going to get swimmers here and what is missing? What do we need to be thinking about? And I mean, so that idea of having to book swim time, that did not come from us.
Like that definitely came from the swim community. So, again, going back to what I learned in marketing, like just you're not always your audience. Like understand what they need, what those barriers are. So it was it was just a lot of that which is exhausting because of course like as we're planning trials we're working on NBA Allstar, we're working on Big 10 football, we're doing all these other Yeah. I mean it's it's it's crazy. So um it's just always in the back of [laughter] your mind like okay we're just dominating this huge event but there's actually even more massive international type.
Yeah. And then if any bid pops up for future events like then we have to like work on that too. So it's um Yeah. Yeah. The schedule's crazy. The schedule's crazy, but um that event so the the opening night we Gretch and Walsh broke a world record, right?
And we broke the world record for largest attendance ever. And remember, so when she broke the world record, I literally so we were on like the sweet level um hosting some of our um donors. I literally ran through the sweet level just like screaming. I was so excited. And I think it was all of that like 2 years of planning anxiety like and for that to happen on the first night. Yeah.
So it was it was so special. Um and I was super proud of the team. I mean there it's that this is not a you know yes I had a leading role in it but like it this was a massive team effort from people in Indie from our staff from USA swimming just like and it it felt like that too at the end. It was just like such a just a team win and it was awesome. It was I will never forget it. I mean, we were there every single day.
I think for the entirety of it. Yeah, you were. It was awesome. And the pools looked like it Lucas Oil looked like that's what its purpose was was to have pools in it. Yeah, you're so right. Right.
Like that's I walked in. I'm like, "Okay, well, this is just the pool. This is this is where this is going to happen every year for the rest of eternity." Like this is absolutely incredible. ton of them from Caramel kind of the north suburbs of Indianapolis. But I bet it was weird for you to walk into Lucas Little though and smell chlorine.
Yeah. Immediately. Immediately. But I loved it. I mean, we got our we got our like routine down with the morning stuff, the night stuff. We knew exactly who we were going to talk to.
It got so cool into that and followed who is just out of this world better than everybody. Lily King getting uh engaged by the way. Yes. Were there watching when that happened like what is happening? Like and then then the attendance. I know you said you were like how are we going to do this?
But you had to be pumped at the interest at both sessions. I mean, my wife and I went to a couple of the morning sessions and those were highly attended as well. Oh, yeah. Yeah. You know, yeah. It was the nice thing about having a 9-day event.
I I mean, obviously, that is a long event, but I mean, you all were so wonderful about this as the media were covering it. People were seeing it and saying, "Oh my god, I have to go see it." And it wasn't like a, you know, Big 10 or NBA Allstar where it's like, "Oh, well, that's great and now it's over." they still like it. So, I think that was that was a huge benefit for us. I've never seen walk up ticket sales like that.
I mean, Lucas Oil will say this. Oh, it was wild. The the lines were so long because it was literally people who had seen about it, right, and just came downtown. That's what I was going to say. Something was working where they're like, "That looks awesome. Let's go."
And you had And you're right. It was so flexible like, "Oh, I can't go tonight, but I can go Saturday." Exactly. Like, yeah, this just so so cool. And what were all I mean I lost track of it was like the largest single day swimming and then like cumulatively as well like what were the Yep. largest obviously largest trials ever, largest swimming event ever.
Oh my goodness. Yeah, it was crazy. The even their fan events, I mean the best merch sales ever, largest attendance at their they have their like Aqua Zone is their fanfest. I mean, so it was just above and beyond for them. And then it was funny cuz I so I was very lucky to be able to go over to Paris for a couple of days and see some of the swimming events. Um and you earned it.
I mean come on now. Yeah. [laughter] It's the least they can I love it. Um but the athletes were like it's not Lucas Stadium. Seriously, that's crazy. [laughter] Like they were actively at the Olympics.
Yeah. And I was wearing my Indianapolis swim trials like shirt and I had people from other countries stopping me and saying we we saw the Indianapolis swim trials. And that that was really I mean yeah I mean it was just like to hear that other people were watching it was just unbelievable. So like other countries were watching us. Yeah, actually that that makes me wonder like what was the feedback and who was the craziest people you heard from like I can't believe they were watching or were paying attention because I think it even I think leading up we all knew this was going to be super super cool but it being there it just took it to a whole new like this is historic like this needs to happen all the time. So what was the feedback like?
Um, I mean just from everywhere. I mean this woman from London stopped me on the on the train in Paris and she saw my shirt and she said, "Hey, like I'm with the Olympic committee over in London and that's we we just kept talking about that. We've I mean we'll get on calls sometimes with international people who are looking at putting our putting events here and oh and the swim trials and it's just like man you just don't realize cuz that's not what you're really thinking about. Well, you have enough as you're working on it. Yeah. But then when you hear that people were watching it from all over the world and then and then like obviously while we were doing it, LA announces that they're going to do their swimming events um inside of their football field.
It's like wild to me. So um it was it was really it was awesome. So what was the uh what was the was it relief when it was over? What was that [laughter] feeling like? It was definitely relief um that it went well that people were happy. I mean, it is a huge responsibility here in Indie to lead these events because you've had events like the Super Bowl and CFP and Final Fours before you.
So, like you can't screw this up. So, it was just really an incredible feeling. A ton of relief like definitely had to take take some rest after that and maybe a month. Oh my god. Um, but you know, it's funny. Someone actually warned me about this after I did my first final four and he said, "You are going to have a sense of grief because you've worked on this for a long time and then it's done."
And he was absolutely right. Like I Yeah. I like I missed it. I missed the camaraderie like problem solving with everyone like really working towards this huge goal and it was incredible. But you you do miss it. Yeah.
The teamwork, man, that it takes to do something like this. Yeah. You're going to be like, "All right, well, what's next?" Right. Right. Lucky for you, there's like a hundred different things that are next.
Yeah. Lucky for us. Like, all right, snap out of it. We actually have way more things to do. Uh what's something and you can use the swim trials as an example but that people may not realize about what all goes into bringing final four Big 10 championships US Olympic swim trials allstar games from beginning idea pitching to executing that they wouldn't understand that it takes actually like four years to do. Yeah.
So one the bid process is way more complicated than you would expect. you compete against a lot of other cities. Every rights holder is different. Like the NFL has to invite you to bid. So, you know, we're really wanting to go after the draft. They know that.
Um, but we have to work on cultivating that relationship, building their trust, and then they have to invite us to bid. So, everything you've probably seen in the news about us going to drafts, us having meeting with the NFL, meetings with the NFL, all of that is in hopes that we get invited to bid. So, it is it is the long game for some of these events. and then some we get the bid and they're like, "Hey, this is for in a couple years and the bid is due in a month." So, um it's a very complicated process and again very competitive. There's a lot of great cities that are have seen what Indianapolis has done and and they want to do that as well.
So, um I think the second one is they cost money. I I don't think people realize how much money these events cost. Luckily, we fundra to help get that. We get some funding from the state, which is fantastic, but there are other states like Florida or Texas that get hundreds of millions of dollars every year to to host events like this. And they're getting more expensive. So, I think we're nonprofit.
So, I think the other people sometimes don't realize that we don't get any we don't get any money from these events. Like, our job is to bring the event here, fundra for it to to be here, and then all of the money goes to our businesses and it goes back to our economy. So that's why we exist. Um, and then I think I don't think people realize how much planning it takes. And you're you're kind of so we're always the the convenor, the intermediary between like the venues and the rights holder and kind of like making sure everyone is is getting what they need, getting answers they need. So we have new bosses like for every event and they have different expectations.
So you really have to learn how they work, what their style is, what their expectations are, and so you have to do that for every single event. And it's it's going to be different every time. So I think just like those kind of responsibilities and taking that on. And like I said, it's it's different every year. We're not like the Pacers or Colts where, you know, you have a set schedule. You know, you're going to have this amount of games.
Um it's a it's a different event, different sport every year. Yeah. But that keeps it fun. Oh, totally. I love I love that part of it. Yeah.
You get it's not like you're pigeon holed to just football or basketball. I mean, we're talking swimming. And we're not just talking basketball or like conference championship, final four, like national champion is crowned here. Yeah, absolutely. What do you have like a favorite? I know that's actually a really tough question, but they're probably like very fun and exciting and you take a different thing away from each one.
Like I my favorite part about this was this, but I really liked this for the swim trials. Like I don't know. Is that probably not a fair question, but what do you what do you like enjoy? What gets you I know you have a swimming background, so that help. I mean the I absolutely loved working on the swim trials. Um that was just such a great experience obviously with swimming background and something challenging.
I really loved the knowing that there was this challenge of this new kind of new event. Final fours are pretty special. They're pretty special. Yeah. And I think what I love about Final Fours, too, is just how easy it is for people to go to things that are I mean, a lot of it's free. And I think that's a huge part of the event is just and and why we want to do these is we want the community to feel like they can all be involved.
So like the music to have like a Post Malone concert for free. Like my wife and I went crazy. [laughter] It's like 100 ft from our apartment just like I guess this is what we're doing tonight. This is great. They did fantastic. Yeah.
And I think I mean again going back to the trials but trials and WNBA Allstar actually they um really got behind breast cancer awareness and so they were collecting samples of breast tissue with the KMAN center downtown. So I I think like it's the impact that comes around it too. Super Bowl was a huge amount of impact around the near east side which is now where I live. So I get to see that every single day. Swim trials we taught 50,000 Hoosiers how to be swim or water safe. like things like that where it's just like it's it's definitely more than the event and that's really what attracted me to the to the job in general and to working for Sports Corp and it's what makes Indie so special.
So I think those those kind of projects around the event get me excited about the event too. That's a good answer. That's probably something people don't realize as well is that it really is way more and just as a member of the media I can tell you there's the amount of PR emails we get just surrounding these events of like here's this going on and this going on this going on. It's like you want to get to it all. There's so much which is awesome. And the impact on the community and we were talking off air just about the NBA Allstar game and stuff that they did when they came and just really really cool.
That's really really cool stuff. Okay. I do want to talk about within the sports corp uh this 2050 vision. Okay. I remember hearing about this I want to say a couple years ago and Marie Tieran was given an award of some sort and I was there. Um, and I think that's when this was like announced.
I'm almost positive. Was that Cambridge? You are positive. Yep, you were there. So, you were you were clearly there. I was there.
Um, but 2050 vision um to make Indiana the global epicenter of or sport or sport on our women's sports pillar to make Indiana the capital of women's sports. This was fresh off Caitlyn Clark arriving. What perfect capitalizing on this momentum? what is involved in this and how is it going just in the the short term since this was announced? Yeah, so to give it a bit of background, the first sports strategy that was really established for Indianapolis was in the late '7s and it was to make Indianapolis the amateur capital of sports. That was really around three pillars.
Getting major events here, building venues to host those events, and then getting sports organizations to move here. Um, so obviously [clears throat] we're almost 50 years into that that strategy and it has worked incredibly well. Um, but a few years ago, you know, after we got out of CO and really assessing the landscape, we understood we're going to have a lot of competition um, around hosting sporting events. And you've seen it now. I mean, the Atlanta's, Nashville, even Detroit is is built is hosting a lot of events. So, there's so many cities at Vegas.
Um, so many cities out there that are Yeah. that are hosting sporting events. And I still think we we obviously are an incredible city. We have so many things about us that make us a good host city, but what else do we have to do to build that sports brand? What is the evolution of that sports strategy? Because we always have to be thinking about how we evolve.
And so, we did a ton of research around what is the next 25 years of the sports strategy for the entire state, too, cuz now we have venues and teams popping up all over the state. and really a ton of great work happening in all of Indiana. And so the vision that came out was to be the global epicenter of sport. And the five pillars now would be events, organizations. So still getting sports organizations here. Sports tech is a booming global business.
So how do we get sports tech companies to headquarter here? Sports academia. So if you want to work in sport, you should study in Indiana. Yes. And then so building up that that talent pipeline, that workforce development. And then women's sports.
Yeah. women playing sports, access for women and girls to sport, um women's sports performance, and women leading in sport. Wow. So, all of those things can come together to really help elevate us as an epicenter of sport. And so, I think um we've seen a lot of prog when we launched it, as you said, like there were there's already a lot of momentum happening in all these things. [laughter] I mean, it still is, but there at the start, it was rabid.
It was crazy. Yeah. Yeah. So, I think in a good way. in a very good way. Yeah.
So, I think it's funny because we call it the 2050 vision, but it's almost like a lot of these things we want to happen by 2030. And so, I think some of some of it will it's a long game like getting a lot of sports businesses here that doesn't happen overnight, right? Um sports events right now, we're looking at the 2030s of what our schedule will be, but women's sports, I mean, we're having some pretty awesome momentum there pretty quickly. So, um so it's been great and honestly like we put the vision out there just like the first sports strategy. we're going to put this out there and hope that people can see themselves in it and how do I contribute to this collective vision. So, Sports Corp is a nonprofit of 35 people.
We can't lead that vision alone, but we felt the need to put something out there to to figure out how do we evolve and how do we elevate Indianapolis and Indiana. That is so cool. It's such a great part of sport to get behind and met with I assume such a desire to make this happen, right? I mean, to see where the WNBA is now, just as an example, is so so so, so impressive. To see women's college basketball, college softball, all these things, so awesome. And for Indianapolis to be leading that charge and for the Indiana Sports Corp to be a huge part of that is just awesome.
Sports tech businesses, I'm intrigued by this. So, like what? Oh my god, it is I'm I'm new to this. It is all over the place. It could be anything from ticket analytic systems to NIL technology where sponsors are paired with athletes to there's one company we work with where you can put a chip underneath your any kind of watch and it tracks it like an Apple watch. It is all across the board.
So honestly, so we have a company that we help spin off called Sports Tech HQ. Four staff members who are Yes. So completely focused on bringing tech companies here and they're actually in London right now. I think actually at this moment they're hosting a sports tech summit of people from around the globe who are in London right now. Interesting. Um so yeah, they were there because of the Colts obviously.
Okay. So they and they did this the same as uh in the Berlin game last year. They hosted a sports tech summit. Wow. And because they are that is like I said it's a global business. So they are focused on not just going around the country trying to get sports tech companies to headquarter here but they're they're all over the globe.
Yeah. Yeah. That's really cool. Yeah, this this is like [laughter] Indiana Sports Corp. Anything good that happens here is due to the sports. I mean, honestly, they're in everything.
This is insane. It's a collaborative effort. That's okay. Yeah, 100%. [laughter] Um, okay. So, I'm This is not a stretch.
I You've enjoyed your time at the Sports Corp very, very much. Um, I understand you will unfortunately for the entire city and state and world be leaving the Sports Corp. Yeah. Can you tell us a little bit about that because uh that that stinks, but I know there's uh you know there's life outside of uh work. Yes, absolutely. So, I have I I love Cleveland.
Um I've obviously visited a ton going back to see my family and so my husband and I started talking a little bit about when we might move back. And then my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer back in July of 25, literally 2 days before we hosted WNBA Allstar. So, I got that call right before that event. So, I committed to going home to Cleveland once a month. I was very committed to being there to to be with my mom as much as possible. And then we were actually in Pittsburgh for the NFL draft.
Um, checking that out. And I got a call that she was rushed to the hospital. I got in my car, drove right over to Cleveland, and um, she passed away 10 days later, man. So, it definitely puts priorities in focus. And it's very interesting because people will ask me like what's my proudest moment of my career of my life and it used to be swim trials. Yeah.
And it is now that I was able to show up for my mom the way that I was. I was definitely a voice for her. I we had such great conversations. But I will never be more proud as I I was of being able to know what the priority was in front of me and be there for her. So, um, probably I mean just a few months after that really started thinking about, okay, there's a next chapter here for me and what does that look like? And for me, it's I got to prioritize my family.
Most of my family all lives in Cleveland still. My dad's now living by himself. My sister has three kids that are wild, all under six. Oh boy. Um, and I love them so much. So I So yeah, we decided uh this this feels like the next chapter.
And as we've talked about, like I've had I love Indie and I have had such a great career here and it's only growing right now. So for me to make this decision to stop that, leave here, I I think hopefully it gives people the idea of what magnitude that holds for me. So I'm actually very at peace with it. I feel like probably because I'm in my 40s. It would have been harder if I was in my 30s being the decision, but because I'm confident in myself and really what my priorities are at this moment, I feel really good about it. So, I gave Sports Corp 6 months notice.
[laughter] It's necessary, honestly, with what we've been talking about. Well, and I really want to make sure our partners like the NCAA, USA swimming, our partners here locally, and my staff, like they all mean so much to me, and I want to make sure that I leave them in a good spot. So, of course, yeah. So, I probably around April will be moving back and so if anyone wants to hook me up with a job in Cleveland, let me know, [laughter] but no, I'm I'm really excited for the next chapter. Don't really know what it looks like, but um I'm pretty confident and I'll I'll be able to do something great. I no doubt that that's [laughter] going to be the case.
Well, very sorry to hear about your mother. Imagine that was very very difficult. I appreciate Uh, but it says a lot about you that this is what you're doing moving forward. And there's no question you left the sports corp and the city better than you found it. 100%. Thank you, friend.
You'll always be a part of Indiana. Oh, yeah. Welcome back with open arms except when the Browns are here. Yeah, exactly. [laughter] Um, no, but that, you know, that's it's just it does it says a lot about you that, you know, you have so much going at Sports Corp and there's no perfect time to leave. It's probably why the six month notice was necessary.
Yeah, I mean we got the swim trials coming back in 28. Yep. That's only two years I mean less than two years away. So, um I know they'll miss you very very much, but that's and what you said too. I was I was going to ask you what you're most proud of at the Sports Corp. Um and that a place that you love to work for and did a lot of good work with, you know, said go be with your mom, you know, that's pretty cool, too.
Yes, absolutely. Cuz that's what matters. That's what matters here. Um, and Cleveland will be very, very lucky to have you. Thank you. So, thank you.
Uh, I do want to leave you with this because you've been around and I think you would be very well positioned to answer this question. I ask all my guests this question, but what makes sports in Indiana so special? Oh, it's community 100%. Um there's I'm sure a lot of people will say that about their city, but um there is just this sense of pride and community and coming together and it's not just about the games and about the fandom, but like it truly has built things here. Like it really it's built things physically and then just built this community collectively. I just it's so special here and so amazing.
So I think like that's that's what I love about it. It's the community that it's brought together here in Indie. And to be a part of putting on events and bringing events here that you know people will be excited about. That's got to feel good, right? I mean, that just [laughter] that just feels so good. Like to see what the the work Indiana Sports Corp does and then to see it all come to fruition.
And I'm not kidding. Like, you know, I every event I cover here is just wellrun. It's wellrun. The media's in a good spot. You know, they get hairy, those media types. All right.
[laughter] You got to make sure everything's in order. Okay. And uh but seriously, and then the event itself, it just goes off of that hitch. I mean, every single time without fail. So, um we got Big 10 Championships still coming. I mean, certainly more Final Fours will be coming.
Yeah, we got NBA Cup is in at HL, which is so wild. That is crazy to think of like LeBron James playing at HLE or something, right? You know, like that's just insane. And then Big 10 volleyball tournament which sold out in 5 hours. Big volleyball. We got to get more on the like let's get a volleyball game at Lucas Oil or something.
Oh my god. Well, yeah. Okay. Maybe maybe it is coming. Maybe I just broke news without knowing it. [laughter] Uh wait, is the I do want people to have something to hang on to.
Like is the draft of Is that real? I mean you you have to be invited. I understand that. But it feels like the the olive branch is there that that's a real They are very open to it. A lot of people ask me is are we out because we host the combine? We have been told no.
Um that's that's not that would not put us out of the running. Um we've obviously developed a relationship with flag football championships that that was very intentional. We we want to build our relationship with the NFL. So um no, they're they're excited about it. I the Colts have been amazing in that journey, too. is so supportive and in figuring out what that vision can be for a draft.
But what I love about a draft is that I mean what's so funny is I want it so bad and it's not even a sports competition. Like [laughter] it literally announces games. Um but the it would be really great for Indie. Like the the amount of visitors and the energy if you've ever been to NFL draft, everyone is just so excited to be there. It's it's really really fun. So I think it would be great.
But yes, those conversations are ongoing. any any event you're thinking of, Sarah's talking to someone [laughter] about it and it's probably going to come to Indianapolis at some point. I mean, Super Bowl, that's that's going to be tough. It's going to be tough. The shiny new stadiums make it probably very tough. They do.
But I will say like if we I know that there are talks around like what I mean obviously Lucas Oil is going to need renovations at some point, right? Um you know, what does that look like? So I I wouldn't put us out of the running completely for sure. I mean, yes, they'll go over after those shiny stadiums, but I don't I I could see it sometime in the future. Yeah, it's got to. Yeah, it it like I said, I've been to a lot of places.
Lucas Oil aging just fine. This is what I wanted to say. Did you the combine every year? Was that the inception of that? And I I mean, it's been years. Oh my god, it's been years.
Yeah. That was that not a sports corp venture or was it to initially and then it just it's just every single year? So, it was initially um I believe Visit Indie actually worked on it because it really didn't have a fan component. It was just they were coming in, they were hosting the event, they needed hotel rooms, they needed stadium and convention center space and that was it. And then I think I believe it was 2021 or 22 they came to us and said, "Hey, we actually want this to be a fan-facing event." So now they have like people come, they watch, they do a you know bit of an outdoor experience.
So So yeah, so that's evolved. But the the NFL, I will say like the coaches, the you know, front office of front offices of the the teams, they love it here. I was just going to say they really they will riot. They will like they will not be happy. No, no, they it is perfectly located. Yeah.
Like we're talking center of the United States. Everybody loves it. It's it's run well. There's no BS. It's like, and these coaches and they don't care about, oh well, we got to spread it around the country. No, this is easy.
This is I'm here for a job to evaluate these players. This is easy, right? You just stay elos and everything's fine. [laughter] Like, right. Yes, you're so right. Yes.
Exactly. Like they have their routine. They do. They do. Absolutely. And it's just everyone will be upset.
I think the NFL needs to hear that. And then bring the draft here and the Super Bowl here and everything here. Just [laughter] base the NFL headquarters here. Sarah, this has been awesome. Seriously, great getting to know you and everything that you've done. It's really awesome and we wish you nothing but the very best.
We still get six months of it. Yeah, exactly. So, you're not going anywhere quite yet, but uh certainly will be missed and appreciate all you've done for Indianapolis and the state of Indiana and Sports Corp. It's just awesome. It's really, really cool stuff. [music] So, thank you.
We'll clip this up. It's going to be awesome. They're going to put up a ton of this on social media, but uh that's Sarah Meyer of Indiana Sports Corp. This is Get In Sports. Be sure [music] to follow at Domant TV, get in sports. We have many more conversations like this.
Basketball's almost here, which is insane. So, we'll we'll keep it rolling here on Get In Sports. Thanks so much for listening.