Latest news with #MelRaines
Axios
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Indy readies for dual WNBA All-Star, Indiana Black Expo celebration
Regardless of the forecast, mid-July is poised to be the hottest stretch of summer in Indianapolis. Why it matters: Indiana Black Expo's Summer Celebration and WNBA All-Star 2025 sharing calendar and venue space means the city will need to accommodate two marquee events and countless community-focused initiatives all at once. What they're saying: Mel Raines, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, said the first call she made after being contacted by the league about All-Star hosting duties was IBE president and CEO Alice Watson. "We wanted to be sure that that was something that Alice and the organization thought would be complementary to what they were doing, and that we could sort of coexist in downtown together. And she quickly got back to me and said, 'I think this is a great opportunity and I think we could work together in a really cool way.' And so we've been off to the races since then," Raines said. "This is really the most exciting time not only for Indiana Black Expo or PS&E, but for the city of Indianapolis," Watson said. "None of us will be sleeping. We'll just keep going and going and going." Catch up quick: Summer Celebration starts July 11 with the Ecumenical Service at New Direction Church and ends July 20 with the IBE's Gospel Explosion at the Indiana Convention Center. All proceeds generated by the event support IBE's year-round initiatives related to education, business development, community learning, performing arts, college scholarships and more. WNBA All-Star tips off July 18, featuring the inaugural Fever Fest concert at White River State Park and culminating in the sold-out game the next day. A skills challenge and three-point shootout are among the on-court highlights, while off-court action includes the return of "Indy's Home Court," a downtown takeover of arts and culture events first seen during last year's NBA All-Star game. State of play: Four Indiana nonprofits have received $1 million in grants to create a lasting legacy around the All-Star event. Here's what they're working on. Fletcher Place Community Center: Enhancements to early learning facilities and community spaces. The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis: Renovation of the basketball court at Al E. Polin Park. Marion County Commission on Youth: Facility renovations and the launch of a student ambassador program for 25 female high school students. Marvella Foundation: Development of a "Championship Arena" at its Fair Oaks Farms campus in Newton County. Zoom in: Other community engagement plans include an effort to help women entrepreneurs obtain women-owned business enterprise certification and free Zumba sessions held across Indy in partnership with Centers of Wellness for Urban Women. Meanwhile, donors and volunteers are still needed for All-Star Cure on July 12-13. The event is a partnership between the host committee and the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank that invites up to 500 women to donate healthy breast tissue in support of cancer research. What's next: More announcements, including celebrity guests to be added to Summer Celebration's guest list for the education conference on July 17, and the Style Zone July 18-20.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Dave Portnoy needles Fever for response to WNBA ending probe into alleged racist remarks
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was at the Indiana Fever's first game of the WNBA season earlier this month against the Chicago Sky, which came under scrutiny. The WNBA launched an investigation into reports of hateful comments made toward the Sky. The Associated Press reported that the league was specifically investigating racial remarks toward Angel Reese. Nearly two weeks after the incident took place, the WNBA said Tuesday that the league could not substantiate the claims made against fans in attendance at the game despite the uproar the investigation caused on social media. Portnoy needled the Fever's response to the WNBA's conclusion. "It's OK to have a spine Indiana Fever," he wrote. "The 'investigation' was bulls---. Both you and WNBA gave (credibility) to a very obvious troll. ESPN ran with it. Caitlin Clark had to defend her fans for no reason. You made something outta nothing. Indiana Fever fans deserve better." Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines released a statement on the conclusion of the league's investigation. "We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated," Raines said. "At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world's greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball." Portnoy also reacted to the WNBA's statement. "No s--- you f---ing morons," he wrote. "Maybe wait next time before creating a racial war based on angry tik toks from Chicago Sky/Angel trolls who weren't even at the game. Honestly one of the worst mismanagements of Pr I've ever seen." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Caitlin Clark speaks out on WNBA's probe into alleged 'hateful comments' toward Angel Reese
Caitlin Clark addressed the WNBA's investigation into alleged "hateful comments" toward Angel Reese during a shootaround on Monday as the Indiana Fever prepare for the Atlanta Dream. The WNBA launched its investigation on Sunday as the league condemned "racism, hate and discrimination in all forms." There were no specifics detailed about the alleged incident. "There's no place for that in our game," Clark told reporters, via the Indy Star. "There's no place for that in society. Certainly we want every person that comes into our arena, whether player, whether fan, to have a great experience. "I appreciate the league doing that. The Fever organization has been at the forefront of that since, really, day one, what they're doing. Hopefully the investigation — we'll leave that up to them to find anything and take the proper action if so." Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines issued a statement on the matter. "We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday's game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation," Raines said. "We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players." The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement, calling "such behavior unacceptable." "The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday's game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA's current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport. "Under the WNBA's 'No Space for Hate' policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all." The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct. "As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said. A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion." "Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
WNBA investigates 'hateful comments' reportedly directed toward Angel Reese during Sky-Fever game
The WNBA on Sunday said it launched an investigation into reports of "hateful comments" that took place during the Indiana Fever's blowout win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday. The comments were reportedly directed at Angel Reese by fans during the game. The league didn't get into specifics of what allegedly occurred during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. "The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter," the league said in a statement. The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement. "The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday's game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA's current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport. "Under the WNBA's 'No Space for Hate' policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all." Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines issued a statement on the matter. "We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday's game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation," Raines said. "We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players." The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct. "As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said. A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion." "Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events." The Fever-Sky game featured a heated moment between Fever star Caitlin Clark and Reese in the third quarter. Clark fouled Reese hard, sparking an outburst from the Sky forward, but cooler heads prevailed. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Indianapolis Star
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
2011 Indiana Miss Basketball among Indiana Fever broadcasters for 2025 WNBA season
The 2025 Indiana Fever season is nearly here. Indiana starts with a preseason matchup against the Washington Mystics on May 3. A day later, the Fever will take on the Brazil National Team in Iowa. On May 2, the Fever announced its TV and radio broadcast teams for the upcoming WNBA season. This season, the Fan will be the Fever's official radio broadcast partner, according to a release. 'We're thrilled to bring the Indiana Fever to the airwaves on The Fan, which has a strong reputation for their top-tier sports coverage and commentary,' PS&E CEO Mel Raines said. 'This partnership is an exciting way for us to make Fever basketball more accessible and grow our fanbase across Indiana and beyond.' The radio broadcast team will be made up of John Nolan and Bria Goss. Goss is an Indianapolis native and was the 2011 Miss Basketball winner for Ben Davis.
