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Indianapolis Star
15-07-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
'It's been organic': Indy shoots for summer economy bump with WNBA All-Star Game
Streets downtown have been ceremoniously renamed after WNBA teams. Hotels are nearly sold out. Caitlin Clark's shooting form adorns the sky-blue JW Marriott hotel. It's a sign: The WNBA All-Star Game is coming to town — for the first time ever — and Indianapolis leaders, restaurant owners and residents are prepping for what they hope will be a healthy infusion to the local summer economy. On July 18 and 19, all eyes in the sports world will focus on Indianapolis, the city that has arguably catapulted professional women's basketball into the national spotlight and brought a fervor to the sport not seen before in the league's nearly 30-year history. Though the city predicts 70,000 visitors next weekend, the possible economic impact remains a mystery, as no known formal academic studies have analyzed the economic impact of the annual women's All-Star Game, Pacers Sports and Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said. Economic impact, a somewhat vague term used to discuss how certain events drive the economy, looks at direct spending from visiting fans and businesses; indirect revenue, or additional spending in Indianapolis; and the value of viewership, earned media and social media traffic. With such marquee sports events, the host committee typically also sets aside money to invest in local neighborhoods, which can boost the quality of life in Indianapolis. Studies say the NBA All-Star Game brings in hundreds of millions of dollars to host cities. In 2024, Indianapolis saw a $400 million boost to the economy while hosting the festivities, according to experts at Temple University's Sports Industry Research Center. That was the largest economic impact of an NBA All-Star Game recorded to date, even though a winter snowstorm hit the Circle City for most of the weekend. Pacers Sports and Entertainment contracted the same researchers behind the 2024 study to assess how the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will impact Indianapolis, Raines said. Raines predicts the upcoming All-Star weekend will be bigger than ever before, as Indianapolis flexes its well-oiled tourism muscles and fans rally around women's basketball players like the Fever's Caitlin Clark, captain of one of the All-Star teams, and Aliyah Boston, both of whom have become household names. A 2024 analysis placed Clark's economic value at more than $36 million less than a year after the Fever drafted her. "We often help the host realize how big the event is when Indianapolis hosts events," said Raines, who also leads the weekend's host committee. "It's been organic to get the fans to lean in, and we know there will be some fans coming downtown rooting for Team Clark." Indianapolis landed the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game less than a year ago after scheduling issues with other franchise cities. Indy, just off a successful stint hosting the NBA All-Star Game, seemed like a natural fit. "If we hadn't just hosted the NBA All-Star Game, I might have been a little skeptical," Raines said of the last-minute call-up. At the time, the Fever were regularly selling out home games, with Indianapolis still reaping the rewards of Clark's rise to stardom. Just last week, fans lined the blocks outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a Wednesday noon game, an unseen sight until last year. The WNBA All-Star Weekend will have fewer ticketed attractions and a shorter event window than its NBA counterpart, meaning more people will be roaming the city in the span of two days. Downtown bars and restaurants are especially happy about the bump in attendance and foot traffic. The WNBA attracts a high number of families attending games with young daughters. Bryan Hillard, operations manager at The District Tap, said the bar sees women's basketball fans come in a few hours before tip-off for a whole meal compared to NBA fans who stop in for a quick beer right before games. WNBA fans often come in Iowa gear, a tribute to Clark's college days. This week, the bar is offering themed cocktails with nods to Indiana, the Fever and Clark. July is normally a slow month for District Tap, and Hillard predicts the All-Star Game could double the restaurant's sales this Saturday. "We are incredibly excited. I feel like the city in some ways has gotten lucky, but a lot of it has been a great job by the city to get a lot of great attractions," Hillard said. "As a whole with inflation and with a fear of tariffs and other things in the economy, I hear that industry sales are down all over the place, but I feel like we are not seeing that here," he added. On July 10, the 90-degree weather did not stop dozens of kids from playing basketball on a new court unveiled at Al Polin Park at the corner of 29th and Pennsylvania Streets. The court was part of a $1 million investment from the WNBA host committee to uplift communities in the lead up to the 2025 All-Star Game. The Legacy Court initiative included money for new asphalt, custom art, goals, hoops and backboards. With its bright blue color and signature WNBA branding, the court is hard to miss. Indianapolis artist Kierra Ready said she designed the court with fun and girly designs in mind to encourage young girls in the neighborhood to play the sport. "My style is very feminine, and it definitely connects and speaks to girls," Ready said. "I wanted girls to see the court and say 'Hey, I can play, too.'"
Indianapolis Star
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
'We will make the city proud.' How Indianapolis landed 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
INDIANAPOLIS – For the next few weeks, walking out of the Indianapolis International Airport after a flight will seem like walking straight into a basketball arena. Coming out of one of the two exits, travelers are greeted with a burnt orange walkway adorned with the WNBA All-Star logo. Those walkways, flanked by a McDonald's, Chick-fil-a and Starbucks, lead directly to a full-size basketball court in the middle of the airport's main lobby, complete with hoops and shot clocks that read 20:25. On an open walkway above the court, a banner, in the burnt orange and blue colors of the All-Star Game, read 'INDY' with the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game logo. Heading down the escalator to baggage claim, there's a larger-than-life graphic of Fever stars Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark waiting on the bottom floor. 'These graphics aren't just a symbol of the game,' Fever legend Tamika Catchings, who is on the All-Star host committee, said in an unveiling of the court June 26. 'It's a statement about visibility, equity and how far we've come. It's absolutely amazing. Our airport plays such an important role in shaping first impressions. For many visitors, this court will be their first taste of the WNBA All-Star experience.' It's an immersive experience. Not just for the fans coming to Indianapolis for All-Star weekend July 18-19, but also for the casual travelers, those who live and visit the city. Those who may not have known the game's biggest stars will soon descend on Indianapolis for the WNBA's summer showcase for the first time in history. Well, 'now you know,' the graphic at the bottom of the escalator reads. It's the Fever's tagline for the 2025 season, bringing notice to the meteoric rise Indiana has had with two straight No. 1 picks and their first playoff berth in eight years. Now you know, too, that Indianapolis is setting out to host the most mesmeric WNBA All-Star Game the league has seen. 'I told (Pacers and Fever owner) Herb (Simon) a couple of times, and then Steve Simon, if we don't jump on this opportunity, you should fire me,' Pacers Sports and Entertainment president Mel Raines told IndyStar. 'This is a pretty easy answer. We should do this. We will do it well. We will make you proud. We will make the city proud.' Indiana wasn't the WNBA's first choice for 2025 All-Star weekend. The league reached out to Raines in June 2024, asking if she thought Indianapolis could host the league's biggest weekend that was just 13 months away. 'Where they were planning wasn't able to accommodate them,' Raines said. 'So they wanted to know, after obviously having had such a great NBA All-Star Weekend and with everything going on last summer, if we would be interested.' Raines started by checking in with different vendors around the city. Was Gainbridge Fieldhouse available? Was the Indiana Convention Center available? Did they have enough hotel rooms within city limits? Most importantly, was everybody, including Pacers Sports and Entertainment, their partners, and the city itself, ready to take this on in such a short time frame? All of those answers came back a resounding yes. Then, Raines and other PS&E employees went to Phoenix that July for the 2024 All-Star game. They took in the WNBA Live setup at the convention center, the different activations around the city, and how Footprint Center was set up for the Skills Challenge and 3-point contest on Friday, as well as the All-Star Game on Saturday. They came back inspired. So, they finalized the deal with the WNBA shortly after Phoenix's All-Star weekend, and Indianapolis was announced as the 2025 later that month. 'It's a great opportunity for us to showcase our franchise, our city,' Raines said. 'Throughout the entire WNBA, we haven't had a chance to do that. Can't imagine a better time now that construction is finished, the plaza is built. It's the perfect time. Conversations were quick, and it was not a difficult decision.' Raines thought one big thing was missing from the WNBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix in July 2024: outdoor activities. That wasn't Phoenix's fault, of course. The desert can get up to 115 degrees in the summer, and it was well over 100 degrees during All-Star weekend. There wasn't much opportunity for Phoenix to safely have any outdoor activations, in order to keep their players and fans safe. But Indianapolis' mid-80s average in the summer is perfect for outdoor activations. And she came back from Phoenix full of ideas. 'The little that I could walk around outside or Uber, all I could think of is in Indy, this would be an activation,' Raines said. 'We could have somebody, we would have a DJ on this corner, we would be celebrating outside in a way that they just, because of the weather, would not be able to do. So we came back with a lot of ideas and excitement.' This is the second time in two years Indianapolis will host an All-Star weekend. The city hosted NBA All-Star weekend in February 2024, months before Fever star Caitlin Clark was drafted. The WNBA had an activation at NBA Crossover that weekend, simulating a draft day experience for fans. During that weekend, WNBA executives also got a taste of what could make Indianapolis a great host city for these types of events. At the time, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said bringing the WNBA All-Star game to Indianapolis was a 'possibility.' Now, it's become a reality. 'Indy is a great city for an All-Star Game,' WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison told IndyStar. 'In my experience going to NBA All-Star, everything is super walkable, the people are super engaged and super excited about basketball. The city was so welcoming, and there's just so many different aspects to take advantage of. The fans show up and they show out, and it's even stronger now with the trajectory that the Fever is on.' It's something Catchings, who has stayed involved with the Pacers and Fever after an illustrious 16-year playing career, has been waiting for her entire life. Catchings asked Fever leadership throughout her career if Indianapolis could host an All-Star Game, but nothing ever materialized. Now, nearly 10 years after her retirement, the 10-time All-Star is finally getting the weekend in her city. She's a big part of planning it, too, as a co-chair on the executive committee. 'I remember years back, probably midway through my career, I was asking (then-Fever GM) Kelly Krauskopf, 'What would it take for us to host the All-Star Game here in Indiana?'' Catchings told IndyStar. 'And the president said, 'Now is not the time for us to even think about having the All-Star game, with all of the work that goes behind it.' But now here we are.' The Fever are one of the most popular teams in the league, especially with the addition of Clark in 2024. The Fever drafting Clark brought a lot of enthusiasm to the city, as the Fever jumped from an average of 4,000 fans per game in 2023 to 17,000 in 2024. Indianapolis has rallied behind Clark and the Fever in the past two years, injecting life into Gainbridge Fieldhouse and watching games at unprecedented levels. The WNBA is at a flashpoint, with the league being as popular as it's ever been in its 29-year history. And the WNBA wants to meet their fans at the moment. 'We are anticipating coming into a very high energy environment, and we are going to meet the fans exactly where they are,' Edison said. 'So whether it's our merch offering, our in-game experience, our partner activation, we need to level up, because that's what the fans have showed us that they want. They are bringing the excitement and energy.' The league will continue its presentation of WNBA Live, which is an interactive event held at the Indiana Convention Center throughout the weekend. Sponsors like AT&T, Wilson, and Unrivaled will have interactive booths for fans to play games and win prizes, and there will be stands with jerseys and other merchandise throughout the convention center. WNBA Live is also the hub for player appearances throughout the weekend, as players work with brands to hold meet-and-greets and Q-&-As. The event, started in 2021, has grown each year the league has put it on. And Edison doesn't anticipate that changing in the newest edition in Indianapolis. 'Literally, we have seen our partners show up bigger and better than ever before,' Edison said. 'I think we had like, half a dozen sponsors in the first year, and we're expecting over 25 this year. So, that's one way where we're seeing a huge increase. The other is just the amount of fans. I think now there's this expectation, and fans know it's something that they can't miss. It's a moment that they have to be a part of.' PS&E is forging its own path, too, building on Raines' idea of having outdoor events to supplement the All-Star experience. For the first time in All-Star weekend history, the host team is putting on a festival the day of the game. Raines learned from the NBA All-Star weekend in developing this festival, in hopes of giving fans more ticketed opportunities throughout the weekend. 'The NBA also had about 190,000 ticketed opportunities, and this one has about (40,000),' Raines said. 'And we wanted to expand the capacity for people to be a part of the weekend, in addition to what we're setting up downtown, that will be free and open to anybody who wants to come downtown… the general thought was, what else could we do so that people can feel part of the weekend if they're not able to get into Gainbridge Fieldhouse?' Fever Fest, headlined by The Kid LAROI, will be at the White River State Park Amphitheater on July 19. It will also have performances from Cedric the Entertainer, Aida Rodriguez and G-Eazy, with tickets starting at $25. Performances will run from 5-8:30 p.m., leading right up to the All-Star Game tipoff. It will then turn into a watch party for the game, which is happening less than a mile down the road. Fever Fest is just one example of how PS&E is trying to redefine the WNBA All-Star weekend. They want it to be as immersive as possible, taking over the fieldhouse, the convention center, and all of downtown. It's a celebration of the best in the league, and they want to meet the moment. 'I'm glad that I still get to be a part of it,' Catchings said. 'Even though I'm not going to be playing, to be a part of it, to be able to showcase the best women basketball players in the world and Indianapolis.' Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@ or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67.
USA Today
26-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Mom of YouTuber Mikayla Raines remembers her daughter's relentless fight to save animals
"She made such an impact, even though she struggled so much," Sandi Raines, Mikayla's mother, told USA TODAY. This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at Sandi Raines says her daughter was driven by an unrelenting passion to care for animals, inspiring millions of internet users along the way. "All her mind ever said was, 'I got to find places for these animals,'" she said of her late daughter, Mikayla Raines, known to the internet as the face of Save a Fox Rescue and for her fox friend, Finnegan. Raines died by suicide on Friday, June 20, her mother said. The 30-year-old fox rescuer based in southeast Minnesota died by suicide as a result of mental illness and harassment she faced from other animal rescuers online, her husband Ethan Frankamp said in a video shared with more than 2.4 million subscribers on Raines' YouTube channel Monday, June 23. For the majority of her life, Raines dealt with autism, depression and borderline personality disorder, Frankamp said in his video. Raines often found herself in dark moments of elongated sadness she couldn't understand, Sandi said. "She made such an impact, even though she struggled so much," Sandi told USA TODAY through choked up tears on Wednesday. In 2017, Raines established her nonprofit, Save a Fox Rescue, located in Rice County, Minnesota. With the intention of saving foxes from the fur trade industry, the rescue had saved "thousands" foxes since opening, Sandi said. In 2020, Raines and her team opened a second Save a Fox location in Lake County, Florida. Before her death, Raines had been working with a fur farmer to rehab and rehome about 500 foxes, Sandi said. In 2024, Raines spent about $1 million moving 400 foxes from the farm and getting them the proper care they needed. About 100 foxes remained in need of care at the time of her death, Sandi said. "It had really been wearing on her," Sandi said. "She would sit here and she'd go, 'Mom, I feel like I've failed. I only found homes for 400 of these foxes,' and I'm like, 'Mikayla, do you understand that people that are even in good health ... to be able to do what you have done in 16 months? Do not beat yourself up. We'll get this done.' But it was so wearing on her and every time she loses any animal it was just so hard on her." Raines didn't stray away from discussing the weight of operating the rescue. In a social media video posted in December 2024, Raines told followers she "didn't think I can handle it," after the death of one of the rescue's beloved foxes, Felix. "When I was younger and a fox would pass away, obviously I would take it really hard, but I would bounce back, but I think just like all the trauma of loss over the years, like I'm just not bouncing back anymore," Raines said through tears in the video. "I don't feel passion or happiness or drive to keep going. I just feel a lot of pain." A celebration of life will be held for Raines on July 12 at Save a Fox, where her ashes will also be scattered, Sandi told USA TODAY. An everlasting love for animals Mikayla was introduced to wild animals through Sandi, who was a licensed wildlife rehabber throughout Mikayla's childhood. Sandi said Mikayla had an "unbelievable" relationship with animals, able to "walk up to a wild deer and talk to it." Sandi, who is now 76, said it was a surprise when she gave birth to Mikayla at age 46. She said she found herself turning to God, questioning why she gave birth at an older age. But her daughter's passion for animals made it all make sense. "And I would think, 'I know why you're here now,'" Sandi told USA TODAY. When Mikayla was about 16, she and her mother took in a baby wild fox. Naming the critter Finnegan, the fox has been prominent throughout Mikayla's social media content. Sandi said Mikayla even taught Finnegan how to use a dog pee pad inside. "She'd get off the school bus and the fox (Finnegan) would run out of the woods and see her off the bus," Sandi said through tears. Fans, animal rescue community mourn loss, start petition In the days since Frankamp's video went live, countless fans of Raines' and other animal rescues throughout the country have shared their condolences online. In addition to messages of support, thousands of users have signed an online petition to shut down internet communities created for the purpose of bashing public figures and in many cases, female influencers. As of June 26, more than 15,700 people had signed the petition, asking Reddit to provide stricter policies around hateful content. "Reddit condemns hate, harassment, and bullying, and explicitly prohibits this behavior in our sitewide rules," a Reddit spokesperson told USA TODAY. "Our dedicated internal safety teams enforce these rules, including banning users and subreddits, using a combination of automated tooling and human review." Leaving behind a loving husband, young daughter Outside of her beloved animals, Raines' immediate circle included Frankamp, who she had been married to since December 2020, Sandi said, and her 3-year-old daughter Freya. Sandi said Raines and Frankamp met at the rescue – he was a volunteer − and also got married there. "I thank God so much when he came into her life because he took over where I left off," Sandi said. "His love and concern for her was like my love and concern for her." "He loved her so much," she said. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
NDTV
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
YouTube Star Mikayla Raines Dies By Suicide At 29, Husband Blames Online Bullying
Animal rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines died by suicide earlier this month, her husband, Ethan Raines, said on Monday in an emotional Instagram video. According to the post, the 29-year-old YouTuber took her own life after she allegedly faced bullying from people whom she considered "close friends". Mr Raines said that for years, his wife suffered from various mental health issues and struggled to cope with online criticism. "She couldn't bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life," he said in the video, adding that her death is "the biggest loss of my life." "We have suffered a loss that is unimaginable," Mr Raines wrote in the caption of the video. "Mikayla was truly the most amazing and inspiring individual I have ever known, and not having her here makes everything feel empty. I feel broken." "But I will continue her dream, and I hope to have your support going forward so that we can do good in her name," he added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mikayla Raines (@saveafox_rescue) In the video, Mr Raines said that his wife, who founded her Minnesota-based non-profit in 2017 when she was just 20 years old, was "one of the most selfless people I have ever known". But due to her work with animals, she faced several challenges in her private life. "As many of you know she was on the autism spectrum and while that made her life very difficult, it allowed her to hyperfocus on one thing, and that one thing was obviously animals," Mr Raines said in the video. He noted that the wildlife activist was "so sensitive to everything", which was "a double-edged sword". "On one hand, it allowed her endless empathy for those in her care. But it also means that she took everything negative to heart," he continued. Further, Mr Raines said that in recent years, his wife and her animal rescue non-profit had allegedly been the focus of an "online bullying campaign" from people she knew, including those who worked at "other animal sanctuaries". He said this "hurt her a lot", and while she initially "pushed through," things got worse in recent months when people "she considered her close friends" started joining in. "It breaks my heart that is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her," Mr Raines said. "Those of you that pushed her to this, every one of you that had been responsible for making her feel this way, I wish you had to feel what she felt. I wish you had to feel what I feel," he added. Mr Raines concluded the video, noting that if anyone felt "lost and hopeless," they should reach out to someone. He also said that people should continue to "look out" for their loved ones, "look for the signs" and "do something or say something before it's too late". He also said he intends to continue his wife's work to save foxes. Notably, Mikayla Raines created a nonprofit animal rescue organisation, SaveAFox Rescue, in 2017, when she was 20 years old. The organisation is dedicated to rescuing foxes from fur farms and providing them with "forever homes". According to its website, the NGO has saved more than 150 foxes.
New York Post
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
YouTube star, animal activist Mikayla Raines dies by suicide after extreme online bullying, her husband claims
A beloved YouTube star and passionate animal rights activist died by suicide after enduring relentless online bullying, her heartbroken husband revealed. Mikayla Raines, a popular content creator and founder of the Save A Fox rescue center, was the victim of an 'online bullying campaign' from people she knew and those who worked at 'other animal sanctuaries' over the years, her husband Ethan Frankamp said in a heartbreaking YouTube video Monday. The 29-year-old was also a mom to a baby daughter. Advertisement 4 Mikayla Raines died by suicide at 29, according to her husband Ethan Frankamp. @saveafox_rescue/Instagram 'To those of you that pushed her to this, every one of you that had been responsible for making her feel this way, I wish — I wish you had to see me find her, and I wish you had to watch me perform CPR on her for 15 minutes until the first responders arrived,' Frankamp said. 'I wish you had to watch helplessly as paramedics attempted to revive her lifeless body.' Advertisement Recently, Raines' close friends began to criticize her, according to Frankamp. He claimed the criticism caused her mental health to take a tragic turn for the worse. 'She felt as if the entire world had turned against her,' he shared. 'She has always battled with borderline personality disorder, causing emotional instability as well as impulsive behaviors, but this time it went too far. She couldn't bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life.' Frankamp added that his wife also had autism and struggled with depression. He ended the tearful video by telling critics spreading 'garbage' rumors to 'shut up' — and urged people feeling 'lost and hopeless' to reach out to a loved one or call a hotline for help. Advertisement 4 Frankamp announced his wife's death on social media Monday. @saveafox_rescue/Instagram 4 Frankamp claimed he performed CPR on Raines for 15 minutes until paramedics arrived. @saveafox_rescue/Instagram 'Despite this being the biggest loss of my life and feeling like I have a literal hole in my chest, I will not let Mikayla's light be extinguished and I won't let negativity win,' he added. The Minnesota mother's death announcement came one day after her husband posted a sweet video of Raines smiling after she rescued a lemur that didn't appear to be house-trained. Advertisement The Save A Fox YouTube channel boasts 2.45 million subscribers. 4 Raines founded the Save A Fox rescue and ran a popular YouTube page. @saveafox_rescue/Instagram 'She was never in it for fame, money or personal gain,' Frankamp said. 'She was truly one of the most selfless people I have ever known. She put the animal's well-being over her own time and time again.' Frankamp said he 'will do whatever I can' to continue the Save A Fox rescue center. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to
