Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Soccer Fans Hit the Road With One Goal in Mind

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2023

Indianapolis Soccer Fans Hit the Road With One Goal in Mind

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — While most of the soccer-watching world focuses on the Southern Hemisphere and the Women’s World Cup, an Indiana-based band of fans is looking -and driving- in the other direction.

Dubbed “INDIANAPOLIS 09”, the group is a patchwork of people from all kinds of backgrounds, drawn together by a love of the German soccer side Borussia Dortmund.

The club meets each matchday at Union Jack, to cheer Dortmund (or BVB, a nickname that is a nod to the team’s roots) – through both victories and, it seems, inevitable defeats: BVB had a hand on last season’s Bundesliga trophy but lost it with a final-day stumble. Instead, the team’s longtime nemesis, Bayern Munich won… again. The powerhouse squad has taken the last 11 straight Bundesliga titles.

The only ‘rules’ for the Indianapolis Dortmund fan club center on the dress code: wear black and yellow, because the team’s colors are a foundational element of its identity. A towering fan terrace in the home stadium is known throughout world soccer as the Yellow Wall – or Gelbe Wand.
Fan club organizer Bastien Himmeroeder sees deep symbolism in it. “In the yellow wall, all people come together, men and women, elderly and kids, rich and poor, to cheer on the team,” he explains. “And Indianapolis and Dortmund have a similar culture and composition and people can connect to it.”

This week, Indianapolis takes its own Gelbe Wand up I-65 to Soldier Field in Chicago Wednesday night (8/2). There, INDIANAPOLIS 09 will cheer on BVB against Premier League side Chelsea, as part of an offseason American tour that both teams frequently participate in. The pictures accompanying this article show the turnout as Dortmund played at Notre Dame in South Bend in 2019. Chelsea played at Lucas Oil Stadium a decade ago.

(Full disclosure: Apologies to Chelsea fans – this writer is a proud supporter of Borussia Dortmund. HEJA BVB!)

Expect to see more blue than yellow in the game in Chicago. Chelsea is a very well-supported club in the United States, and Indianapolis has at least one local fan club, Indy Blues FC.

Tickets are still available – including spots that promise to be the loudest: the North End of Soldier Field will serve as the Gelbe Wand. The South End will be the ‘Shed End’ – in a nod to the loudest part of Chelsea’s home stadium.

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Indianapolis, IN

Indiana Grown: 8th Day Distillery

Published

7 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each and every Saturday, WISH-TV highlights a local company together with our partners at Indiana Grown.

This week, Jaime and Matt Lamping with 8th Day Distillery in Indianapolis joined News 8 at Daybreak.

The Lampings share with News 8 what started their passion for the distillery, and elaborate on how Indiana’s state laws at the time impacted their plans.

They also share more about their Bottle Shop & Cocktail Bar, which recently celebrated its sixth anniversary. They discuss their various workshops and show off new releases ready to hit your shelves this year.

Watch the full interview above to learn more.

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Indianapolis, IN

Report: Pirates Promote Top Pitching Prospect to Indianapolis

Published

14 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

Report: Pirates Promote Top Pitching Prospect to Indianapolis

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly promoting one of their top pitching prospects in their minor league system, getting him closer to the MLB.

Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reported that the Pirates will promote right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler from Double-A Altoona Curve to Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.

Sources: Top Pirates prospect Bubba Chandler is being promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Chandler tossed seven innings of one run ball tonight for Altoona. He has pitched to a 2.61 ERA with 10.6 K/9 since the start of June.
Chandler is ranked as @MLBPipeline‘s No. 49 prospect.
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— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) August 3, 2024

Chandler played for North Oconee High School in Bogart, Ga., 60 miles east of Atlanta. He starred in multiple sports, including basketball, golf, football and baseball. He originally committed to Georgia to play baseball, but then decommitted and committed to Clemson to play both football and baseball.

He had a fantastic senior season for North Oconee, going 8-1 with just a 1.25 ERA, plus 96 strikeouts in 44.2 innings pitched, while hitting .411 with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 35 RBI.

The Pirates would select Chandler with the No, 72 overall pick in the Third Round of the 2021 MLB Draft and signed him for $3 millon signing bonus, an over slot signing.

He pitched and also played shortstop for the Rookie-Level Florida Complex Pirates in 2021 and 2022 and then earned promotion to the Bradenton Marauders in the Single-A Florida State League.

Chandler chose to focus on pitching heading into the 2023 season, which would show his best talents. He started 24 games for the Greensboro Grasshoppers in High-A, with a 9-4 record, 4.75 ERA in 106.0 innings pitched, making 120 strikeouts to 51 walks and holding hitters to a .265 batting average.

He made it up to Altoona for just one game in 2023, allowing just one hit in five innings of work and getting the win.

Chandler has played all of 2024 in Double-A, starting 16 of 19 games, a 6-7 record, one save, one shutout. He also had a 3.70 ERA in 80.1 innings pitched, allowing 55 hits, 33 earned runs and 26 walks, while making 94 strikeouts and holding hitters to a .192 batting average, along with having a 1.01 WHIP.

His last start came Friday night against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, allowing just two hits and one run in 6.0 innings pitched, while making six strikeouts on 80 pitches.

Chandler has also pitched great since the start of June, with a 2.61 ERA and 10.6 K/9.

MLB Pipeline ranks Chandler as the No. 49 prospect in their top 100 across baseball, the No. 9 right-handed pitcher and No. 12 pitcher. They also rate him as the highest Pirates prospect.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Indianapolis, IN

National discount retailer to make it's way to downtown Indianapolis

Published

21 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

National discount retailer to make it's way to downtown Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — The downtown Indy building Claypool Court is getting a new retailer.

Officials hope major names like Burlington will bring more Hoosiers and visitors to Mile Square.

WRTV

“There’s definitely a lot of higher-end restaurants right around this area, so I think bringing in some retail stores isn’t a bad idea,” Wesley Slaughter, who lives downtown, said.

The store will sit at Washington and Illinois Streets, an area Slaughter says will be a good fit because it’s a heavily trafficked intersection.

“I could see it being beneficial to get more people in the area because otherwise you have to drive outside of 465 just to hit one of those stores,” Slaughter said.

TJ Maxx has been a big part of the downtown retail scene for many years, but now there is some competition with the Burlington that’s going to be a couple of doors down.

WATCH RELATED COVERAGE | Downtown Indy’s Future Plans announced

Downtown Indy’s future plans announced

“We’re excited anytime that there’s a new addition to the retail landscape here in downtown Indianapolis,” Taylor Schaffer, with Downtown Indy Inc., said.

Schaffer says this is just part of a pipeline of new projects and development coming to the area.