Indianapolis, IN

Many mock WWE. 70,000 fans who shattered Royal Rumble records in Indy ‘don’t give a damn’

Published

11 months ago

February 2, 2025

Many mock WWE. 70,000 fans who shattered Royal Rumble records in Indy ‘don’t give a damn’

INDIANAPOLIS — William Skiler rose at the crack of dawn Saturday morning to a rooster crowing, fed the pigs then made an off-the-cuff, last-minute decision to drive from the land of peaches to his 10th Royal Rumble, buying nosebleed seats in Lucas Oil Stadium on the way.

Skiler is a hard-working farmer outside of Atlanta, Ga., who grew up loving the raucous and rowdy WWE. He was not only at his 10th Royal Rumble Saturday, but he’s been to multiple Smackdowns, Raws and one WrestleMania.

To say he is a diehard fan would be an understatement. He has a cluttered room in his house stuffed to the brim with all the figures, T-shirts, championship belts and autographs he’s gotten of wrestlers through the years.

As he waited in line to buy merchandise inside Lucas Oil before the matches began, he wore a Rey Mysterio mask and a Triple H shirt. There, with more than 300 others waiting in his line and more than 70,000 in the stadium, Skiler said he felt like he could truly be himself.

After all, Skiler said, he sometimes feels judged when he tells people he is a WWE fan.

“We know what they think. We know. I hear it all the time, people making fun of us WWE fans, making fun of the sport,” said Skiler, 45. “I hear it, and you know what? To be honest, I don’t give a damn.

“They’re the ones missing out on greatness.”

What is WWE? That’s the burning question from the naysayers. Is it a sport or not? Is it fake? Is it scripted? Skiler said he often feels as if those naysayers look down on WWE fans, and he doesn’t understand why.

“I’ve never played a day of golf in my life, but there are guys obsessed with it like I am with WWE,” he said. “I don’t make fun of those guys.”

Even if choreographed, these wrestlers are athletes and they have to be in shape to do what they do, said Josef Aguilar, who lives in Indy and was attending his first Royal Rumble.

“Just look at their muscles. They perform just like an NFL player performs,” he said. “People want to say the outcome is written up before but so what. The NFL wrote the Chiefs winning last week and the refs made that happen.”

As Josie Marlin sat in the hallway of the Indiana Convention Center next to her boyfriend, who had two championship belts beside him, waiting for the doors to Lucas Oil to open for the Royal Rumble, she told him to cover his ears.

“It’s so silly,” she said laughing. “I don’t even like it or get the appeal. I’m here because I love him, and he loves it.”

The WWE is definitely a product with little middle ground. “You are either a fanatic about it,” said Claire Sawyer-Mills, of Illinois, “or you hardly have any idea what it even is.”

Per the crowd at Lucas Oil, there are a lot of fanatics. The more than 70,000 fans who descended on the stadium Saturday night shattered the Royal Rumble’s all-time record. It was the largest attendance for any non-WresteMania pro wrestling event in history. Approximately 70% of the fans were expected to be from outside the Indianapolis area.

They watched Jey Uso win the men’s event, eliminating John Cena in his final Royal Rumble, and watched Charlotte Flair as victor in the women’s match.

The crowd also proved there is no one “type” of WWE fan.

WWE fans: Loud and proud

From the world’s most popular streamer Kai Cenat to Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton to 73-year-old musician John Mellencamp to actor O’Shea Jackson, Jr., who is Ice Cube’s son, to women, little boys, teenage girls, grandparents, young parents, middle-aged couples, there was diversity all around.

According to Wrestlenomics.com, about 25% of WWE’s audiences are Black with 12% of viewers Hispanic. Women make up 36% of the fans and the biggest fan base is males 30-44 years old.

While its popularity is unmatched in the United States, the WWE says India is one of its largest international markets. The latest numbers show Raw and SmackDown events in India had an average of 50 million viewers weekly.

The franchise is also popular in Japan, Australia, the Philippines and has held events in Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. For Royal Rumbles, those bring the second largest international crowd of all WWE events. And that crowd is loud and proud.

Outside of Lucas Oil hours before the Royal Rumble began, the golden championship belts glistened in the chilly sunshine, mostly grown men wearing them slung over their shoulders or wrapped around their waists.

Little kids held poster signs, handcrafted tributes to their favorite wrestlers. Women were dressed in fishnet stockings, glittery skirts, emulating the WWE divas they admire. Other fans went full force, wearing wrestling singlets and black boots, the temps barely 40 degrees.

It was not quite the outrageous attire GenCon brings to Indy but, out of context and having no idea one of the WWE’s three main events was in town, some of the fans packing the streets would have seemed completely over the top.

Indy went all out for those fans, dressing the city with its own attire. Twenty-five streets were named for the WWE, including Cody Rd., Bianca Belair Blvd., KO Ave. and Seth “Freakin’” Rd. Indianapolis International Airport went all-in on Royal Rumble and restaurants crafted special menu items.

Indianapolis International Airport welcomes WWE fans for Royal Rumble

Indianapolis International Airport is ready to welcome the more than 50,000 fans arriving for WWE Royal Rumble this weekend.

More than $40 million in economic impact is expected from the Rumble in Indy on Saturday night. It is part of a three-event deal between the city and WWE to also bring Summer Slam and WrestleMania to Indy. Dates for those events are yet to be determined, but all three combined will infuse $350 million into the city, according to Indiana Sports Corp.

Settling the debate over what WWE is and hopefully putting an end to its mocking, Lauren Sparkman, a diehard WWE fan, describes it this way.

“I always say WWE is 100% sport and 100% entertainment,” said Sparkman, who co-hosted the local organizing committee that brought the Royal Rumble to Indy. “It’s absolutely world-class athleticism. It is more cinematic than a soap opera, but a lot more spectacle than a football game. It’s the intimacy of live theater, but it’s also completely electric, like an arena tour. It’s just, it’s completely unique.”

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.

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Indianapolis, IN

What the Biggest Challenge Will be for the 49ers Against Indianapolis

Published

8 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

What the Biggest Challenge Will be for the 49ers Against Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Colts are currently riding a four-game losing streak. It makes their matchup perfect timing for the San Francisco 49ers.

However, the Colts still have facets to be worried about. Their defense is still a strong one and must not be downplayed despite players missing.

But there is another area where the 49ers will be challenged the most by the Colts. If they’re not well-prepared for it, then they will struggle to emerge victorious.

The Colts pose the biggest challenge to the 49ers here

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez al-Shaair (0) attempts to tackle Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s defending against stalwart running back Jonathan Taylor. He’s been stupendous for the Colts this season. For as terrific as Christian McCaffrey has been this year, Taylor has been better.

He’s the engine of their offense. The Colts’ offense will go as far as he does. Even with Phillip Rivers in the fold, he’s still a threat to wreak havoc against the 49ers’ defense.

It’s largely because his strengths are a weakness for the 49ers’ defense. Robert Saleh loves to run nickel personnel nearly 80 percent of the time, the highest of all defenses.

Taylor is averaging 5.8 yards per carry against nickel personnel this season, the fourth-most among running backs with at least 50 carries. He has also scored a league-high nine rushing touchdowns against nickel, four more than the next closest running back.

The 49ers allow 4.7 yards per carry out of nickel formation, which is slightly below the league average. Taylor is bound to gash them in this look.

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Nov 9, 2025; Berlin, GERMANY; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) celebrates his touchdown in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons during the Berlin Game at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lisi Niesner/Reuters via Imagn Images | Lisi Niesner/Reuters via Imagn Images

And the Colts will most likely utilize him in the shotgun to do so. Taylor has taken 52.2 percent of his carries in shotgun formation this season, the fourth-highest rate among running backs with at least 75 carries.

He leads the league with 684 rushing yards on shotgun carries (4.8 yards per carry), 214 more yards than the next closest player, and has scored a position-leading six touchdowns on those runs.

The 49ers’ defense has allowed running backs to average 5.3 yards per carry on shotgun runs, the second-most in the NFL, along with a 48.9 percent success rate, also the second-highest in the league.

If Taylor gets going in this game, it will be difficult to win. They have to be able to limit him at the very least to force Rivers to throw. That’s the 49ers’ best chance to win.

It’s by making Rivers throw as much as possible. Otherwise, the 49ers’ offense will be expected to score over 30 points for a chance to win.

Follow Jose on X (Twitter) @JS3sanchezz to interact with him and subscribe to his YouTube Channel here for more 49ers content.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway showcases original crushed stone and tar racing surface

Published

20 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Indianapolis Motor Speedway showcases original crushed stone and tar racing surface

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — During a recent excavation for the Turn two repave project, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway uncovered its original crushed stone and tar racing surface, a significant discovery that had not been seen since 1909. According to Zach Horrall, manager of Digital Marketing at IMS, this moment reveals a piece of racing history to fans in a way that has never been done before.

The Turn two repave project took place last September, primarily to address bumps caused by shifting bricks below the surface—issues exacerbated by Indiana’s fluctuating weather. While excavating to repair these bricks, the team decided to uncover any historical layers beneath, ultimately revealing the original racing surface of crushed stone and tar.

Zach Horrall explained the significance of this discovery, stating, “It’s amazing. It’s the original, original track surface of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.” This surface, laid down during the summer of 1909, had been hidden for over a century and showcased the early construction efforts of the track.

The excavation revealed a beautiful limestone composite mixed with tar, which was noted to still be fresh and had a strong smell, signifying its preservation. Horrall remarked, “It was an overwhelming and powerful moment at Indianapolis Motor Speedway!” such that no one present, including long-time IMS historian Donald Davidson, had ever seen it before.

Photos taken during the excavation illustrated the historic bricklaying process, providing visual documentation of the construction history of the track. The now-excavated surface is currently on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, allowing visitors to witness a tangible piece of racing history.

The original racing surface is now showcased at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, providing an educational opportunity for fans and guests alike. Further installments documenting this series of discoveries are available on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s website.

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Indianapolis, IN

Tommy Davidson to perform in Indianapolis, discusses new sitcom and comedy

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Tommy Davidson to perform in Indianapolis, discusses new sitcom and comedy

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Comedian Tommy Davidson, known for his work on “In Living Color” and “The Proud Family,” is set to perform at Helium Comedy Club in Indianapolis on Dec. 19, 20 and 21, 2025.

General admission tickets are priced at $36.97, while reserved tickets are available for $49.39. During a recent interview, Davidson expressed his thoughts on the lack of new Christmas music, emphasizing the need for fresh original songs during the holiday season.

Davidson has been touring with fellow comedian Cat Williams, showcasing their unique styles together. He revealed that their collaborative performances have allowed audiences from various backgrounds to come together and enjoy comedy, stating, “I look at my audience and it’s Latinos looking at whites and whites looking at Asians and Asians looking at Indians. We’re all the same still. And everybody laughing together, which I think is something that is vastly needed right now.”

In addition to his touring, Davidson is producing a new sitcom titled “Varnell,” based on a character from his earlier work. He shared insights into his upbringing, recalling, “Of course, of course. My mom taught me, you know, you live with an open hand, you know and you can receive and you can give, you know.” He reflected on his journey from humble beginnings to Hollywood stardom, highlighting the importance of hard work in achieving success.

Davidson discussed the significance of his experiences and how they shape his comedy. “That’s what comedy comes into play and has for so long for me personally, like stand up. That’s what it does. It takes all of your worries away, anything that you think is going on in the world.” He also touched upon the importance of storytelling and connecting with an audience, emphasizing, .”..that work part, that word work, you know, that’s what my mom taught me.”

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