On Friday, the Indianapolis Indians (Class AAA; International League) will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Victory Field with a very elaborate promotion.
Since opening in downtown Indianapolis on July 11, 1996, Victory Field has received constant acclaim, allowing it to be established as one of the finest ballparks in the minors. Therefore, it is fitting in several respects that its anniversary receives a grand-scale celebration that extends beyond the ballpark.
Starting at 4:00 a.m. on Friday, the Indianapolis Power & Light Building on Monument Circle will be lit to display the message “VF20.” That message will return at sunset on Friday evening, remaining through midnight.
At Victory Field, the Indians have several promotions planned. The ballpark lights will be turned on at roughly 4:30 a.m. to celebrate the occasion. Once the gates open at 5:30 p.m. for that evening’s game, fans will be treated to an autograph session featuring players and coaches, while the first 2,500 spectators in the ballpark will receive a Victory Field replica (shown above). The night at the ballpark will conclude with a post-game fireworks show.
If it falls in line with Victory Field’s trend of strong fan support, Friday’s game should feature a packed house. Back in May, the Indians welcomed the ballpark’s 12 millionth fan, and Victory Field has had the second highest attendance total in Minor League Baseball since its opening. (Only Buffalo’s Coca-Cola Field has received more fans in that time frame.) Victory Field has been particularly busy over the last few years, as the Indians set new franchise attendance records in each of the past two seasons.