On today's show I sat down with Indianapolis Indians President & CEO Randy Lewandowski and Chairman of the Board Bruce Schumacher at Victory Field ahead of the ballpark's 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, July 11, featuring a pregame concert by My Yellow Rickshaw and the season's biggest fireworks show.
Lewandowski looks back on joining the Indians as a ticketing intern in 1994, the push to replace aging Bush Stadium due to MLB standards and ADA needs, and the midseason move in 1996 to Victory Field that required manually relocating season-ticket seats with maps and tacks.
He explains the unique state–city–CIB lease structure, the team's focus on repairs and maintenance, and how the ballpark has stayed fresh with evolving premium social spaces. Lewandowski also highlights Victory Field's attendance impact, 17 million fans over 30 years, and community events.
Chairman Bruce Schumacher then joins the show to share his father Max Schumacher's vision, the team's community-owned stock history, private fundraising to build the park, and how Victory Field helped revive downtown and White River State Park.
If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.
You are going to learn about:
- Why the Indianapolis Indians Moved from Bush Stadium to Victory Field
- Victory Field's Role in Downtown Indianapolis' Revitalization
- How the Indians Became a Community-Owned Organization
- Victory Field's 30th Anniversary Celebration on July 11
Thank you to our partners:
Kelley School of Business
Bloomrank
Check out these great clips from the show:
00:00 Midseason Move Chaos
01:36 Victory Field 30th Setup
03:24 Why Build a New Park
04:11 CIB and State Land Deal
05:42 Busch Stadium Memories
08:22 Picking the Downtown Site
10:19 Proving Downtown Baseball Works
13:17 Attendance and City Impact
15:05 Opening Midseason in 1996
19:20 Grand Opening and Maintenance
22:59 Upgrades and Premium Spaces
27:44 Downtown Revitalization Catalyst
30:25 Brand Refresh and Miami Nation
34:57 Pride and Community Legacy
36:43 Stadium Seats and Cupholders
38:22 Why Victory Field Happened
40:55 Schumacher Family Origins
44:00 Community-Owned Stock Story
49:42 30th Anniversary Plans
51:37 Wild Minor League Baseball Promos
55:14 Food and Best Seats
57:37 MLB Stars and Celebs
01:02:35 Rapid Fire and Farewell
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