The Indianapolis Indians are teaming up with local creative advocacy group GANGGANG for a year-long partnership to overhaul the team’s annual tribute to the city’s Negro Leagues history, the organizations announced on Feb. 19.
The collaboration will lead to a revitalized presentation of the two historic Negro Leagues franchises that once called Indianapolis home: the Indianapolis Clowns and the Indianapolis ABCs. The centerpiece of the effort will be the team’s Negro Leagues Heritage Weekend, scheduled for Aug. 21-22 at Victory Field.
The partnership is built on five core principles: respectful representation, cultural education, authenticity through collaboration, understanding and empathy and empowering impact.
“For the past decade, the Indians have honored the Indianapolis Clowns and ABCs through our Civil Rights – now Negro Leagues – Nights,” director of marketing Max Freeman said. “These teams are a vital part of our city’s baseball history, and we’re proud to help preserve the legacy of players whose contributions were too often overlooked. Over the past 15 months, we’ve partnered with GANGGANG to reimagine how the ABCs and Clowns are presented, creating engaging, accessible ways for our community to connect with this history.”
The initiative launches in May with the release of newly redesigned on-field hats, jerseys and merchandise honoring both the ABCs and the Clowns. The visual rebrand will be accompanied by a three-part web series exploring Negro Leagues history, current community outreach, and GANGGANG’s creative process.
Co-founder of GANGGANG Alan Bacon emphasized the project’s importance in preserving a crucial piece of local and national history.
“This is an effort not only to celebrate history but also protect history and heritage,” Bacon said. “It represents a very important part of Indianapolis history. There wouldn’t be this evolution of baseball if it weren’t for these original creators that we get to celebrate and talk about.”
During the Heritage Weekend in August, the Indians take the field as the Indianapolis ABCs. Game-worn jerseys from that contest will be auctioned off to benefit Indianapolis Indians Charities. The weekend will also feature educational opportunities and activations from local Black artists.
As part of the broader effort to engage the community, the Indians have launched a call for personal stories. Fans can submit memories of playing baseball growing up, attending games at Bush Stadium or Victory Field, family connections to the Indians, Clowns or ABCs, or any personal connection to baseball in Indiana at IndyIndians.com/IndyBaseballStories.
Single-game tickets for the 2026 season go on sale at 10 a.m. on March 2.
Contact Multimedia Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
