Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton will serve as team captain for the Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic on Aug. 24 at Victory Field, bringing together professional athletes and local media personalities to combat youth food insecurity across the state.
Organizers announced that general admission tickets for the community event are $10, with all proceeds benefiting the Pacers Foundation. Tickets officially went on sale on July 24 and can be purchased digitally. Gates at Victory Field are scheduled to open at 6 p.m., with the exhibition match’s first pitch set for 7 p.m.
The late-summer exhibition aims to raise crucial funding and public awareness for statewide youth hunger initiatives while offering fans a rare opportunity to see Central Indiana’s top athletic figures compete in a relaxed, friendly environment.
“The Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic is about bringing people together for a fun, memorable night while shining a light on an issue that affects too many young people across Indiana,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment senior vice president of community engagement Corey Wilson said. “We’re grateful to Tyrese and the incredible group of athletes and entertainers joining us at Victory Field, and we’re excited to give fans a unique experience that will help support the Pacers Foundation’s efforts to address youth food insecurity.”
The Pacers Foundation serves as the primary philanthropic arm of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, investing in community-based programs and targeted educational initiatives across Indiana to empower youth and address critical social needs.
Haliburton’s roster of participating athletes features teammates from the Pacers, including guards Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell, as well as additional representatives from both the Pacers and the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. Cross-town professional sports support will feature a heavy contingent of Indianapolis Colts players, including quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receiver Alec Pierce, cornerback Sauce Gardner, safety Cam Bynum and tight end Mo Alie-Cox. Former Colts punter and sports media personality Pat McAfee will serve as the event’s master of ceremonies, with additional celebrity participants set to be announced at a later date.
In addition to the athlete lineup, the evening’s festivities will feature live entertainment and fan engagement from the Pacers’ mascot Boomer, the Indiana Pacemates dance team, the Hype Crew, the Fever Inferno and Indiana Fever mascot Freddy Fever. Event organizers noted that all player and celebrity appearances remain subject to change leading up to gameday.
Proceeds and public awareness generated by the softball game will directly support Drive & Dish, powered by Gleaners2Go. Founded by Indiana Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle and backed by the Pacers Foundation, the free hunger-relief initiative provides nutritious food options to low-income families across the Hoosier State.
The program directly targets a pressing public health challenge across Indiana: an estimated 260,000 children under 14 face regular food insecurity. Since its inception, the Drive & Dish initiative has distributed more than 1.2 million pounds of fresh produce and essential groceries at 21 designated distribution sites across the state.
Contact multimedia & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral.
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.
