We're ready for our closeup: Indy is poised to seize the spotlight of the American sports world

There's the Pacers, starting Wednesday. There's the Fever, who won their opener Saturday. And there's the Indianapolis 500, owning its share of the month of May.

I’ve been in Indianapolis for 25 years and I can never remember a sports stretch like the one the city is about to embark upon. We’ve had Pacers and racers four times in our history, but this one is going to be different and special and greater than anything we’ve seen before.

For the next couple of weeks, Indy will be the epicenter of the American sports experience: The Fever won their opener over the Chicago Sky Saturday, the Pacers start the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks Wednesday, and, of course, there are the month-long Indianapolis 500 festivities with the race being run the same day as Game 3 of the ECF.

If you’re a sports fan – and if you’re not, why? – this is a fever (Fever?) dream, Indy at the epicenter of the sports world.

“There is a synergy,” Fever coach Stephanie White said before the Fever-Sky game, referring to the relationship between the Pacers and Fever. “I mean, Indianapolis has a small town feel, right? It’s a small-town vibe. But small market means better relationships oftentimes, right? …I think it’s unique when you look at having a point guard like Tyrese (Haliburton) and Caitlin (Clark) in the state of Indiana, the state that loves basketball. The passion that they (Haliburton and Clark) play with, it really epitomizes the pride of basketball in our state.”

The Pacers are deep and like to run, led by their magical point guard. The Fever are deep and like to run, led by their magical point guard. Both teams are run by coaches who’ve been here before, White and Rick Carlisle. There is even more cross-pollination: Jenny Boucek, the Pacers assistant, used to play against White when both were WNBA players.

Both teams have championship windows; the Pacers are eight victories from an NBA title, the Fever are viewed as one of four WNBA teams with realistic championship hopes after an active off-season netted them Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, Brianna Turner and Sydney Colson. Last year’s inexperienced team had a total of 700 playoff minutes on the roster. This year’s team has 4,685 minutes. Last year’s group had one player who had been with a team that won a WNBA title; this year’s group has seven on the roster.

On the broadcast, analyst Rebecca Lobo got it right: “The Indiana Fever won free agency this year.”