Larry Bird drives Indy car through New York to promote All-Star Game bid

Indiana hasn’t hosted an NBA All-Star Game since 1985, but Larry Bird is doing his best to change that.

The city of Indianapolis would like very much to host the NBA All-Star Game. Indy announced its intentions with a splash on Monday. Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird brought a Hoosierland tradition to the streets of New York as part of an effort to grab the 2021 installation of the event.

It’s been a long time since Indianapolis has played host to the NBA’s mid-season showcase. Thirty-two years ago the game was played at the Hoosier Dome with the West beating the East 140-129. Ralph Sampson of the Rockets was named MVP.

Bird drove five blocks to the NBA headquarters, and then presented league commissioner Adam Silver with a racing helmet. Silver called Indiana “the heartland in terms of basketball.”

The prospect of Indianapolis hosting an All-Star game is one that’s been bouncing around throughout the season. In January Silver was encouraged about the possibility Indy lands the game, stating, “I think it’s highly likely that we will return to Indianapolis for an All-Star Game in the near future.”

Silver may want February’s game to be played in a larger venue than Banker’s Life Fieldhouse, home of the Pacers. That stadium holds 18,165 fans. Last season’s game was played at the 15,701 Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The 2010 All-Star Game was played at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas in front of 108,713 fans.

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If the NBA decides it wants another gigantic crowd like the one in Texas, the solution may be to hold the event at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. Lucas Oil has a capacity of 80,000 and is already scheduled to host the men’s Final Four in 2021. Indianapolis has hosted college basketball’s premiere event on eight different occasions.

The 2018 NBA All-Star Game will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the Lakers and Clippers.