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Pacers Sports & Entertainment Inks First-Of-Its-Kind Partnership with Hartbeat

February 27, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Indiana Fever News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Pacers Sports & Entertainment and Hartbeat, the global entertainment company at the intersection of comedy and culture founded by Kevin Hart, are forming a first-of-its kind partnership to deliver exciting, culture-driven experiences to Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever fans and the Indianapolis community.

Hartbeat will serve as PS&E's official "cultural curator," creating live experiences and content for fans that blend basketball, music, comedy and culture. Through the partnership, Hartbeat will work closely with PS&E to bring a diverse range of entertainment opportunities to Gainbridge Fieldhouse and greater Indiana, including stand-up comedy, musical acts, half-time shows, festivals, scripted content and bespoke merchandise collaborations.

"When it comes to delivering world-class fan experiences, we want to continue to raise the bar and this partnership does just that," said PS&E CEO Mel Raines. "As our official cultural curator, Hartbeat will be instrumental in creating unique and exciting experiences and content for fans that elevate our brands, community and growing fanbase."

The partnership will tip off with a music and comedy festival that will host its inaugural event during AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025 in Indianapolis July 18-19. Produced by PS&E and Hartbeat, Hartbeat will curate a dynamic lineup of comedy and music acts for an unforgettable live experience, while also capturing content to be distributed across Hartbeat's LOL Network and other streaming partners. Fans can sign up to receive email updates about tickets, events and more.

(Pictured Left to Right): Pacers Sports & Entertainment EVP of Strategy and New Business Ventures Joey Graziano and PS&E CEO Mel Raines lead Hartbeat President and Chief Distribution Officer Jeff Clanagan and Hartbeat Chairman and CEO Kevin Hart on a behind-the-scenes tour of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, in downtown Indianapolis on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. Hartbeat will serve as PS&E's official "cultural curator," creating live experiences and content for fans that blend basketball, music, comedy and culture.

"We're excited to team up with Pacers Sports & Entertainment to deliver fresh, engaging experiences and content that bring fans closer to the organization and the sport," said Hartbeat President Jeff Clanagan. "This partnership reinforces our commitment to leading the way in comedy, culture and sports. We can't wait to see all of the fans this summer and collaborate with PS&E to take Indy's entertainment scene to the next level."

"Hartbeat is a dynamic industry leader with extensive experience transforming high-impact moments into enduring cultural movements. Our creative collaboration with Hartbeat will redefine the fan experience in sports and entertainment and set a new standard for the intersection of basketball and culture," said EVP of Strategy and New Business Ventures at PS&E Joey Graziano. "This partnership is for every fan. We're thrilled to tap into Hartbeat's creativity, distribution network, and access to talent to amplify our family of brands and deliver exclusive live performances and content to our global and growing fanbase. This partnership will produce a year-round lineup of new programming and events that will continue to showcase Indianapolis as a premier entertainment destination."

Hartbeat's extensive history across comedy, culture and sports includes producing Hart's hit sports talk series Cold as Balls and Shaquille O'Neal's All-Star Comedy Jam at some of the world's biggest sporting events, and The Other Games competition series for Peacock and P&G for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and ESPN's NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart, among other projects.

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