High School Football Returns to Victory Field

The Friday night lights of high school football return to downtown Indianapolis' most unique football field for the Victory Field Gridiron Classic. Presented by the Indiana National Guard, on September 23 Pike High will host Warren Central High and on September 30 Park Tudor High will host Speedway High. Both games will kick off at 7 p.m. with gates opening one hour prior. It will be the second year that football games will be played on the field that, since 1996, has been the home of the Indianapolis Indians.

Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $7 for children 14 and under. Children age 2 and under receive free admission. Tickets may be purchased via each school's athletic department, at IndyIndians.com/Gridiron, or by calling (317) 269-2282 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Victory Field's football field configuration stretches north-to-south, parallel to the third base line.

"The Indians are proud to partner once again with the Indiana National Guard to bring Indiana high school football to downtown Indianapolis and the unique backdrop Victory Field offers," said Indianapolis Indians General Manager Randy Lewandowski. "Last year provided a great first-time experience for the players, coaches and fans and we're excited to host Park Tudor, Pike, Speedway and Warren Central this year."

Victory Field's playing surface continues to be among the most-respected in all of professional baseball. Four times Indians head groundskeeper Joey Stevenson has been recognized as the Triple-A Groundskeeper of the Year by the Sports Turf Managers Association; most recently in 2014.

Other special sporting events outside of Indians baseball games have been held on the Victory Field surface. Each year it hosts the Indiana High School Athletic Association state baseball championships, the City and County Baseball Tournament finals, and since 2009 the Indiana Children's Wish Fund Celebrity Softball Challenge. Victory Field also hosts a few college baseball games each spring - most recently Notre Dame hosted Indiana on Apr. 26. The most unusual event to take place on the Victory Field playing surface was when it was converted to the world's largest indoor beach during Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.