With fall traditions kicking off in Indianapolis, we wanted to take the time to celebrate an important milestone for our city! For this month’s member profile, we spoke with GIPC Member Representative Pete Ward, Chief Operating Officer for the Indianapolis Colts, to discuss the 40th anniversary of Indy’s favorite football team!

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Can you share more about the Colts’ 40th Season Anniversary?

The entire Colts organization, from the Irsay family to our players and coaches to our front office staff, are all so excited to celebrate 40 seasons of Colts football in Indianapolis. A lot of people don’t realize that the Colts have been in Indianapolis longer than we were in Baltimore, so we’re really proud of and humbled by this milestone.

It may be a cliché, but we can hardly believe we’ve started our 40th season here in Indy. I still have vivid memories of pulling into the old Fall Creek Elementary School in 1984, where we immediately had to sort through and unload Mayflower trucks full of unlabeled boxes, hook up phone lines, find office space, look for new employees, and all the other things involved in a massive and historic move.

And most of all, I remember walking into the Hoosier Dome with Mayor Hudnut and Bob Irsay for the first time to one of the most welcoming crowds I’ve ever been a part of. After what the team had been through in its last days in Baltimore, the Hoosier Dome and 20,000 new Colts fans were sweet sights to behold.

How are the Colts celebrating this historic milestone?

We opened our 2023 season on Sept. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium, and we took that opportunity to kick off our 40th season in Indianapolis in style. The highlights of the day were hosting a reunion of the 1984 Colts team, the first group of players to wear the Horseshoe in Indianapolis, and bringing back more than 300 Colts Cheerleaders from the past 40 seasons to perform at halftime.

What’s more, Downtown Indy was gracious enough to feature the Colts in its “Shining a Light” show on Monument Circle, which gave fans a look back on special moments, players and traditions from 40 seasons of Colts history.

We also were thrilled to open the stadium to Colts fans for the free Colts Kickoff Concert on Sept. 8, featuring The Jim Irsay Band & Collection, performances by music legends John Mellencamp, Stephen Stills, Ann Wilson and Peter Wolf, and even a stunt by the world-renowned illusionist Criss Angel. The evening also included a free exhibition of The Jim Irsay Collection, highlighted by unique Colts memorabilia from the past 40 seasons.

But we wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the wonderful people of our community. That’s why we marked 40 seasons by continuing to give back to Indianapolis. During the week leading up to the season opener, our players, coaches, staff, cheerleaders, and alumni volunteered at 40 different sites – including local schools, food pantries, domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, mental health organizations and more – in the Indianapolis area. Service to our community will always be a part of our DNA.

How can GIPC members get in on the action?

As Indianapolis’ NFL team, our doors are always open, and there are many opportunities to engage with the Colts during the season and year-round. We love a full house on gamedays, so we’ll always welcome GIPC members to attend a home game for a live event atmosphere unlike any other. We also invite folks to a road game watch party, to join us on a community service project, or attend one of the many other Colts events we host throughout the year. And of course, you can always follow and connect with us on our robust social and digital media platforms to keep up on all Colts news and events.

What are you looking forward to most this season?

In addition to celebrating 40 seasons in Indianapolis, this year feels like we’re starting a brand-new era of Colts football. With a new, young and innovative head coach, a talented new starting quarterback and a team full of established veterans and exciting rookies, we’re excited to watch this season develop and how the team gels. No one can ever guarantee wins or championships, but we believe we’ve got the right pieces in place to be exciting and competitive well into the future. That all begins now!