The Indianapolis Colts are heading into a new era when it comes to training camp. Starting in 2027, the team will move its offseason workouts from Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, to its own headquarters at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center on W. 56th Street in Indianapolis. This upcoming summer will mark the final training camp at Grand Park-at least for now.
With the move, the Colts will join the growing majority of NFL teams that hold training camp at their own facilities. By 2027, only a handful-five or fewer-will still be operating off-site camps. It’s a shift that speaks to broader trends across the league, where control, cost-efficiency, and convenience are driving decisions behind the scenes.
For the Colts, Grand Park has been home since 2018, with the exception of the 2020 season, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced teams to stay in-house. Before Grand Park, the team had a long tradition of holding camp at Anderson University and, before that, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
These off-site locations weren’t just about football-they were about connection. They gave fans, especially families, a rare chance to get close to the team during the dog days of summer.
That fan-first approach was something late owner Jim Irsay always championed. He believed in the value of making the team accessible, of turning training camp into a community event. And for a lot of Colts fans, those summer practices became a tradition-an affordable, up-close experience that brought them face-to-face with their favorite players in a way game days rarely allow.
So, while the move to W. 56th Street might make logistical sense-streamlining operations, cutting costs, improving access to medical facilities-it’s fair to wonder what it means for fan engagement. The Colts haven’t announced whether training camp will still be open to the public in its new format, but it’s hard to imagine the same kind of capacity or atmosphere that Grand Park provided.
That venue was built to host crowds. The team facility?
Not so much.
Still, it’s possible the Colts will find ways to keep fans involved. Maybe it’s limited access, maybe it’s special events.
We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. But there’s no question this is a significant change for the franchise-and for the fans who’ve made summer visits to camp part of their football calendar.
As the Colts continue to evolve on the field, they’re doing the same off it. The move to an in-house training camp aligns them with most of the league, but it also marks the end of a chapter that’s been about more than just football.
It’s been about community. And that’s something worth remembering as the team turns the page.