The contrast shows how media distribution can help a smaller league find viewers while making it harder for casual fans to follow one of the world’s largest sports.

A Fishers Freight home game that ended in a loss nevertheless produced a record-setting national audience for the Indoor Football League.

The Freight’s May 16 game against the Jacksonville Sharks at Fishers Event Center recorded 454,134 viewers, according to the league, making it the most-watched broadcast in IFL history. Jacksonville won 68-50.

That audience helped the IFL finish its 2026 season with more than 6.1 million cumulative views across Yahoo Sports Network and Overnght Sports, the largest audience the league has reported.

The IFL entered the season with national distribution agreements involving both streaming outlets. By June 30, league games had generated more than 4.5 million streams and 30.6 million minutes watched on Yahoo Sports Network alone, according to an IFL postseason announcement.

The league described those numbers as an eighteenfold increase in streams and a fivefold increase in hours watched from the previous year. Twenty-six broadcasts surpassed 50,000 viewers, including seven that exceeded 200,000.

“Six million viewers is a major milestone, but more importantly, it’s the foundation for even greater growth ahead,” IFL Commissioner Todd Tryon said.

The Freight completed their second season with an 8-8 record, missing the Eastern Conference playoffs after a 67-63 loss to Orlando on the final play of the regular-season finale.

The IFL’s growth presents a notable contrast with Formula 1, one of the world’s largest sports properties.

Formula 1 entered 2026 after its most-watched U.S. television season. ESPN reported an average of 1.3 million viewers for each of the 24 races in 2025 across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Sixteen races set event audience records, according to ESPN’s season report.

This year, Formula 1 moved its U.S. coverage exclusively to Apple TV. Data analytics company Samba TV found that household reach declined for eight of the nine races it compared with the corresponding 2025 telecasts, according to a USA TODAY report.

The Miami Grand Prix was down 68%, Monaco declined 66%, Barcelona-Catalunya fell 24%, Canada dropped 23%, Great Britain declined 16% and Austria was down 13%. Australia and China had smaller decreases, while Japan was unchanged.

The largest declines came at races shown on ABC in 2025. Miami averaged 2.17 million viewers that year, Monaco drew 2.3 million and Canada attracted 1.9 million. Moving those races from a widely available broadcast network to a subscription service reduced their potential reach.

The audience figures are not directly comparable. The IFL’s 6.1 million represents cumulative views across a season, ESPN’s 1.3 million was an average per Formula 1 race and Samba measures households rather than individual viewers. The IFL also has not disclosed how many of its views came from people watching multiple games.

Formula 1’s parent company says Apple viewership is up year over year and total hours watched have increased 13%, although it has not released race-by-race totals.

Still, the contrasting trends demonstrate the importance of accessibility. The IFL expanded its distribution, while Formula 1 moved from familiar cable and broadcast networks to a subscription platform.

For Fishers, the result was a national milestone: A game inside the city’s arena became the most-watched broadcast in IFL history.

The “Show Your Card and Save” campaign runs through Sept. 30 at participating Fishers, Noblesville and area businesses.

A Hamilton East Public Library card can secure more than books and digital resources this September.

The library’s “Show Your Card and Save” campaign offers discounts and complimentary items at more than 40 area businesses from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30. Cardholders can receive the participating business’s offer by presenting their library card.

Featured deals include:

• 25% off admission at Adrenaline Action Park
• A buy-one, get-one-free entrée at Another Broken Egg Cafe in Fishers
• 25% off admission and play passes at Dig Dig for Kids
• 10% off purchases at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
• 20% off beverages at Indie Coffee Roasters in Noblesville
• 20% off one piece per person per visit at Kiln Creations
• Two free classes at Orangetheory Fitness
• One free doughnut per cardholder at Parlor Doughnuts
• $1 off an order of $10 or more at Twisters Soda Bar
• 10% off purchases at Yafa Golden Coffee

Other participating businesses are offering discounts on restaurant meals, fitness classes, merchandise, entertainment and services. Some offers have location restrictions, purchase requirements or promotional codes. The complete list and terms are available on the Hamilton East Public Library website.

The campaign is part of Library Card Sign-Up Month. Residents can obtain or renew a card at the Fishers branch, 5 Municipal Drive, or the Noblesville branch, 1 Library Plaza. The library also offers online applications for digital cards to eligible adults living in Delaware, Fall Creek, Noblesville and Wayne townships.

Information about eligibility and required identification is available on the library’s Get a Library Card page.

When I invited Indianapolis-area sales trainer and podcaster Matt Nettleton to join the July 24 episode of Fridays With Larry, we had a lively conversation about his interviews with area business leaders and the paths they took to profitability.

Matt later returned the favor and invited me onto his Default Profitable podcast. Our conversation became the show’s 190th episode.

Matt asked how LarryInFishers.com grew from a volunteer project launched in January 2012 into a small business that now earns a modest profit. We also discussed how dramatically the local news business has changed—and discovered that we share an early connection to the industry: Both of us delivered newspapers when we were young.

The 22-minute episode is titled “Larry Lannan, Founder of LarryInFishers.com: Fourteen Years Free, Then a Business.”

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify or use the player below.

Hamilton County and the City of Noblesville will hold a joint ceremony Friday, Sept. 11, marking 25 years since the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The 9/11 Memorial Ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the Silos at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St. in Noblesville. The public is invited.

“Twenty-five years have passed, but the responsibility to remember has not,” said Christine Altman, president of the Hamilton County Commissioners. “We owe it to those who lost their lives, to the families who still carry that loss, and to the first responders who ran toward unimaginable danger to make sure their courage and sacrifice are never forgotten.”

Altman and Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen will both speak, along with representatives of the Hamilton County Council and the Noblesville Common Council.

Jensen tied the anniversary to the flooding that has hit Hamilton County in recent weeks.

“September 11 reminds us how Americans came together in the face of tragedy,” Jensen said. “Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen that same spirit here at home as our community has responded to historic flooding. Neighbors have helped neighbors, first responders have worked side by side, and communities across Hamilton County have supported one another. Twenty-five years later, that sense of unity and service remains one of the most important lessons we can carry forward.”

A joint honor guard from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Noblesville Police Department and Noblesville Fire Department will present the colors.

Local, state and federal elected officials, members of the judiciary, township trustees and public safety leaders from around Hamilton County are also expected to attend.

The appearance will be the first in the Rose Parade for the Fishers High School band.

The Fishers High School Marching Tiger Band has been selected to perform in the 2028 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, Hamilton Southeastern Schools announced.

The New Year’s Day performance will be the band’s first appearance in the Rose Parade and another national spotlight for the program, which performed in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

More than 200 students learned of the selection during a surprise announcement Aug. 29, following a full day of rehearsals.

“We are honored to show the world the dedication and commitment behind performing arts at Fishers High School,” band director Elijah Gardner said. “Our students are thrilled to take part in one of the largest New Year’s Day celebrations in the world and perform on an international stage.”

According to the school district, Fishers is one of 10 high school bands selected through an international application process. The 2028 group includes bands from Colombia, Costa Rica, Japan, Puerto Rico and the United States.

The official Rose Parade route covers 5.5 miles, beginning near Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard before continuing along Colorado Boulevard and ending at Villa Street.

Getting the band to Pasadena will require a major logistical and fundraising effort. The group expects to travel about 4,000 miles round trip with more than 200 students. Two box trucks and a semi-trailer will carry instruments, uniforms and other equipment.

The band has launched an online fundraising campaign to help cover the trip.

“Our students are eager to put their hard work on display and return to Fishers with new friends, new stories and a camera roll full of memories,” Gardner said. “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent Fishers, Indiana, in the 2028 Rose Parade.”

HSE Superintendent Matt Kegley said the invitation reflects the students’ talent, discipline and hours of preparation.

“What an incredible moment for these students, their families and all of Fishers High School,” Kegley said. “We could not be prouder to see the Marching Tiger Band carry the HSE Schools and Fishers name onto an international stage.”

HSE Schools estimates that more than 700,000 spectators will watch the parade in person, with millions more following broadcasts around the world.

Peak heat index values could reach 105 degrees across central Indiana, with little relief expected overnight.

A heat advisory covering Fishers and much of central Indiana will take effect at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, and remain in place until 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis said peak heat index values could reach 105 degrees each afternoon across the advisory area. High humidity and warm overnight temperatures will provide limited relief.

Hamilton County is among the counties included in the advisory. Hot temperatures combined with high humidity can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses.

The Fishers-specific forecast calls for a high near 95 degrees Tuesday, with the heat index reaching about 101. The forecast high is 96 Wednesday and 94 Thursday. Overnight lows are expected to remain in the mid-to-upper 70s during the advisory period.

Residents should drink plenty of fluids, reduce time outdoors and check on relatives and neighbors, particularly older adults and others who may be more vulnerable to extreme heat.

Anyone who must spend time outside should consider moving strenuous activities to the cooler morning or evening hours and taking frequent breaks in an air-conditioned location.

More than 70 artists, artisans and authors will gather along the Nickel Plate Trail on Sunday, Sept. 13, for the seventh annual Harvest Fest.

The free, family-friendly event will run from noon to 5 p.m. in downtown Fishers. Fishers Arts Council and Hamilton County Tourism are presenting the festival, which combines an art fair, live entertainment and activities with fundraising for 10 area nonprofits.

Harvest Fest will extend from Café Patachou, 8654 E. 116th St., to Hamilton East Public Library, 5 Municipal Drive. Vendors and activities will be divided among seven “art fields” along the trail.

Visitors will find fine art, jewelry, woodworking, ceramics, glass, clothing, home décor, personal-care products and books by Indiana authors. Musicians Erick Oneal Fisher, Brandon Douthitt and Glenn Seland will perform, along with the band Enigma Fig.

Participating nonprofits include Bee Free Bakes, Central Indiana Wood Workers, the Delaware Township Trustee food pantry, Fishers Community Chorus, Fishers Art Center, Fishers Historical Society, Hamilton East Public Library Foundation, Hoosier Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, Saving Our Sisters and Fishers Arts Council.

Fundraising activities will include Turkish paper marbling led by artist Esma Yokus, animal interactions with Hoosier Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation and face painting hosted by the Fishers Historical Society.

The Delaware Township Trustee food pantry will collect nonperishable food and monetary donations for fresh milk, meat and produce. Visitors who donate may also decorate a tote bag.

Seven food trucks will donate part of their event proceeds to participating nonprofits. The lineup includes Biscuit Baby, Chef TLC with Faith the Food Bus, Dog & Ball, Ice Cream Donuts, Kona Ice Indy, Pastelitos Las Gochitas and Smokey Blue BBQ. MashCraft-Fishers will sponsor the beer garden.

Harvest Fest was founded in 2020 and moved from Heritage Park at White River to the Nickel Plate Trail in 2025.

“Moving from Heritage Park at White River to the Nickel Plate Trail has added so much to the experience,” Fishers Arts Council Executive Director Les Reinhardt said in the event announcement.

No RSVP is required. Event maps, parking information and updates are available on the Fishers Arts Council event page.

Fishers Event Center will show three classic movies free of charge on its outdoor plaza this fall, starting Sept. 12 with “Back to the Future.”

The Movies in the Plaza series runs on the FORUM Credit Union Plaza in front of the arena at 11000 Stockdale St. Gates open at 6 p.m. each night, with showings beginning at 7 p.m.

The schedule:

• “Back to the Future” — Saturday, Sept. 12
• “Miracle” — Saturday, Oct. 3
• “Hocus Pocus” — Saturday, Oct. 10

Admission is free, and the venue says no tickets or advance registration are required. Free surface parking will be available.

Because the plaza is an open-air space, the arena is advising moviegoers to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating, along with weather-appropriate gear such as sunglasses or ponchos.

Outside food and beverages will not be permitted. Themed menu items tied to each film will be sold inside Fishers Event Center, according to the venue.

Fishers Event Center is also recruiting local artists, artisans and crafters to set up at a vendor fair alongside the screenings. Makers interested in taking part can contact the Movies in the Plaza coordinator at info@asmfishers.com or fill out an interest form linked at fisherseventcenter.com.

The arena opened in November 2024 with a seating capacity of 7,500 and hosts concerts, comedy and family shows, along with high school graduations and local athletic events. It is home to three professional teams: the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, Indy Ignite of Major League Volleyball and the Fishers Freight of the Indoor Football League.

More information on the movie series is available at fisherseventcenter.com.

Every parent in Fishers who has watched a teenager vanish into a phone at the dinner table has a stake in what happened in a California courtroom last week. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to settle claims by state attorneys general that it designed its platforms to be addictive to children and harmful to their mental health. Indiana’s guaranteed share is $296 million, and it could reach $419 million. The changes Meta accepted — a two-hour daily default limit for users under 18, notifications silenced during school hours, and no access from midnight to 6 a.m. — will land on the phones of Hamilton Southeastern students, and on teenagers everywhere, within months.

I said on my latest Fridays With Larry podcast that this is a real milestone, and I still believe that. Attorney General Todd Rokita called it “a milestone victory for Hoosier families.” An industry that spent two decades escaping regulation just wrote an enormous check and accepted rules about how its product works.

But I would be doing readers a disservice if I stopped there. Some of the people who know this industry best are not celebrating.

Arturo Bejar, a former Meta engineer who testified against his old employer, put it bluntly: “The limitations that are in the agreement are the equivalent of saying: ‘Well, you can smoke as many cigarettes as you can in two hours a day.’ … It doesn’t make the cigarettes any safer.”

That criticism should stay with us. Two hours of a product engineered to be compulsive is still two hours of a product engineered to be compulsive.

Amba Kak, co-executive director of the AI Now Institute and a former senior adviser on artificial intelligence at the Federal Trade Commission, made a similar argument this week in a news interview.  She called the settlement significant and welcome, then noted that $17 billion spread across 10 years is, for a company spending at Meta’s scale on AI infrastructure, “a drop in the ocean.”

Her deeper concern is what the settlement does not touch. “We’re not really getting at the root cause of why do we have infinite scroll, or why are these platforms being architected in ways that are designed to addict teenagers,” Kak said. “And the answer is the business model.” That model — surveillance advertising, which pays out according to attention captured — remains fully intact. Treat the symptoms, she warned, and “we’re gonna be stuck playing whack-a-mole once the harms have already metastasized.”

Kak’s prescription is rules written in advance rather than fines collected afterward. “We cannot be relying on fines or certainly even on litigation after harms have already transpired,” she said. She argues the same lesson applies right now to artificial intelligence, before that industry builds its own decade of damage.

For Fishers, two things follow.

Watch the enforcement. The mother of a 16-year-old who died by suicide said outside the courthouse that the terms matter only “as long as they enforce it properly,” and that independent people need to verify it. A limit a determined teenager routes around on a laptop is a headline, not a safeguard.

Watch the money. Indiana’s share is meant to support youth mental health and crisis services. Hoosiers deserve to see where it lands, and whether any of it reaches HSE counselors and Hamilton County providers.

A settlement is not a safety standard. It is an admission, priced and scheduled. Parents in Fishers still have the hard part.

FEMA representatives will offer one-on-one application help Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds in Noblesville.

Hamilton County residents affected by recent flooding can get in-person help applying for federal disaster assistance at a temporary FEMA registration center Monday through Wednesday.

The Mobile Registration Intake Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St. in Noblesville, according to a county announcement. No appointment is required.

FEMA representatives will help residents complete applications, answer questions about the registration process and confirm that applications have been submitted correctly.

“We know the FEMA process can feel overwhelming, particularly for people who are already dealing with the loss of their homes, belongings, or sense of normalcy,” Chad Knecht, executive director of Hamilton County Emergency Operations, said in the announcement. “We want to remove as many barriers as possible to getting people the help they need.”

Applicants are encouraged to bring:

• A Social Security number
• Insurance information
• Information about property damage
• Financial information
• Current contact information
• Bank account and routing information if they want any approved assistance deposited directly into an account

Visiting the center is not required to apply. The county said the fastest option is to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov. A Spanish-language application is available at DisasterAssistance.gov/es.

Residents who cannot reach the center and are unable to apply online may call the Hamilton County Flood Relief Hotline at 317-645-3261. County staff will work with callers to identify barriers and determine what help may be available. Additional information is available on the county’s flood resources page.

“Our community has been through an extraordinary ordeal, and now we need to make sure the people who suffered losses have every opportunity to access the federal assistance available to them,” Hamilton County Commissioners President Christine Altman said. “Please don’t assume you won’t qualify. Register, ask questions, and let FEMA make that determination.”