Will it always be Deer Creek? The history of the Noblesville amphitheater's name
Rory Appleton
For many, it will always be Deer Creek. But Noblesville's sprawling amphitheater has known a handful of names over the years, owing largely to its sale from local promoters to what would become the nation's largest concert and ticketing giant.
Some bands — Phish, Dave Matthews Band, various incarnations of The Grateful Dead — became synonymous with the venue regardless of its name. But here's how more than two decades of corporate sponsorship has affected Ruoff Music Center's history.
Deer Creek Music Center
1989-2001
Sunshine Promotions opened the amphitheater as Deer Creek Music Center in 1989.
More:Report: Ruoff Music Center ranked No. 1 amphitheater worldwide for ticket sales
SFX Broadcasting, which had previously been in the radio business, bought Sunshine in 1997 and transformed into SFX Entertainment, a concert promoter. Clear Channel Communications (which would eventually spin off into current owner Live Nation) purchased SFX in 2000 and expanded its lawn to increase capacity to 24,000.
Verizon Wireless Music Center
2001-2011
Verizon Wireless purchased naming rights for the venue shortly following its sale to Clear Channel.
In 2006, after its name change, Live Nation attempted to sell the venue. The company ultimately changed its mind a year later.
More:James Taylor will bring his All-Star Band to Ruoff Music Center on summer tour
Klipsch Music Center
2011-2017
Klipsch Audio, an Indianapolis-based speakers and home theater company, purchased the naming rights in 2011. Its contract ended in 2016, but the venue kept the name for an additional year as it found a new sponsor.
Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
2017-2019
Fort Wayne's Ruoff Home Mortgage bought the naming rights following the venue's 2017 season and promptly jammed its full title into the new name.
Ruoff Music Center
2019-present
In 2019, a few simple social media posts trimmed the name down to what we know it as today.
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Rory Appleton is the pop culture reporter at IndyStar. Contact him at rappleton@indystar.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @RoryEHAppleton.