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In 1976, the Indiana Pacers would be one of the lucky teams to survive the ABA-NBA merger even though their financial status would be the weakest in the league. While the rumor has never been confirmed, it was said that the Indiana Pacers only made the cut because Indianapolis was a better market than any of the other teams up for the trade. In fact, the financial troubles dated back to their ABA days where they had to sell off some of their star players just to make it through the season. The $3.2 million dollar entry fee to join the NBA would only put the team further into the hole. Luckily, a huge contribution from a local group of businesses through the 1976-1977 playing season and making sure that Indiana Pacers ticket holders had a team to watch. The team though gave their fans the terms that if they didn't sell 8,000 Indiana Pacers tickets bu the end of July 1977, the team would be sold and it would be possible that a new owner would move the franchise to another location, even another state.
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About The Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers finished their first season in the NBA with a mediocre 36-46 win record, but they would see two players invited to attend the All-Star game. In their first 13 years in the league, this would be one of the major highlights, as the Indiana Pacers ticket holders only saw their team go to the playoff's twice and had only one winning season. For some obtuse reason, after acquiring Adrian Dantley in a trade for Billy Knight, he was traded in December even though he was averaging 27 points a game at the time. Then the team would lose their second highest scorer, John Williams in January. These trades caused Indiana Pacers fans to revolt and stop purchasing tickets and the team was forced to publicity stunts in order to fill the seats. The Indiana Pacers would also invite the only woman to try out for an NBA team, Ann Meyers to training camp, but she wouldn't make the final cut.
The 1970's proved a hard decade for the team and they came out on the short end of the stick during most of their trades in the 1980's. In 1981, the team would see its only playoff appearance between 1977 and 1986. 1989-1990 the Pacers stepped up their game and made their third appearance in the NBA playoffs where they were swept by the Detroit Pistons. The next season, the Indiana Pacers ticket holders would once again hold tickets to see their team in the playoffs with a 41-41 record but as luck would have it, they faced the Boston Celtics as they would in the next years playoffs. They would also lost to the strong team both years.
Through the 1990's and the early 2000's, the Indiana Pacers would fight to win each game, making the playoffs several more times but never achieving the prize of winning the series. In the 2004-2005 season, the Indiana Pacers ticket holders would be at the center of an infamous event at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Pacers player Ron Artest fouled against Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons. Wallace fought back and the situation turned into an all out brawl. A Pistons Fan threw a cup of beer at Artest while he laid on top of a table and Artest exploded into the stands with teammate Jermaine O'Neal and proceeded to strike the fan who threw the beer and O'Neal hit a fan who dared to come onto the court. After the incident, the Indiana Pacers ticket holding fans watched as their team began to spiral downwards. While they still managed to pull off a winning season, and saw the playoffs for the 13th time in 14 years. Indiana would be defeated in the first round, yet again though.
The Indiana Pacers would spend the next years going through a rebuild and trying to make a stronger team to please the Indiana Pacers ticket holding fans. They would acquire new players, make trades and would see the departure of their General Manager since 1984, Donnie Walsh whom left to join the New York Knicks.
During the 2009 NBA draft, the team drafted some good players who are showing a lot of potential in making the team strong. Tyler Hansborough and A.J. Price, fresh out of college should provide the energy and motivation that the team needs to go all the way. Indiana Pacers ticket holders are also going to be graced with Dahntay Jones who was signed to a 4 year deal and Solomon Jones to a 2 year deal. Earl Watson was also signed to a 1 year deal and the Indiana Pacers were finally able to complete the buyout of Jamaal Tinsley.
