The Pacers hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings with just one game remaining and have "returned to the forefront of the Indianapolis sports scene," according to Zak Keefer of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Their 28 sellouts this season are the most since '99-'00, "three more sellouts than the previous three seasons combined." Average attendance -- 17,501 -- is "up more than 2,000 a game from last season and is at its highest in 13 years." Meanwhile, ratings on FS Indiana "have shot up" 97% since last season, the "sharpest increase by any team in the league." FS Indiana will "enjoy its best ratings in nine years," and the team's Dec. 10 game against the Heat was the "highest-rated Pacers regular season game ever on the network." Indianapolis will "finish as the fourth-best local TV market in the NBA, trailing only Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Miami." Meanwhile, Pacers Sports & Entertainment VP/Ticket Sales Strategy Derek Throneburg said that the team has seen a 30% "growth in season-ticket packages in each of the past two years, and the season-ticket renewal campaign" is up 100% from last season. SeatGeek data showed that on the secondary market, no team has "seen a larger rise in its average ticket price for home games" than the Pacers' 74%. The team "sold out every playoff game last spring," and fans can "expect the same over the coming weeks" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/13).
SIMON SAYS: In Indianapolis, Schoettle, Olson, McLaughlin & Andrews noted the $160M agreement that extends the Pacers' Bankers Life Fieldhouse lease through at least the '23-24 season "appears to pave the way" for team owner Herb Simon to "pass the reins to his eldest son, Stephen." A Capital Improvement Board presentation states that the agreement "lays out how events would unfold after the death of Herb Simon, now 79." At that point, the summary states, "We understand that Mr. Simon's heirs will take control of the team per his will and trust agreements." The summary "does not elaborate on terms of the succession, but Herb has said in interviews in recent years that he sees a central role for Stephen." Herb Simon has "at least six other children," but sources said that those children "appear to have little desire to run the team." The sources said that Herb Simon's wife, Porntip "Bui" Simon also could "become part-owner of the team upon his death." Because of the spousal exemption, the Simon estate would "not have to pay estate taxes on any portion of the team passed to his wife." Ownership interests "passed to Stephen or his other children would be subject to estate taxes," which run at about 40%. Team officials have said that Stephen Simon "became more involved in the franchise after Herb became sole owner by buying out his brother, Melvin, a short time before Melvin's death" in '09 (INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/11).
