PACERS INK CONSECO TO NAMING RIGHTS DEAL FOR NEW FIELDHOUSE

          The Pacers on Friday announced a 20-year naming rights
     agreement to its new Fieldhouse arena with IN-based Conseco,
     Inc.  The 18,500-seat Conseco Fieldhouse will open for the
     '99-2000 season (Conseco).  In Indianapolis, Sean Horgan
     reported that the insurance and financial services company
     has agreed to pay the Pacers $2M a year for the next 20
     years.  The deal includes a "reopener clause," which allows
     the Pacers to review the $2M annual fee after 10 years "in
     relation to the value of naming rights for athletic
     facilities across the country."  Conseco also holds right of
     first refusal, giving it the opportunity to retain the
     naming rights beyond the life of the current deal.  Conseco
     Chair Stephen Hilbert: "I think it's going to be one of the
     best bangs for our dollar" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 5/23).