Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee threw his full support behind the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, giving out 750 tickets to Game 2 and in the process turning out the people of Indianapolis and turning Bankers Life Fieldhouse into a party. So many showed. in fact that they ran out of tickets and started doling out Game 5 tickets to help fill the balcony.
I was surprised to see such a big turnout when I arrived around 4:30 p.m. to check out the scene which created a fun and festive atmosphere prior to the game. McAfee greeted fans as they shot free throws before getting their ducats (four tickets for a make and two for a miss) pumping them up to shoot and then telling them to have a great time. He treated each of the hundreds of fans he interacted with as if they were the only one that showed.
McAfee has been a staunch supporter of the Pacers since he was drafted by the Colts three years ago. Having grown up in the Pittsburgh area where there was no NBA team, he wants to make sure Indy fans appreciate the team and the progress they've made in that time.
Big ups to the Pacers marketing folks for making this thing happen. The Fieldhouse wasn't full on Monday, but it was close and the crowd was fantastic. Great to hear all of that noise heading into a time out after a Pacers' run.
Here's a video capturing the scene at the start of #PatsPacerPlayoffParty.
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