Indiana Pacers fans filed into Gainbridge Fieldhouse before 9 a.m. on Sunday and patiently waited for the gates to open so their tickets could be scanned. Tickets to the family-friendly event were free, but sold out within hours of going on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
It wasn’t until late Thursday that they knew for sure FanJam would be held at The Fieldhouse because if the Fever and Dallas Wings had both won their first-round WNBA playoff series, Round 2 would have gotten underway Sunday afternoon at The Fieldhouse.
Both lost in Game 3, so FanJam went on as usual.
“We’re excited about this season,” head coach Rick Carlisle said on media day. “I know our fans are excited about this season and it’s been a long summer. It’s been a very long summer.”
Pacers FanJam is a free event held each year for fans. It’s an opportunity to see the team up close and, in many cases, for the only time this season. The first 5,000 fans received a drawstring bag that includes a gold T-shirt, a voucher for a free hot dog, drink and bag of chips, along with a few promotional materials.
It’s also special because families of players, coaches, and staff members sit courtside.
The full story, observations, photos, and video of the entire scrimmage are below for paid subscribers.
