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Bankers Life Fieldhouse will have a new name soon

By Tony East

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 5: Indiana Pacers mascot races a car across the floor during half time of the game against the Washington Wizards on February 5, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 5: Indiana Pacers mascot races a car across the floor during half time of the game against the Washington Wizards on February 5, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Pacers arena is getting a new name. Say your goodbyes to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Pacers have played in their current stadium since 1999 after the closing of the old Market Square Arena. The stadium was known as Conseco Fieldhouse upon its opening but in 2011 Conseco (the company itself) changed its name to CNO financial group. The stadium changed names from Conseco Fieldhouse to Bankers Life Fieldhouse at that time and that has been the vernacular ever since.

Until now.

It was announced by the IndyStar on Tuesday that CNO Financial group will not renew its contract for the naming rights to the arena. The contract ends in June of 2019.

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This marks the end of an era. The organization has been getting sporsored by CNO for two decades now. The Indy Star laid out the deal in their announcement about the name change:

“When the deal was initially struck between the Pacers and Conseco, in April 1998, an IndyStar source estimated the price tag at $2 million a year for the 20-year contract. That deal included $55 million more for a separate sponsorship, bringing the total commitment to $95 million. These agreements have only become more lucrative since.”

The Pacers will now need a new partnership that will pay for naming rights to the arena. It is unknown if there are any leads for the new sponsor at this time. One guess could be Ruoff Home Mortgage, who recently purchased the naming rights to what was formerly known as Klipsch music center.

The Bankers Life era was a lucrative one for the Indiana Pacers. They made the playoffs every season in that era, sans the Paul George injury season. Hopefully, the team can make it to the postseason in the final two seasons of the stadium’s current name.

Next: Thank you for your service, Trey McKinney-Jones

Who knows what the next Pacers arena will be named. We won’t find out for another 15 months. Hopefully, the team continues its Bankers Life level of success in the newly named building.

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