Indiana Pacers fans are relatively unstressed, survey says

The Indiana Pacers had a relatively quiet offseason after a disappointing season which saw them limp into the lottery. However, quite perplexingly, the Blue and Gold faithful ranked among the least stressed fanbases in the league, according to a recent poll by online sports betting website Betus.com.

While the Pacers have been consistently bannering competitive teams from season to season, qualifying for the playoffs 24 times in the last 30 seasons, no one can really say that Indy fans are spoiled. After all, despite their persistent direction of winning, the franchise still does not have a championship to its name.

Maybe one can look at this and point to Indianapolis being a basketball state to justify the fanbase’s surprising ranking. As someone from outside the state, I wouldn’t really know, but based on what the common eye can see from many social media interactions, Pacers fans, rightfully so, are far from content in the franchise’s unwillingness to fully commit to whatever direction they’re taking, be it in spending big or rebuilding.

How are Indiana Pacers fans apparently quite lax compared to the others?

Still, the Indiana Pacers fanbase’s low ranking in the list is quite surprising, especially when considering their companions in the bottom five.

With the exception of Portland, which must be antsy with the possibility of franchise player Damian Lillard forcing his way out of town and Utah, which remains as one of the league’s bona fide title contenders despite a miserable playoff exit, the teams at the bottom are franchises that have been among history’s most successful clubs.

San Antonio, ranked 29th, missed the playoffs twice in a row, but their fans are incredibly spoiled by consistent winning after an NBA-record 22 straight postseason run headlined by five championships. While the Spurs are currently rebuilding, their fanbase is far from a radioactive bunch.

Chicago, apparently the league’s least stressed fanbase, has been up and down since Michael Jordan’s heralded 90s run which paved the way for six championships, but fans are seemingly happy with the way the franchise is moving in the present after an offseason filled with fireworks.

Not only do the Pacers fall short in the history department, but their present stance isn’t inspiring either. Fans of the Blue and Gold can only hope that the team gets back on track and starts to make legitimate noise in the much improved Eastern Conference after hiring Rick Carlisle and acquiring new cogs in the offseason to add to their core of Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, TJ Warren and Myles Turner.

Ultimately, until the Indiana Pacers start being competitive to the point of legitimate contention, I don’t see fans being as unbothered as this list suggests. It may be too lofty in the present given what transpired last season, but they will have a chance to prove that they can indeed give fans some actual satisfaction in the following campaign.