Would the Pacers ever leave Indiana?

The Pacers have been a part of Indiana since their inception. They have been in Indianapolis ever since their ABA days, although there have been some rough days in their past. There was a time in the 1980s that almost saw the Pacers leave. They had to have a telethon to raise money to save them.

Herb Simon was the man who stepped up and saved the Pacers in Indiana. He is now the longest-tenured owner in the league. The shopping mall and real estate mogul has kept the Pacers in a basketball-crazed state and has kept them mostly competitive throughout the years.

Simon is 89 years old now. He will never move the Pacers as long as he's the owner. But how much longer will he be the owner? As far as I'm aware, there is no succession plan with the franchise. So what happens with the Indiana Pacers once he is no longer involved?

Could the Indiana Pacers ever leave the state of Indiana?

If there is an outside buyer, there could be a chance that the Pacers leave the state. I know that Simon would never outright sell the team to someone who would move the team. The only chance that there would be for the Pacers to move is if there is no succession plan lined up once he passes.

I highly doubt that Pacers fans have anything to worry about when it comes to the team moving. The time for that passed four decades ago. This fanbase is now deeply entrenched with the team and attendance has improved. It wouldn't make sense for the team to move.

What happens with Simon is something to watch moving forward though. He isn't getting any younger. I have to assume that there is some plan in place behind the scenes that has this all figured out. I'd be shocked if there wasn't.

Simon is a private man who doesn't speak to the media very often. He has done a good job with the Indiana Pacers and the organization is well-run thanks to him.