Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana

I have been a Pacers fan since my freshman year of college, when I was desperate for any way to connect with my father. Asking Dad about an NBA game the night before was a lot more fun than answering repeated questions about homework I hated and classes I didn’t care about. Of course, it was in the heyday of the Reggie Miller years. That was then, and this is now! I still try to make it to a game at least once each season anyway. I am grateful to RazorGator for providing the tickets to this season’s home opener against Miami Heat.

Conseco Fieldhouse
Part of my fascination with attending a game each year is the arena. Conseco Fieldhouse is a fabulous venue. CFH is three levels of amazing, truly one of the most gorgeous sports arenas I’ve seen. There are practically no bad seats! When my tickets arrived, I was a little concerned about the balcony level seating. We had front row seats and, while high, the view was great. Row 1 in Section 224 was particularly nice as there are no seats directly behind us. It is a handicap area, but was empty for our game. This means we could stand at will without bothering anyone. I also enjoy the opportunity to prop my feet up on the balcony ledge.

Location and Parking at Conseco Fieldhouse
Located at 125 S. Pennsylvania Street in downtown Indianapolis, Conseco Fieldhouse is easy to get to. There is ample parking for several blocks around the arena, but the simplest is the Dennison parking garage right across the street. Event parking in the area will run you $5-15. The parking garage, attached by skywalk directly to Conseco Fieldhouse, is only $12 for covered parking and $6 for rooftop parking. Entry and exit is easy with the added bonus of staying indoors the entire time (especially helpful if it rains as it did Friday night).

It’s All about the Food
It features over 100 concessions, from fine dining at Varsity Club to standard arena faire at Pepsi Square. I actually never found the food I’d been looking forward to all week. The 3-point nachos appear to be exclusive to the club level, where I sat last spring. I didn’t get my bbq pork nachos, but I did learn they sell a Bottomless souvenir soda and popcorn. For only $6.75, I got a large refillable soda. This can save a lot of money if you are one to purchase multiple drinks. I also learned that margaritas are best left to the experts outside of the venue. Not tasty. We rectified the situation with a short walk to Scotty’s Brewhouse for their Friday night special right after the game.

Additional Events at Conseco Fieldhouse
One of my favorite things about attending the games is the special events and offers. There are numerous free gift nights, netting fans things like free lottery tickets, bobble heads and t-shirts. For opening night, there was a Block Party featuring Third Eye Blind. We weren’t able to make it downtown before the game, though. At first, I was disappointed that we’d miss out but when the day brought rain I was okay with not standing outside in it. It was a fun idea, in theory, but blocking off the areas surrounding the Fieldhouse did make our arrival a bit cumbersome. The Home Court gift shop also has a nightly special. The fleece sweatshirt was only $18, as opposed to its usual $35 price tag. The Game Night Special is even available online if you want to take the opportunity to buy fan gear at a discount even when you can’t attend.

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat
Having Jermaine O’Neal back in the building was a treat. My friend Julie commented on how funny it was that Pacer fans were booing him when just a few years ago we cheered for all the same things. “Boo! We don’t like your new shirt!” Seriously, though, I don’t have a lot to say about the game itself since the Pacers have been a subpar team for awhile now. I’ll wear my Reggie Miller jersey to every game as long as it lives. I hope to one day cheer for him again in Conseco Fieldhouse, as he’ll make a fantastic coach someday. For now, I’ll enjoy the venue, I’ll cheer along with the Pacemates and the Loud Crowd but there isn’t much actual excitement there.

It’s always a fun experience, and the night before Halloween was no exception. The Power Pack were all in costumes, as were several fans. We particularly enjoyed Scooby Doo wearing a Pacers jersey.

The Pacers lost their 2nd game of the season 83-96. It did not affect Girls Night in any way. I have been to games with my husband, my family, large groups and my dad. This was the first time I’d ever attended a game with a girlfriend. I’m honestly not sure why more single girls aren’t season ticket holders! It’s a fun evening at an awesome arena filled with great food and men galore.

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