INDIANAPOLIS — Sports has a way of bringing people together.
Ron and David Craft, father and son, are ultimate Pacers fans who rarely miss a game. Their love for the blue and gold has made their own bond stronger.
“I was speechless. I couldn't do anything but cry,” said Ron. He and his father were there when the Pacers won the Eastern Conference Finals.
Their love for the team runs deep. David has been a fan for six decades.
“I got to enjoy it as a kid when they won the ABA championship. This is totally different because I've been able to go to the games for so many years, and I know all of the players, so it's special,” David said.
And he gets to cheer for the team alongside his son.
“Yes, that's the best part because our relationship has grown through the Pacers,” David said.
The two are part of the Turner's Block Fan Zone.
“This is year 14 in the fan zone, and I've been waiting for this all 14 of those years. I can't wait for game three to be in the building for it,” said Ron.
Ron's downtown office is decked out in Pacers decor. He also has two Pacers tattoos, including one that depicts Myles Turner standing up, cheering for Ron during his Turner's Block tryout. The memory reflected in ink forever.
“We’ve been able to develop a great relationship away from just being in the building and cheering the team on, to actually get to know these guys away from the court and see how just amazing they are, representing our city, our state and this team,“ David said.
They've been able to get to know the players through a tradition they started called "the airport squad."
“It's something that my mom did when I was kid, because we couldn't afford to go to games,” said Ron.
For nearly every away game, they wait at the airport to send the team off and welcome them back home.
"He’s the first fan they see when they come home, and the last one they see before they leave," said Ron, referring to his dad.
David thinks the team's close bond is driving their success this season.
"They’re more than a team. They're a brother, they're a brother, they're a family, and that's why they’re playing so well," said David.
A bond on the court that's bringing so much joy and love to Pacers fans and even strengthening bonds like this one off the court.
“Like most fathers and sons, We butted heads quite a bit when I was younger, but this has brought us back together in such an amazing way. And like I said, getting to experience this with Him, knowing how long he's been a fan, raising me as a fan. It's, it's, it's wonderful," Ron said.
Ron and David say they think the Pacers will take the series in six games.
