INDIANAPOLIS — Just hours after the Indiana Pacers’ emotional end to a historic season, change is already in the air and on the walls of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
On Monday morning, crews began the process of swapping out Pacers signage and banners to make way for the Indiana Fever.
Giant posters of Indiana Fever players now begin to line the Fieldhouse as the WNBA season kicks into high gear.
It's part of the yearly shift that highlights the arena’s dual role as home to both the NBA and WNBA franchises in Indianapolis.
The timing adds emotional weight this year.
The Pacers had just completed their deepest postseason run in nearly a quarter-century, battling past the Bucks, Knicks and Celtics before falling in the Finals to the Thunder, losing Game 7 103-91.
Game 7 dealt a devastating blow when Tyrese Haliburton, the team’s All-Star point guard, exited in the third quarter with what ESPN later confirmed as a torn Achilles.
Early Monday morning, fans welcomed the team back home with cheers and banners.
WRTV talked to superfan Seth Paxton, better known as “Naptown Seth” online, who followed the team on the road throughout the season.
He described the whirlwind of emotion after Game 7 while FaceTiming from the Oklahoma City airport.
“It’s like the end of the school year,” Paxton said. “You want it to keep going, but at the same time, it’s just been so intense."
While the banners may change, the pride remains. The Fever are now front and center, riding their own wave of excitement, and the Pacers leave behind a legacy from the 2024-2025 season that fans won’t soon forget.
