"Bottom tier organization" -Indiana Pacers management leaves fans disappointed ahead of Game 1 of NBA finals
"Bottom tier organization" -Indiana Pacers management leaves fans disappointed ahead of Game 1 of NBA finals (Image source: Getty)
Indiana Pacers arranged a free merch event for their supporters ahead of the NBA finals which ended in chaos. With fans lining up for the free merch at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Pacers' were out of the freebies before the event could even end.
Though the massive number of supporters did show enthusiasm, the poor management and risk handling skills of the Pacers' management is out for scrutiny. After being out of freebies for the event, the team made the announcement on their Instagram and X handles, leaving fans, who were waiting for hours, disappointed.
Indiana Pacers'
Gear Grab
event went out of hands
The recent drive through event organized by the Indiana Pacers went out of hand as the team was out of free merchandise before the event ended.
The event, named 'Drive Thru Gear Grab,' was held on June 5, 2025, the day of NBA finals, thus increasing fans' excitement. The team had officially made the announcement on June 4, 2025, where they clearly stated that it will be a drive-through free merchandise event at Pennsylvania St. side of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the first 5000 vehicles will get their hands on exclusive Pacers' merchandise. The event was supposed to start at 4 PM EDT and should have lasted for 3 hours.
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What the team did not expect was the huge queue of fans lining up for the event before the starting time. Due to the huge response, all the merchandise packs went out even before the event ended. Due to this, the Pacers' had to make an official statement apologizing to fans regarding the sudden pause and thanking them for showing up in big numbers.
Indiana Pacers release official statement on running out of the gear Grab merchandizes (Image Source: Indiana Pacers via X)
However, many fans were left disappointed with the poor management skills of the team and expressed their grief on the situation.
One fan went on to say, 'Been here since 3:30pm thanks for giving away all the bags to people who walked up instead of those who followed the rules and stayed in their cars in the drive up lane.'
It seemed various fans did not follow the rule of staying in the drive through lane and went straight up to get the gear packs. What's more astonishing is that the Pacers' management didn't do anything about it. Despite the chaos, most fans are quite happy that the team is now one step closer to that trophy.
Indiana Pacers is entering the finals for the first time since 2000, which makes it all the more special for the fandom. Whether they will sweep the trophy from the OKC Thunder or disappoint their fans again, remains to be seen.
Also Read:
NBA Finals 2025: Where to watch Game 1 Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder, full schedule and more
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