Herb Simon - what next?

EuroPacer · Post #1 » by **EuroPacer** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:41 pm

Hi all, just read somewhere in the Stephenson thread that Herb Simon is now 79. The man is a true Indiana legend and has done a great job keeping the Pacers going and making smart moves off the court. But 79 is an age where you begin to wonder. I hope he stays as owner for the next 50 years, but just in case that doesn't happen, what is in store for the Pacers? Is there a clear follow-up plan?

I must say I never thought about this as for me the Pacers are an irreplaceable NBA fixture, but with restless natives in Seattle on the prowl for a franchise...

mikepacernation · Post #2 » by **mikepacernation** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:15 pm

No way the pacers aren't going anywhere

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Starkiller · Post #3 » by **Starkiller** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:19 pm

I'm pretty sure at 79 there is no chance that Herb is going to own the team for the next 50 years :lol:

Post #4 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:33 pm

All very good questions. He's old, and his kids have no interest in owning or operating a basketball franchise. It's a very unclear ownership future, and there's little to no clear "buyer" that would obviously keep the franchise in Indy.

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Wizop · Post #5 » by **Wizop** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 8:47 pm

I hear David Simon has no interest but he's not the only Simon. as for clear buyers, I'd start with Forest Lucas and the Irsay girls.

mikepacernation · Post #6 » by **mikepacernation** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:53 pm

I don't see the pacers leaving indiana

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Post #7 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:17 pm

Wizop wrote:I hear David Simon has no interest but he's not the only Simon. as for clear buyers, I'd start with Forest Lucas and the Irsay girls.

The Irsay girls have no large amount of money unless the Colts are sold. They're money is tied up in "inheriting" their share of the Colts when they're sold.

Forest Lucas is a possibility, but there's no indication he's a basketball guy as much as just a Lucas Oil advertiser.

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mikepacernation · Post #8 » by **mikepacernation** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:29 pm

Larry birds gonna shock the world and take over.... Lol jk just being wishful lol

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Post #9 » by **Jake0890** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 12:56 am

Just hope Simon lives as long as possible, lol. It's going to be really hard to find a buyer for the Pacers. Off of a quick google search, in the 2012 season, we lost nearly 8 million dollars. The NBA generally isn't a profitable business venture unless you're playing in Miami, New York, or LA. Hopefully we could find a dedicated owner (maybe a group of owners?) when Herb passes.

EuroPacer · Post #10 » by **EuroPacer** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 11:33 am

I have to say, I had hoped it was all sorted. It is certainly a worrisome situation.

Wizop · Post #11 » by **Wizop** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:26 pm

I said the Irsay girls rather than Jim because I think if they were called upon to save the Pacers they'd do it through the next generation even though yes at this point the money is Jim's.

Forest does promote racing to advertise his oil business but he's a good citizen. he put millions into a failing dirt track near his Missouri cattle range when the local movers and shakers asked for his help. at heart he is an Indiana truck driver.

Post #12 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 6:05 pm

Wizop wrote:I said the Irsay girls rather than Jim because I think if they were called upon to save the Pacers they'd do it through the next generation even though yes at this point the money is Jim's.

Forest does promote racing to advertise his oil business but he's a good citizen. he put millions into a failing dirt track near his Missouri cattle range when the local movers and shakers asked for his help. at heart he is an Indiana truck driver.

The problem is, he's not really an "Indiana first" guy. He spends time here for business, and that's about it.

As for the Irsay girls, they may be asked, but probably wouldn't be able unless Jim sells the Colts. They wouldn't really have a choice.

Anyone know if Chrystal DeHaan would have any interest? I won't go into my personal feelings about her, but lifelong Hoosier with a ton of money....

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Moooose · Post #13 » by **Moooose** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:03 pm

Indiana without a pro basketball team seems impossible.

Wizop · Post #14 » by **Wizop** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 10:13 pm

Scoot McGroot wrote:The problem is, he's not really an "Indiana first" guy. He spends time here for business, and that's about it.

he does spend a lot of time at their plant in California but he still has his house in Morengo and he bought the Hilbert mansion. pretty sure his son still lives in Brownsburg and has a motorcycle business there. there's still a plant in Corydon too. his story is pretty incredible. he was a trucker from southern Indiana who developed an oil additive in his bathtub. when it worked in his trucks, he started peddling it to truck stops as he drove around the country and now he sells a full line of products all over the world. annual sales are in the billions and he owns it all. they are everyday people with deep Indiana roots.

Wizop · Post #15 » by **Wizop** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 7:28 pm

IU Athletics just got 40mm from a Simon daughter to renovate Assembly Hall so there are members of the next Simon generation who have interests beyond the mall business.

Post #16 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:57 pm

Wizop wrote:IU Athletics just got 40mm from a Simon daughter to renovate Assembly Hall so there are members of the next Simon generation who have interests beyond the mall business.

True. But money to IU is different than taking over ownership of an NBA franchise long-term.

I'm not meaning to be alarmist, but just recognizing that the future ownership of the franchise is a little up in the air.

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Wizop · Post #17 » by **Wizop** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:08 pm

your concern isn't misplaced as the logical Simon successor seems to have no interest. I'm just a little more confident than you are that there are local people who will step up to the plate to keep the franchise here.

Post #18 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:44 am

Wizop wrote:your concern isn't misplaced as the logical Simon successor seems to have no interest. I'm just a little more confident than you are that there are local people who will step up to the plate to keep the franchise here.

I certainly hope so.

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Boneman2 · Post #19 » by **Boneman2** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:28 pm

Indiana will not lose its franchise. Any speculation that the family wouldn't continue past Herb's ability to function is baseless chatter. His lineage does have the savvy seeing how his son is CEO of SPG.

Even if the Simon sells, it doesn't mean a non-hoosier would consider buying the team only to move it. Another possibility is Bird forming a coalition with prominent investors to buy the team.

There are only so many large markets, after that Indy is up there in terms of attributes a city can offer a pro basketball team. There are other franchises located in much weaker NBA markets that the NBA would relocate first (New Orleans, Sac., Orlando, Milw. Clev. etc...).

Unfortunately, I've been hearing the dreaded word "expansion" being floated around, with Seattle getting one of the two franchises added.

Post #20 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:36 pm

Boneman2 wrote:Indiana will not lose its franchise. Any speculation that the family wouldn't continue past Herb's ability to function is baseless chatter. His lineage does have the savvy seeing how his son is CEO of SPG.

Even if the Simon sells, it doesn't mean a non-hoosier would consider buying the team only to move it. Another possibility is Bird forming a coalition with prominent investors to buy the team.

There are only so many large markets, after that Indy is up there in terms of attributes a city can offer a pro basketball team. There are other franchises located in much weaker NBA markets that the NBA would relocate first (New Orleans, Sac., Orlando, Milw. Clev. etc...).

Unfortunately, I've been hearing the dreaded word "expansion" being floated around, with Seattle getting one of the two franchises added.

It's not purely baseless. It's been reported by Pacers beat writers for years.

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