By Annie Goeller, Daily Journal of Johnson County staff writer
Fans of the state's two most popular professional sports teams say their seats will be filled, even if the price goes up with a new tax.
Season ticket holders for both the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Pacers said they will pay a few hundred extra dollars to help fund operating costs at the stadiums.
And most said they don't mind the increase.
A state proposal would increase the tax charged on tickets for sporting events from 6 percent to 10 percent, meaning the cost of John Auld's two Colts season tickets would increase about $12 per pair and per game.
Auld said he's willing to pay that price so downtown Indianapolis doesn't turn into the rundown area it was before the Colts and Pacers came to town.
"When you go downtown, you look at the businesses and the bars downtown. Without those teams, we're going to be like what we were in the 1970s," Auld said.
The Franklin man has had season tickets for more than 20 years and doesn't plan to give them up anytime soon.
A Pacers season ticket holder who has stuck with the team through thick and thin agrees.
Gordon McClure said he doesn't mind paying a little extra money to support his team because the Pacers bring a lot of revenue to the city and the region.
The tax now will be about $600 per season for the Greenwood man, compared to about $360 before.
But it won't stop him from buying the tickets, and his senior discount helps with the cost, too, he said.
John Chiarotti, of Franklin, expects to spend about $300 more on his four Colts season tickets with the tax hike.
He isn't happy that he would pay more in taxes under the proposal, especially since he disagrees with how many taxes people already pay.
"I'm certainly not happy that I'm going to pay more for tickets, especially from a tax-related standpoint," he said.
He also believes the teams should be willing to contribute, he said.
"They shouldn't burden the fans with all of that cost," Chiarotti said.
But he agrees that the teams bring a lot of business to Indianapolis and if fans want them to stay, they have to be willing to chip in, he said.
And he isn't willing to give up the season tickets he's had since the Colts came to Indianapolis 25 years ago.
"When they make it to the playoffs, I'm sure glad I've got them," he said.