INDIANAPOLIS - The Pacers biggest win so far this season came Monday — off the court. Cheap Sneakers Online . One day after breaking out of a slump by beating Oklahoma City and hours before Miami rested its star players, essentially ceding the top seed in the East, the citys Capital Improvement Board approved a new deal that would help the Pacers stay financially competitive in one of the NBAs smallest markets. In exchange for providing $164 million to pay for operating costs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse over the next 10 years, the Pacers agreed to extend a lease agreement that will keep them in Indy for up to 13 more seasons. Board members voted 8-0 in favour of the deal. "This is a major factor helping us get on solid financial ground going forward," Pacers president Jim Morris said Monday. Its not the first time the Pacers have sought public assistance. Three years ago, team owner Herb Simon contended that he was losing money and could not continue to afford paying $15 million in annual operating costs. The CIB stepped in and agreed to spend up to $33.5 million through 2013. Now the quasi-government agency that runs Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home of the citys NBA team and WNBAs Indiana Fever; Lucas Oil Stadium, home to the NFLs Colts, and the citys convention centre will spend in excess of $10.8 million annually over the life of the deal. The contract runs for 10 years and includes three one-year extensions with the Pacers having the option for the first of those years. The last two will be mutually agreed upon. In return, the Pacers have agreed to stay at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and will give city leaders the "right of first offer" in the event the 79-year-old Simon dies and his heirs attempt to sell the team. The provision means the city could designate a new potential owner and that person would be able to make the first offer on the team or could match an offer from someone else. "With this agreement, one of our citys most important facilities will get some critical upgrades and continue to be home to some of our most amazing events," board president Ann Lathrop said after the vote. Critics argue that Simon, who is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion according to Forbes magazine, should foot the bill and that city leaders should fix roads and find more money for its understaffed police department. Mayor Greg Ballard contended the money in this deal couldnt be spent on those services anyway, though the new deal could create more money for those purposes. "By law, this money cant go there anyway," he said. "Its Economics 101. Youre trying to create more revenue for everything else. The assumption is that the pie is one size and thats not true at all. Youre trying to expand the pie." Simon has been frugal with his payroll. Larry Bird, the president of basketball operations, has made it clear Simon will not pay the NBAs luxury tax — the penalty for going substantially over the leagues salary cap. And the CIB investment should help the Pacers bottom line. The deal calls for the board to pay: — $3.7 million annually for fieldhouse operating expenses such as liability insurance, security and utilities; — $7.1 million in reimbursements for management of the arena, a price that includes an annual 3 per cent annual escalator clause: — $26.6 million in capital improvements to "major systems" such as locker rooms, concession stands and seating; — and half of the cost from the scoreboard the Pacers installed two years ago, taking over ownership at the end of the lease. The Pacers and Fever are the primary tenants at Bankers Life, but the arena hosts up to 500 different events throughout the year — everything from Indiana state basketball championships to concerts and other shows, all of which experts say helps the city prosper. But its the Pacers who needed the most help, and Morris believes this deal will keep them more competitive for the long run. "Were doing better," he said. "Weve had 28 sellouts this year, our attendance is up 15 per cent and our sponsorship is up. But weve had a tough 10 years and weve had substantial losses. Were making progress. For 10 or 11 years, we tried to find a way for the franchise to pay for the operating expenses of the building and we just couldnt." Wholesale Sneakers For Sale . Not that Durant cared. The only streak he cares about is still intact. Cheap Wholesale Sneakers Free Shipping . It was the first game back in Columbus for Rangers star Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets franchise leader in goals, assists and games. He was given a standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, but was booed loud and long after a second-period, two-handed shove up high on Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. http://www.sneakersuksale.com/ . The club says its first-choice centre back "underwent medical tests on Wednesday morning" which confirmed he has injured his right hamstring. The injury was caused in the second minute of Tuesdays 4-1 league win over Real Sociedad in the Camp Nou when teammate Sergio Busquets accidentally struck Mascherano just above the knee with an outstretched boot. The man in charge of the NCAA selection committee insists a win in November is worth the same as a win in March. Dont believe him? Check out the seeds slapped beside these conference champions: --A 4 for Louisville of the American Athletic. --A 4 for Michigan State of the Big Ten. --Yet another 4 for UCLA of the Pac-12. --A 7 for New Mexico of the Mountain West. Oh, and dont forget that 8 for Kentucky, which had the ball and a chance to beat Florida, the NCAA tournaments top overall seed, in the waning seconds of the SEC title game. Only Virginia, which wrapped up the ACC tournament Sunday to back up its regular-season title, seemed to get a significant bump from the conference tournaments that polish off resumes of teams before the start of Americas favourite office pool -- March Madness. Ron Wellman, chair of the NCAA selection committee, said the Cavaliers, considered a 2 or 3 on most mock-ups, "continued to impress us throughout the year." Asked to explain the mediocre seed for a team like Louisville, the defending national champion that has won 12 of 13 and rolled through the AAC tournament, Wellstone explained the committee looks at the entire resume, not just March. "We look at the total body of work, everything they did from November to March," he said. "Every time we scrubbed that seed, Louisville ended at the same place every time when compared to the people above them." The people above them in the Midwest region, which shapes up as the toughest, include top-seeded and undefeated Wichita State, No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Duke. Yes, thats three of last years Final Four teams. The national semifinals are April 5 in Arlington, Texas. On the 1 line in the West was Arizona, which stayed there despite falling in the Pac-12 title game to UCLA. The Bruins are a 4, same as Michigan State and Louisville -- their fellow power-conference champions. "They pass everyones eye test," Wellman said. "Theyre playing as well right now as anyone in the country. If you look at the last three or four weeks, they probably wouldve been seeded differently. When you look at the entire season, then its a little bit different." Of course, the numbers are just that -- numbers. In an era of one-and-done, superstar coaches and unending parity, the real drama starts after the brackets are out. Thats why Warren Buffett had no problem paying the insurance premium against a $1 billion payoff for anyone who fills out a perfect bracket. "Theres more good teams and less great teams," said coach Bill Self of second-seeded Kaansas. Wholesale Sneakers Uk. "The difference between a 2 seed and a 7 or 8 seed is as narrow as its ever been." The last four bubble teams in this years draw were 12th-seeded North Carolina State and Xavier, who play in the First Four on Tuesday, and 11th-seeded Iowa and Tennessee, who play Wednesday. Left out of the tournament was SMU of the AAC -- a team almost all the experts had securely in the bracket. But not the folks in the conference room, who couldnt overcome the Mustangs strength of schedule: 129. "When I saw Louisville, I kind of figured that they didnt have a lot of respect for our conference," said coach Larry Brown. "But we only can blame ourselves, thats the way I look at it." The committee handed out only seven at-large bids to mid-majors after they took 11 in each of the last two seasons. The Big 12 led all conferences with seven teams, though winning the conference didnt move Iowa State past the 3 line. Other conference titles that didnt change much: --St. Joes was the champion of the six-bid Atlantic-10 and got a 10 seed while the team the Hawks beat, VCU, was seeded fifth. --Providence went from the bubble to Big East champion and was seeded 11th. Meanwhile, Kansas lost in the semifinals of the Big 12 but remained a 2 seed because of its ranking in the RPI -- No. 3. The Jayhawks have to get through the first weekend without centre Joel Embiid, out with a back injury, but could face a third-round game against Mountain West champs New Mexico. "Off the top of my head, I cant remember exactly what the conversation was about New Mexico," Wellman said. "I can tell you the conversations about New Mexico were very positive." In the West, Arizonas second game could come against eighth-seeded Gonzaga, which lost its second game as a No. 1 seed last year, or No. 9 Oklahoma State, which has one of the nations best players in Marcus Smart. The nations top scorer, Doug McDermott (26.9 points per game), is on the other side of that bracket with No. 3 Creighton. On Virginias side of the East bracket is one team nobody wants to play come tournament time -- No. 4 Michigan State, which hadnt won back-to-back games since late January, but strung three together to win the nations second-toughest conference. "You dont get many teams that are talented, have inside and outside, show toughness, are together, have great chemistry," coach Tom Izzo said. "Ive said three times in my career that I thought we were good enough to get to a Final Four. I thought this team was next in line." ' ' '