The Indiana Pacers have been the NBA’s best team from the outset of the regular season, running up 17 wins in 19 tries as the team attempts to rest up in time for its showdown with the defending Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.

That game will be played in Texas, which means scores of local Indiana fans will have to line up in front of their television sets to check the action. And with both high definition receivers and large TVs becoming cheaper and cheaper, most will be treated to a fantastic experience in 1080i from FOX Sports Indiana, one that in a few ways rivals or even betters the live experience of taking the games in.

The Pacers have noticed this, no doubt, because the team is ranked 18th in total attendance this season – partially the fault of the smallish (but fantastic) Bankers Life Fieldhouse that they play in, but mostly because going to an actual game can be a pretty expensive experience. Ratings have shot way up for the Pacers, though, which is why FOX has decided to give a little back to a Pacers team that has spent quite a bit to vault to the top of the league.

FOX Sports Indiana will pay the online fees to any home ticket bought for 2013-14 Pacer games from now until the end of the calendar year. This news was brought to us by Tom Lewis at Indy Cornrows, and explained to us by the Pacers’ official site:

Though I live in Indiana, I personally am not a Pacer fan – but as someone who has gone to and covered games at the Fieldhouse I can tell you that seeing a game there is a fantastic experience. Whether it’s a middling Pacer team from years past, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, or this championship-level Pacer team. And though results may vary for teams that play in larger towns, my family of four and I proved last spring that you can have a great time at a Pacer game at an affordable rate.

With that in place, and as someone who was just hooked up to his first hi-def receiver earlier this week, I can understand not wanting to leave the couch. Lewis, over at Indy Cornrows, detailed the recent ratings jump:

That Chicago game was probably even an outlier, as it stood as Reggie Miller’s last home regular season game as a member of the Pacers.

This is a great team, FOX Sports Indiana covers it expertly, and we understand the hesitation when deciding to stay at home. Still, this is a pretty interesting win-win-win for both the station, the team and potential in-person Pacer fans. They should take advantage.

- - - - - - -

Kelly Dwyer

is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @KDonhoops