The Indiana Pacers were founded on February 2 , 1967 as an American Basketball Association franchise , and moved to the National Basketball Association in 1976 . Indiana Pacers . The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the league 's Eastern Conference Central Division . The Pacers were first established in 1967 as a member of the American Basketball Association ( ABA ) and became a member of the NBA in 1976 as a result of the ABA -- NBA merger .
The Indiana Pacers were established as a member of the American Basketball Association in 1967.