INDIANAPOLIS — Lucas Oil Stadium is sure to be rockin' once again in 2016.
Five of the Indianapolis Colts' eight home games for the upcoming regular season are already sold out, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal, and only a few seats remain for the three games not already filled to capacity.[
Anthony Schoettie reports](http://www.ibj.com/blogs/4-the-score/post/59872-colts-nearing-season-sellout-despite-tempered-expectations) that all of the Colts' non-divisional matchups in 2016 — against the Detroit Lions (Sept. 11), San Diego Chargers (Sept. 25), Chicago Bears (Oct. 9), Kansas City Chiefs (Oct. 30) and Pittsburgh Steelers (Nov. 24) — are already sold out.
Indianapolis' home divisional matchups against the Tennessee Titans (Nov. 20), Houston Texans (Dec. 11) and Jacksonville Jaguars (Jan. 1), meanwhile, only have about 500 tickets remaining for each game.
The success in ticket sales for the upcoming season comes off the heels of a February letter from Colts Owner Jim Irsay, who promised season ticket holders that although the 2015 season "did not produce the outcome for which we continually strive" for the Colts, he was "extremely optimistic for the future" and "will do whatever it takes to put our team in a position to have a successful 2016 season."
"We have many great memories and accomplishments thanks to you being a part of The Horseshoe, and I cannot wait for next season to begin," Irsay wrote. "There are many more exciting things to come for you and your Colts."
In that letter, Irsay also said that despite some increases in season ticket prices for the 2016 season, he promised there would be no such increases next year for non-club/suite tickets.
Sure to be one of the more raucous crowds this season in Indianapolis will be the Oct. 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears, which will undoubtedly feature a good number of fans making the three-hour trip down Interstate 65 from the Windy City.
But every home game this season will have its own unique and exciting storyline, Colts Chief Operating Officer Pete Ward told IBJ.
"The Pittsburgh Steelers are a national brand and always draw well, and fans from Kansas City usually travel well," Ward said. "As far as the Bears game, we get a lot of people coming down from Chicago but they're never anywhere near the number of fans that are there cheering for the Colts."
Opened in 2008, Lucas Oil Stadium has about 63,000 permanent seats for football, but that capacity can be increased to about 68,000 when needed.
The venue last season was named the No. 1 game day experience in the NFL for a fifth consecutive season by Stadium Journey Magazine.[
Citing "a near perfect game day experience,"](http://www.colts.com/news/article-1/Lucas-Oil-Stadium-Ranked-Best-NFL-Experience-For-5Th-Year-In-A-Row/6ed675bc-d1d3-48c5-b33a-1a706610455c) Stadium Journey Co-Founder and President Paul Swaney gave the home of the Colts 4.7 out of 5 stars, with high marks for everything from neighborhood and atmosphere to fans, staff and value.
"When you look at all of the great stadiums that exist and certainly great traditions, one of the biggest things in the NFL is that there's this great tradition amongst NFL teams and their fans," said Larry Hall, the Colts' Vice President of Ticket Operations and Guest Services. "This is not an award that Lucas Oil Stadium gained, it's an award that the Colts' game day experience is No. 1. And that certainly is Lucas Oil Stadium, but it's also the staff, it's the fans, it's the way our players treat each other and opponents, it's the whole thing."
Those looking for more information on remaining Colts 2016 season, group and single-game tickets can click here, or call 317-299-4946.
