"With Indianapolis Colts training camp starting next Sunday in Anderson, Ind., the bond that so tightly welded the team and its fans through recent glory years is showing cracks and strain. That the damage isn't worse seems a considerable positive for the Colts. They lost 14 games last season; released Peyton Manning, the most popular sports icon in city history; dumped other popular veterans; and riled many fans by saying they would blackout home games on local television if Lucas Oil Stadium isn't filled. Against that backdrop, Butler University marketing expert Dan McQuiston believes this season is critical to the Colts and their fans. "People only have so much time, money and sports loyalty to give," McQuiston said. "The Colts are going to have to recapture all three, kind of 're-compete' for them. "The thing about Central Indiana is there is so much competition: college football, even college basketball overlaps, high school sports, and the (Indiana) Pacers are beginning to creep their way into things again." The Colts owned the fans' time, money and loyalty while winning 10 or more games 11 times from 1999-2010, and they largely retain them on the basis of goodwill banked over that time. McQuiston doesn't expect the Colts, with their reworked roster, to win big this year but he feels they must deliver "customer satisfaction." That could be as simple as showing improvement and getting at least flashes of potential from Manning's successor, Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback and first overall pick in the 2012 draft who signed a four-year contract on Thursday." Read more: http://www.indystar.com/article/201...ll-fans-embrace-refreshed-Indianapolis-Colts-
