Colts license plate auction ends

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Mary Milz/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis, Dec. 16 - Indianapolis Colts fans show their pride in many ways. Some wear the blue, others buy up Colts mugs, dolls, toothbrushes and even checker boards, while still others hope to take their team spirit on the road, even if it costs more than a trip to the Super Bowl.

The bid for Indiana license plate QB 18, one of 429 Colts license plates, is a rare touchdown for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Governor's Communications Director Marc Lotter says, "There aren't many times people are excited to interact with state government and this is one of them."

Friday morning, total bids topped more than $70,000 with QB 18, GO 1, WR 88, IC 1 and GO 18 generating the most money. "Right now we're at $500 for a plate. That's a little high, you know."

Still, the Blue Crew's Randy Collins was prepared to go higher yet so his wife could score plate #44. "She's been on the site four to five times a day and my strict orders are to go home and make sure it happens."

Several Colts fans say that while they're okay spending $55 for a jersey with the number 18 on it, spending several thousand for a license plate is a bit much.

"You know, maybe $200, but that's about it."

But not everyone is cheering. In Baltimore fans evidently don't like Indiana using the retired numbers of John Unitis, Gino Marchetti and others.

The Baltimore Sun reports, "Indiana Plates Leave old Colts flat." Quotes include "It's blasphemy" and "They're doing this to pay for a new stadium? I hope the thing collapses" and "Those people are grave robbers."

Lotter disagrees. "No, I think it's a great way to honor great football players."

Jeff Eden bid $150 on Unitis' 19 because he figured the Colts would go 19-0 this season. He says Baltimore needs to move on. "I can understand if we lost the Colts and they moved to L.A. and they took Manning's number 18 with them. That would have been hard and taken a while to get over. But it's been years, so they need to grow up and get over it."