Update noon Monday:
The Dick’s Sporting Goods store at Chapel Hill mall is doing business as if it were Black Friday, the store manager said in a phone conversation. He didn’t have time for an interview.
Rubber City Clothing has on its Facebook page that it has a new shirt design that says, “You’re welcome Cleveland, Love Akron.”
The presses started rolling at about midnight and will produce several thousand extra copies of the Beacon Journal. Demand was so great that the paper was to print an additional 35,000 Monday afternoon.
The headline: “Won for all!”
In this story:
Team arrival Monday morning
People lining streets in Fairlawn for James’ arrival
Dick’s Sporting Goods overwhelmed
Outside LeBron James’ house
Country star Luke Bryan stopped mid-song
Stuart Warner and lots of people crying
The President responds
Here are developments as Northeast Ohio — and the President of the United States — react to the Cavs victory.
The team is to arrive around 12:30 p.m. Monday at Atlantic Aviation, 6200 Riverside Drive across from the IX Center near Cleveland Hopkins Airport.
The LeBron James Family Foundation is encouraging fans to line Embassy Parkway and Akron General Wellness Center in Fairlawn to welcome the James family home. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. and there is limited space.
The Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Fairlawn, which had stayed open late to sell championship gear, had to close at 12:45 a.m. because it was deluged with fans. A sign in the door said the store would reopen at 6 a.m., according to Beacon Journal reporter Craig Webb.
Beacon Journal Cleveland Indians reporter Ryan Lewis, who had been there earlier, posted a video of the store wall-to-wall with fans in line for shirts and other items.
Nike posted a new video www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyGL6B7OH5A">#AlwaysBelieve. On YouTube, the video is accompanied by the words:
After years of holding its breath, Cleveland can finally breathe easy.
They always knew this day would come. They just didn’t know when.
A curse broken.
A city can rejoice.
A city can rejoice.
Beacon Journal reporter Craig Webb stopped outside the Bath Township home of LeBron James at about midnight and found two TV trucks already set to broadcast, Bath Township Police set to stay the night, and Jay Ventura, 20, of Norton, with friends.
Ventura said he had come to the house with four friends immediately after the game. He said they had attended all the watch parties, but Sunday night’s party was sold out too fast, so they watched it at home.
“We were all out here when he came home [from Miami], so we wanted to be out here again for the win,” he said. “This is just an unreal feeling.”
He had just talked to his dad, who is 40 and said he thought he’d never live to see a championship in Cleveland.
Bath Township Police Chief Michael Meyer said that when the game ended there were fireworks and cheering in the neighborhood, and about 30 to 40 gathered outside James’ house.
“The have been coming in waves,” he said. “Every one has been very happy.”
He said the neighbors have been taking things in stride. No complaints.
Police intended to stay outside the house through the night. He said Cleveland traffic was bottled up, and he expected some of the fans to migrate to Bath.
“We just want everyone to have a good time.”
At the second night of Buckeye Country Super Fest at Ohio State Stadium, country star Luke Bryan stopped mid-song — “Play it Again” — after two fans in the front row, wearing Cavs shirts, gave him a thumbs up. He announced the victory and the crowd erupted.
Former Beacon Journal columnist Stuart Warner posted on Facebook: “is it OK for a 64-year-old man to cry!” and was quickly greeted with a long list of friends who said they were crying, and more than 120 “likes” in about an hour.
In Myrtle Beach, S.C., a favorite location for Ohioans, people ran to motel balconies screaming with joy and beach-side bars cheered as the final seconds ticked down.
The large mural outside the Quicken Loans Arena now includes the words, “Champions.”
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan posted the following statement shortly after the game: “On behalf of the City of Akron I’d like to congratulate Akron’s hometown hero, LeBron James, and the entire Cavaliers organization for winning the 2016 NBA Championship. Their determination and perseverance throughout the season brings us pride and joy as we celebrate with them. LeBron continues to exemplify the very spirit of Akron, and for that we are all grateful. I look forward to his return to the City of Akron when we will honor his record setting achievement.”
The City of Akron Mayor’s Office is actively working with representatives for LeBron and his Foundation to plan an appropriate celebration in Akron.
President Obama at 11:30 p.m. tweeted: “What a game and what a series for the @Cavs. Happy to see @KingJames bring it home for Cleveland!”
The White House confirmed that he was on Air Force One, which had landed and parked, but delayed getting off the plane for 10 minutes to watch the rest of the game.
People could be heard cheering outside their homes as the last 10.6 seconds ticked away, and fireworks followed in the city of Green.