Goodyear gave away 1,292 bundles of joy — tires, give or take a set — during the NBA Finals to new Akron-area parents.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in the Finals, Goodyear came up with an “Akron Born” promotion, in partnership with Summa and Cleveland Clinic Akron General. The program in part celebrated superstar players LeBron James of the Cavs and Stephen Curry of the Warriors, both of whom were born in Akron.
(For the five or six people in Northeast Ohio who don’t know, the Cavs, down 3-1 in games at one point, won Sunday’s Game 7 over the Warriors for Cleveland’s first major pro sports title in 52 years.)
The Akron tire maker, in what it called a “Most Valuable Ride” package, gave away a set of four Goodyear brand tires, an “Akron Born” onesie and a car seat for each child born locally during the Finals. Nationally, people could share photos of Goodyear tires on their vehicles in social media for a chance to win a ride on a Goodyear blimp.
Monday, Summa spokesman Jim Gosky said they had 164 babies born during the playoffs — 82 boys and 82 girls. The hospital’s most recent birth was a boy, born about 45 minutes before Sunday’s tip-off.
“Everybody was just thrilled,” Gosky said of the Akron Born promotion. “I heard dads loved the tires.” (The babies, too, he quickly added.)
Akron General said they had 159 babies — 90 boys and 69 girls — over the playoff stretch. The most recent birth took place during the game.
One new mom and dad, obvious LeBron James fans, at Akron General gave their new baby girl a first name that started with the letter L and a middle name that started with the letter J, Goodyear said.
“It’s been a great year for many who are born in Akron,” Goodyear said in a news release. “We were very pleased to execute this unique program based on the powerful insight that great things are born in Akron. To be able to produce impactful moments for some deserving families was especially meaningful for the company.”
With any luck at all, the babies born during this year’s NBA Finals won’t have to wait until they are 52 for the next Cleveland pro sports championship.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him @JimMackinnonABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/JimMackinnonABJ