National Basketball Association

With media horde on way, LeBron makes Cleveland NBA's capital

Published Sep. 25, 2014 5:42 p.m. ET

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INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James has done more than place his hometown NBA team back in championship contention. He's made Cleveland the center of the sports universe.

The Cavaliers are expecting approximately 300 reporters for Friday's media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence. That's almost triple last year's number -- and includes media members from outlets as far away as Germany, Israel, Japan and Brazil.

For opening night against the New York Knicks (Oct. 30), the Cavs have issued about the same amount of press credentials as they would for a game in the conference finals.

How's that for buzz?

And how's this for power: The NBA initially scheduled the Cavs to open 2014-15 on the road. You read that right. Not at Quicken Loans Arena -- on the road.

But after some urging from team owner Dan Gilbert, the league changed its mind, scrambled to fix the schedule at the last minute, then finally made the correct call. LeBron and the Cavs will open at home, because that's the way the Cavs wanted it, and frankly, the way it should be.

Think any of this happens without LeBron?

Think the Cavs, sans the game's brightest star, convince the league to rearrange things, because it's not only in the best interest of Cleveland, but the entire NBA?

Probably not. Probably doesn't happen.

It's not just basketball. LeBron alone is a major boost to the city's economy. In fact, no athlete anywhere can make the financial impact in the city that James does.

Not Johnny Manziel. Not Kobe Bryant (not even in his prime). Not any other Cav.

Imagine this team with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Dion Waiters and Shawn Marion. Nice team. People would be excited. But even those fine players combined don't offer the hope, or the money-generating hype, of James.

As someone who has covered pro basketball for a long time, and was here the first time LeBron was in town, I can also tell you this time is different.

For me, the first time covering LeBron was like covering the world's best basketball player. Now, it's like covering The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. LeBron is about that big. Actors and singers and superstar athletes from other sports all want to meet him. Popular culture has embraced his feel-good decision to return to his Akron home. He has never been more admired, he has never been bigger news.

Last year, I entered a downtown establishment near The Q. It was on a Friday after a Cavs game. The joint was dead with a capital "D." Yes, it was the weekend. Yes, it was downtown Cleveland. No, nobody was around.

"If LeBron doesn't come back, I don't know what we'll do," the manager told me in February. "The money from his first seven years (with the Cavs) is about to run out."

Now, the manager expects to make a killing, and he is right.

"Our Tuesday nights will be better than our Fridays and Saturdays were without (James)," he predicted.

Every night will be a celebration of basketball. Every game will be a must-see event. Every person who cares about the NBA will have their eyes set on Cleveland.

It all starts Friday at media day, and it will last all year long.

Follow on Twitter @SamAmicoFSO