The Cleveland Cavaliers released their official schedule for the 2018-19 season on Tuesday afternoon. There are several interesting match-ups on the itinerary, but there is one game on the slate that seems to be drawing the most attention for the Cavs: LeBron James’ return to Cleveland on November 21st.
As most hoops fans know by now, James decided to take his talents to Long Beach this offseason. The 14-time All-Star accepted a four-year, $154 million deal to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
James and the Lakers will play just one game in Cleveland this season. Ticket prices for that match-up are already soaring, as you might expect. In fact, a courtside seat for the King’s homecoming will set you back $2,275, according to a report from Joe Vardon of cleveland.com.
Parties of two or more will have to pay $189 to watch LeBron, Lonzo, Rondo & Co. from the corners of the upper deck, though seats at that price point are getting scarce. You may have better luck on the secondary market, where tickets start at $160 on Stubhub and $134 on Vivid Seats.
By comparison, a similar seat for the game against the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 30 costs just $20.
And, in case you were wondering, courtside tickets for the Cavs-Lakers are going for $2,275 each (as of Tuesday).
For some Cavs fans, James’ second departure from Cleveland was a tough blow. Others are simply ready to move on. His financial impact on the city of Cleveland and its surrounding area has been well-documented. Now, though, the same businesses that were benefiting from his presence will surely see a decline in revenue.
All is not lost for the Cavs, however. Cleveland is a team with several talented, young players, itching to prove their worth in an increased role. Now is their time.