* Photo Credit:
– “2013 Cleveland Cavaliers 1” by Michael Tipton is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
By Darayus Sethna
Have you been missing Cavs Basketball? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Ever since March of this year, something has felt like it has been missing for me as well. And now, not just Cavs fans, but basketball fanatics all over the world have been given the best holiday gift they could ask for: the return of the NBA!
As for the Cleveland Cavaliers, their last official game was on March 10th, 2020, where they fell in Chicago to the Bulls by a final score of 108-103. Now over nine months later, the team has concluded their final preparations as they begin their 2020-21 campaign. Earlier this month, I had the chance to access a virtual “kick off” session with the Wine and Gold United fan group. The call itself lasted almost one hour and forty minutes. It included interviews with Cavs CEO, Len Komoroski, President of Business Operations, Nic Barlage, General Manager, Koby Altman, and last but certainly not least, Cavs Head Coach, J.B. Bickerstaff. Whether it was on the team or new safety protocols that will be established at RocketMortgage Fieldhouse, each of these four individuals brought some very interesting points of discussion to the table.
The first interview of the virtual session was hosted by the Cavs’s Spanish play-by-play announcer, Rafael Hernandez Brito. Joining him was Len Komoroski and Nic Barlage. First and foremost, Barlage exclaimed just how excited he was that the Cavaliers and their season was finally back in action:
“It gives you a little bit of a bounce in your step… It’s an injection of energy back into our city.”
Additionally, Barlage discussed how the team’s ticketing operations will be taking their services to a different provider for this year. They will be working with SeatGeek to ensure that the minimal number of fans who will be allowed to attend games will not have to worry about catching COVID-19 from social interactions:
“It really centers on our fan’s experience… So no more friction, no more seat locators, everything is digital now, and we think that’s really important from a health and sanitation perspective.”
Speaking of health and sanitation, the CEO of the Cavs, Len Komorski, emphasized how RocketMortgage Fieldhouse in Downtown Cleveland is unlike any other facility when it comes to safety from the virus. When Hernandez Brito asked him about what fans can expect when entering the arena, Komoroski had this to say:
“We have what we believe will arguably be the safest building in Ohio… We have an amazing collaboration partner in the Cleveland Clinic… We have a contactless environment, we have a cashless environment… All with the effort to try to create the ultimate safe environment.”
One can certainly say that the Cavaliers have it covered on the business and fan experience side of the spectrum. But what about the team itself? What is new about the roster, both on and off the court? In the second segment of the virtual call, Fox Sports Ohio broadcaster John Michael sat down to talk with Koby Altman and J.B. Bickerstaff on what has been transpiring with the team over the COVID-19 hiatus.
These last few months have certainly allowed society to have the opportunity to reflect on social justice within the United States. And Altman, being an African-American himself, has been at the forefront of contributing to the Cavs being a more inclusive organization to all who deserve an opportunity:
“I think it’s an everyday focus… I have to step out of my comfort zone and take risks and make sure the organization is aligned with what America looks like too.”
Furthermore, Altman addressed fans on his decision to select Isaac Okoro with the fifth overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft this past November. It wasn’t just the play of the young guard from Auburn University that sparked his interest. There was a little more that contributed as well:
“I think what we fell in love with was his character… I think you’re going to see an emerging offensive game… This is a core piece to the future.”
If you’re a passionate Cavs fan like myself, you’re most likely wondering what the players did for these last nine months, since they couldn’t resume their season in Orlando due to a 19-46 record when the league was suspended. Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff mentioned how the team implemented multiple virtual meetings just to keep the players, coaches, and other staff engaged during the first few months of the pandemic. Also, In late September, the Cavs finally took back to the court to commence a “bubble” session of their own. For ten days, the team practiced under the similar circumstances that were taking place in Orlando, only they used the RocketMortgage Fieldhouse as their training facility. During the interview with John Michael, Bickerstaff mentioned how both his virtual meetings and in-person practices during the nine month layoff played a critical role in Cleveland’s preparations for the 2020-21 Season:
“We had to get creative in finding ways to make sure that we stayed connected… We used every resource at our disposal to make sure we were bringing guys together… Us being able to get our mini bubble in Cleveland was an awesome opportunity for us.”
Speaking of “awesome,” this is certainly the term that can be used to describe the variety of young talent in this year’s Cavs roster. With players like Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr., and the newly acquired Issac Okoro, one could argue that athletes with fresh legs such as theirs should be able to push the pace of play on any given night. If you think this is valid, you’re in good hands, because J.B. Bickerstaff agrees with you:
“We should be speedy. One thing we have is multiple guys who can handle and playmake; so we’re looking to get the ball across halfcourt quicker… We do want to throw the ball up the floor and advance it quickly and give ourselves opportunities to attack broken defenses.”
Without question, the Cavaliers are doing everything in their power to ensure as much normalcy as possible for the city of Cleveland. Even though things will certainly not look the same this year at RocketMortgage Fieldhouse, what will not change is the gracious hospitality fans can expect from the business associates and other representatives of the team. They have been working around the clock (since March in fact) to administer the best safety regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. When it comes to the team itself, progression is certainly taking place here as well. Not only on the court with the multitude of young talent on the roster, however also off the court. With leaders such as Koby Altman and J.B. Bickerstaff leading the way for social justice and inclusivity to all ethnicities, Clevelanders can be proud of the path their team has paved for the future generations of Northeast Ohio sports fans to come.
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