Few sporting stories have the power to bridge political and cultural divides. Typically, stories about sport tend to be about one of two things: stories of victory or of scandal. We can collectively celebrate the It is estimated that during his 2003-2010 tenure with the Cavs, he brought $50-$80 million in economic benefits to the city every year. These benefits evaporated after the infamous ‘Decision’ in 2010. The year after he left, Cleveland dropped from 2nd in the league in overall attendance to 19th. Their attendance rate dropped from 100% to 85%– well below the league’s midpoint. Fans swarmed the streets as they burned his jersey in protest. The impact of LeBron’s decision can be encapsulated into one simple anecdote: before the signing, Forbes estimated the value of Cav’s franchise to be around $515 million. Since then, some estimates have placed the Cav’s value at over $1 billion. That is the LeBron effect, quantified.
Within 8 hours of the announcement, the Cavs sold out their season tickets. The team went 
from perennial cellar dweller to championship contender overnight. The city of Cleveland is alive once again.
There are very few cases in which sport has the power to capture the imagination of the world. Too often sport casts a negative shadow over humanity. In recent years we have watched as the likes of Luis Suarez, Lance Armstrong and Oscar Pristorious have disgraced not only themselves but the entire sporting community. The scars of the OJ Simpson and Ben Johnson scandals have yet to heal. The story of LeBron James is the exception. One player, with one decision has managed to transfix a truly global audience. His return provides catharsis and hope to a city in desperate need of both. The eyes of the world are once again firmly fixated on LeBron as he renews his quest for championship glory- and he would not have it any other way.
