Cleveland, OH

Report: Cleveland Cavaliers owner to launch bid to bring WNBA team to Northeast Ohio

Published

1 month ago

November 20, 2024

Report: Cleveland Cavaliers owner to launch bid to bring WNBA team to Northeast Ohio

With WNBA expansion on the horizon, multiple reports say that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert intends to make a bid to bring a franchise back to Cleveland.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has talked about the league having 16 teams by the 2028 season. The league will be at 13 teams to start the 2025 season with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries. Toronto and Portland, Oregon have already been announced as the home of future franchises.

Gilbert, whose Rock Entertainment Group also owns the Columbus Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, in addition to the Cavaliers told CNBC, “I just feel extraordinarily confident that, should a team be given to Cleveland, in part because of the city, in part because of what sports means here, in part because of the Cavs, it would immediately be a huge success.”

Cavaliers CEO Nic Barlage also spoke to CNBC, which was the first to report on the bid, about the potential of the WNBA finding a home in Cleveland.

“We have this unique convergence of infrastructure, culture and these foundational pieces that we think make Northeast Ohio, and specifically Cleveland, a great opportunity to expand from a WNBA perspective,” he said.

Cleveland hosted one of the WNBA’s eight original teams. From 1997 to 2003, the Cleveland Rockets competed in the league before the franchise folded due to low attendance.

Last year, Columbus added a professional women’s team to its city, as it welcomed the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Columbus Fury.

Columbus also had its own professional women’s basketball team, the Columbus Quest, which lasted two seasons from 1996-1998 in the now-defunct America Basketball League.

bmackay@dispatch.com

@brimackay15

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Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Browns Foundation and United Airlines surprise Stay in the Game! educator with a trip to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans

Published

1 hour ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Cleveland Browns Foundation and United Airlines surprise Stay in the Game! educator with a trip to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans

CLEVELAND, OH – On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the Cleveland Browns Foundation surprised Ann Pesta, an educator from Stay in the Game! partner school Lakewood High School, with a surprise gift and recognition: tickets to Super Bowl LIX, round-trip flights courtesy of United Airlines, and accommodations for her and a guest.

The Stay in the Game! Attendance Network, launched in 2019, provides support and resources to Ohio school districts with the goal of increasing school attendance and decreasing chronic absenteeism. The Network supports 161 districts throughout the state of Ohio, with 108 of those districts within the Browns region, including Lakewood City School District.

Pesta, a Lakewood science teacher, received the news in front of her students and colleagues during a catered holiday luncheon, courtesy of the Browns. Browns players – guard Wyatt Teller, wide receiver David Bell, defensive back Tony Browns II and Chomps – were in attendance to present the tickets and commend Pesta for her impact on students throughout her 30-year career.

“It is a huge honor to be able to surprise Ms. Pesta today and show her that her job matters a lot to the Browns organization, Stay in the Game! and to me personally as my mother, father and older sister are educators,” said Browns defensive back Tony Brown II. “They can positively affect a young adult’s life by encouraging them to come to school. So hopefully something like this can show teachers that they are seen and appreciated.”

In November, the Browns called for nominations of educators who inspire students to show up for school. Receiving a large number of nominations, Pesta was selected for her contribution to education by creating an engaging learning environment that encourages regular student attendance. She was nominated by both current and former students, parents, and colleagues, which shows the impact she has had on her community throughout her career.

“We are so excited to be part of Stay in the Game! because it gives us another way to really reinforce the great things that so many of our Lakewood teachers are doing,” said Lakewood City School Coordinator of Student Wellness, Dr. Merritt Waters. “To partner with an organization like the Cleveland Browns to help show Ms. Pesta just how much we appreciate her is fantastic.”

In addition to the Super Bowl surprise, the Cleveland Browns Foundation and United Airlines invited Pesta and four other educators from Stay in the Game! partner districts across NE Ohio to be celebrated at the last Browns home game of the season against the Miami Dolphins on December 29th. Each educator will have the opportunity to bring three guests with them to enjoy the game.

One of United Airlines’ key areas of focus in the community is youth education, which aligns with the efforts of the Browns Foundation and Stay in the Game! Attendance Network. As a part of that focus, United Airlines wanted to help celebrate Pesta by providing the flights and recognizing four other educators who are making a huge impact on their students.

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Cleveland, OH

Sixers head to Cleveland to take on first place Cavaliers

Published

9 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Sixers head to Cleveland to take on first place Cavaliers

Dec 20, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) controls the ball against the Charlotte Hornets in the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia 76ers, fresh off their Friday night victory over the Charlotte Hornets, 108-98, travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Saturday night. As expected, the team will be without Joel Embiid, as the plan was for him not to play back-to-back games and even more with the broken sinus he sustained last week. The Cavaliers have been leading the NBA since the start of the season and have shown no signs of slowing down.

Sixers game information

Who: Philadelphia 76ers (9-16) at Cleveland Cavaliers (24-4)

When: 8 p.m. EST

Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland OH

Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, Ball Sports Ohio

Latest on the Sixers

When Embiid left the team’s game against the Pacers last Friday with what would later be revealed as a sinus fracture, the team and its fans thought for sure they wouldn’t see the Sixers big man back any time soon. Yet, Friday night, Embiid was out on the floor leading his team.

Without Embiid against the Cavaliers, the team will need Paul George to step up as he did on Monday nights game against the Hornets where he and Tyrese Maxey combined for 73 points. Friday, George finished with just five points on 2-12 shooting, including 1-7 on his three-point attempts. Against a team like the Hornets, with Embiid playing, you might get away with a game like that but against the Cavaliers, that will not work at all.

Dec 6, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) reacts against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Sixers are without Embiid as well as star rookie Jared McCain, so they’re going to need Maxey, George and Kelly Oubre Jr. to play some of the best basketball of the season, if they’re going to have a chance to win the game. While their defense has been improving the team must shoot better than the 36% they did on three-pointers against the Hornets.

Latest on the Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have been rolling and are 7-1 since dropping straight games to the Atlanta Hawks at the end of November. The team’s only loss was to the Miami Heat on December 8th, and that game was closer than it looked. The team matched up evenly throughout the whole game, with the lone exception being the Heat, which took eight more foul shots.

The Cavs jumped out of the gate this season, and they haven’t looked back since. They feature a balanced attack with six players averaging double figures in season scoring. They’re led by Donovan Mitchell, who’s scoring 23.5 points per game, but he’s doing that while shooting a career-best 40.5% on his three-point attempts. While he’s their biggest name, the team isn’t a one-man show.

Dec 20, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after hitting a three-point basket during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are also putting in 30 minutes per game, with Garland giving the team 20.1 points and Mobley 18.2 points per game. They are also shooting career highs from beyond the arc, as Garland is hitting at a 42.6% rate, and Mobley is shooting 39.7% for the year. Add in Jarrett Allen, Caris Levert, and Ty Jerome, and the team has depth, and they’re playing well together.

What to watch for tonight

While the Sixers sit just outside of the top ten in defensive rating, it may not help much tonight as the Cavaliers are seventh in the league in defense. The Cavs offense just happens to be the top offense in the league, while the Sixers rest just a few spots away from the very bottom.

Without Embiid and McCain, the Sixers will be leaning on Maxey and George to try to replicate their games from earlier in the week while asking Kelly Oubre Jr. to, once again, step up as the team has needed him. Andre Drummond and Guergshon Yabusele should see some good minutes against a smaller Cavaliers team, but neither will be able to keep pace with the Cava offense and could look to be in foul trouble early on.

Watch to see if Tyrese Maxey continues to improve his shooting and if Paul George can have a bounce back night after last nights horrible shooting. If you’re lucky you’ll get a few KJ Martin and Ricky Council IV highlights.

Prediction

Cavaliers 115 – Sixers 97

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Cleveland, OH

68 people arrested during ‘Operation Clean Sweep’ in Cleveland

Published

17 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

68 people arrested during ‘Operation Clean Sweep’ in Cleveland

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies worked together to arrest a total of 68 people with felony warrants in the city.

“Operation Clean Sweep” happened between Nov. 17, 2024 and Dec. 20, 2024.

These arrests include people charged with: