The Cleveland Cavaliers have enlisted the help of some very recognizable friends in Cincinnati and Columbus to let fans in those important regional markets know that not only are the Cavs coming to town, but in Ohio, “We Are All Cavaliers!” The 2014-15 Cavaliers will hit the road in October for a #AllForOhio preseason tour to give fans around the Buckeye State a preview of the most talked about team in the NBA.
To get the word out, the Cavs, with an assist from the marketing folks at both Cintas Center in Cincinnati and the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, produced customized TV spots for each market. But they aren’t just any old “buy tickets now” spots. They star some of the most recognizable leaders from each city claiming, “I am a Cavalier.”
In Columbus, the ad features Ohio State Head Football Coach Urban Meyer, Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith, Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, Ohio State Men’s Head Basketball Coach Thad Matta, CBS Sports Basketball Analyst Clark Kellogg and Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman.
Cincinnati fans will see ESPN Analyst and Cincinnati resident Tom Jackson (video below), Xavier Men’s Head Basketball Coach Chris Mack, Cincinnati Radio Legend Bill Cunningham and Xavier X-Treme student fans express their support of the Wine & Gold.
Rather than running generic TV spots in each market, the intent of the Cavs customized campaign is to unite the brand with each city beyond the two pre-season games to create a more inclusive bond with fans in those markets.
“Our regional fan base has always been supportive, and now with the excitement level for this new team at an all-time high, we want Cavs fans across the state to know we are all ONE in Cavs Nation,” said Kerry Bubolz, Cavaliers president of business operations. “These preseason games let everyone know #AllForOhio is real and something we never take for granted.”
Both Columbus and Cincinnati spots will run on local stations in their respective markets and will be promoted on Cavs.com and Cavaliers social networks.
The Cavs will tip-off at the Cintas Center (Xavier University) in Cincinnati against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, October 15th at 7:00 p.m. Five days later, the Cavs will head to the Schottenstein Center (The Ohio State University) to face the Chicago Bulls in Columbus on Monday, October 20th at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets for both games start at $15 and are on sale to the public beginning September 12th at 10:00 a.m. at the Cintas Center (Cincinnati) and Schottenstein Center (Columbus) box offices, via ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000.