Last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers were responsible for bringing millions of people to the city of Cleveland for the team's celebration parade after winning the 2016 NBA Finals.
This year, the Cleveland Cavaliers may not have brought home a championship trophy, but the team still made a huge contribution to their city by donating money to Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.
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The team donated all proceeds of NBA Finals watch parties to the organization, raising more than $875,000 for the non-profit.
Watch parties, a program launched during the 2015 NBA Finals, were hosted at Quicken Loans Arena during NBA Finals games 1,2 and 5 when the team played the Golden State Warriors at Oakland. Tickets were sold online for $10.
"Helping impact the local fight against blight is something we care deeply about, not just during the playoffs and The Finals, but year round. We’re thankful to be in the special position to make this donation possible and work with an important partner in this fight like Habitat for Humanity,” said Cavs CEO Len Komoroski. “At the same time, this is a reflection of the amazing fan support that comes from our community as well. It is highly appropriate that support during the playoffs can be translated into a positive and very needed outcome for our neighborhoods.”
Over the last three years, the Cleveland Cavaliers have donated more than $2 million back to Cleveland non-profits through team fundraisers, 50/50 raffles during games and watch parties.
During last year's NBA Finals, the team split watch party proceeds amongst three Cleveland non-profits: The Centers for Families and Children, City Year Cleveland and the Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center. In 2015, the team split proceeds between Shoes and Clothes for Kids and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
The first year the program launched, the team raised more than $260,000. This year, the city raised more than three times that amount.
