22-23 Cavs Marketing Season Recap

CLEVELAND 2022-23

CAVALIERS SEASON

1 CENTER COURT, CLEVELAND OH, 44115

Table

Editorial Design: Lucas

Graphic Designers: Bailey Mason Ryan Cassie Nico James

Photographers: Jimmy Courtney Annie

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Velazquez

Mincer Friedman Shadle Sant Morales Adams

Longo Payton Schutz

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Jersey Launch

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Welcome, Donovan

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Media Day

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Home Opener

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Gameday Posters

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City Edition

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Key Milestones

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Retail Collaborations

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All-Star

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Photo Highlights

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Walk-in Outfits

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Playoffs

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Center Court Opening

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City Edition

Home Opener

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Center Court Opening

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Cavs Unveil Three New Uniforms

07.18.22

The Cleveland Cavaliers will return to the court this season outfitted in new threads that feature the team’s refreshed brand identity introduced earlier this summer. Cavaliers Creative Director and internationally renowned contemporary artist Daniel Arsham oversaw the design process for the Cavs Nike Collection that includes the Association (white), Icon (wine) and Statement (black) core uniforms. The three jerseys will be worn on rotational basis beginning in the upcoming 2022-23 season.

The updated brand identity and logo collection was created to reflect today’s Cavs, a young and talented team defining a new era for the franchise. The new look brings back the reflective, shiny, proper Cavaliers Gold that originated in the early 80’s and re-emerged in the details of the 200310 uniforms.

“We wanted to put our players in a uniform that would make them feel strong, confident and proud to represent this new chapter of Cavaliers basketball,” said Arsham. “It’s a very clean, reductive, modern design that pays homage to all of the players and fans that have been a part of our team’s remarkable journey in becoming who we are today.”

The uniforms will feature new patch partner ClevelandCliffs, the largest flatrolled steel producer in North America. Earlier this year, the Cavs and Cleveland-Cliffs expanded their existing multi-year marketing agreement, which included putting the Cliffs logo on the Cavs player uniforms beginning in the 2022-23 season. Since 1847, Cliffs has been headquartered in downtown Cleveland, less than a half a mile from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. ClevelandCliffs is the only steel company to have a jersey patch partnership within the NBA.

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“Our creative team has been working on the evolution of our brand and uniforms for some time. We are excited to now share this new oncourt look with our fans, especially as anticipation builds for the upcoming season around the potential of this young and exciting squad,” said Chris Kaiser, Cavaliers senior vice president and chief marketing officer.“There is also a great deal of pride to have Cleveland-Cliffs represented on the new uniforms and part of the literal ‘fabric’ of our team. The threads of this partnership are real and natural, and we know that organic hometown connection will shine brightly on a national and international stage each time our players step on the court.”

The Association, Icon and Statement uniforms were uniquely designed with seamless, monochromatic layering around the collar, arms, shorts and waistbands. The white Association uniform is accented in wine and gold and shows off a new secondary “V net” logo centerpiece on the jersey top and refreshed primary “Cavs C” logo on the shorts. The new “CLEVELAND” wordmark is featured in gold on the chest of the wine Icon uniform and the primary “Cavs C” logo can be found of the left shorts panel.

The Jordan-branded Statement uniform, inspired by the iconic uniforms worn during the Cavs first NBA Championship in 2016, displays the “Cavs C” logo on a black shell, while the side paneling of the shorts features the secondary logo. Additionally, all three uniforms feature a gold patch on the back center collar with the number “1” positioned inside an outline of the Larry O’Brien trophy – a standard feature on the uniforms of all teams that have won an NBA championship.

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Welcome Donovan The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired NBA All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell in a trade with the Utah Jazz, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. In exchange, Cleveland has sent guard Collin Sexton (via sign and trade), forward Lauri Markkanen, guard Ochai Agbaji and three future unprotected first round draft picks (2025, 2027, 2029) to Utah, while also agreeing to swap picks in 2026 and 2028.

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“The acquisition of Donovan Mitchell presented us with an incredible opportunity to bring one of the NBA’s most dynamic young All-Stars to Cleveland,” said Altman. “Already a special and proven talent at just 25-years-old, Donovan brings a competitive mentality that organically fits with the core group of this team. We are excited to see the impact that someone of Donovan’s caliber can bring to the Cavaliers with his ability to score the basketball, but also make plays for his teammates. We welcome Donovan and his entire family to Northeast Ohio. I also want to thank Collin and Lauri for their contributions to our team as well as Ochai, who has a very promising future in this league. The Cavaliers have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for all three players and wish them and their families all the best in Utah.”

09.3.22

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Media Day Ahead of media day this year, we were able to individually pull Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley to photograph some content in the new association uniforms for the first time. We elected to set up a background in the atrium in front of the 2016 Championship court to take advantage of all of the natural light that comes in through the windows during the day.

09.26.22 We ended up shooting them on the same day of a home, daytime Guardians game, so the downtown sidewalks were bustling with Cleveland fans. When looking at the FieldHouse atrium from the outside during the day, you typically just see a reflection of the city, but every once in a while a fan walking past would cup their hands around their eyes and lean into the glass to take a peak inside. Those that did were hilariously surprised and excited to see some of their favorite Cavs players having a photoshoot in the full, brand new uniform about 20 feet away.

The players were awesome sports about it. Jarrett Allen would stop his dribbling for a moment to reach his 7 foot wing span into the air to give a big wave to the onlookers.

At one point, Darius Garland even took a phone call right at the window sill, looking directly down on dozens and dozens of fans walking right past him obliviously.

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Home Opener The much anticipated 2022-23 season of Cavs basketball will usher in a new era for the Wine & Gold with a young and spirited team ready to LET EM KNOW! The home court action begins when the Cavs host the Washington Wizards in the season Home Opener this Sunday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse!

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10.23.22 Fans can expect a lot of fun and excitement in a season that promises to be filled with highenergy on the court, fueled by award-winning game presentation and a line-up of premium giveaways and special theme nights.

All fans in attendance for the Sunday Home Opener will receive a LET EM KNOW t-shirt presented by Cleveland Clinic and a LET EM KNOW rally towel presented by ClevelandCliffs.

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Gameday Posters In order to drive more engagement on the Cavs’ game preview posts this season, we decided to elevate the graphics from generic logo lock-ups to more unique and artistic poster-style graphics. This has been an awesome opportunity to break outside of our usual brand guidelines and experiment with a variety of design styles.

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City Edition Uniform

11.10.22

The Nike NBA City Edition collection is a league-wide initiative created to honor the inherent bond between court, community and culture. Each team introduces a different City Edition uniform each season that represents the stories, history and heritage that make their franchise unique. The Cavaliers will debut their City Edition uniform at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday, November 13 at 6:00 p.m. vs. Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Like the Icon (wine), Association (white) and Statement (black) uniforms that were introduced this offseason, the newest version of the City Edition uniform was designed by Cavaliers Creative Director and internationally renowned contemporary artist, Daniel Arsham. This is Arsham’s first special-edition uniform design project for the Cavaliers.

“From the miles and miles of bustling Lake Erie coastline to the award-winning Cleveland Metroparks, the colors and tones of our City Edition uniform represent the incredible natural resources that make up our home region,” said Arsham. “We’re proud to champion the Metroparks, the grand protector of these resources and a crown jewel of Northeast Ohio, through this unique collaboration.”

“Cleveland Metroparks is honored to be part of the inspiration for this year’s City Edition and celebrate what makes our region and community so special,” said Kelly Manderfield, Cleveland Metroparks chief marketing officer.

“We’re excited for the year ahead and new opportunities to engage with fans and connect to our Emerald Necklace.”

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A tan and light blue colorway pops on a white uniform shell with “The Land” displayed across the chest, accented with the Cavs “C” logo. The Cleveland-Cliffs logo is featured on the upper left chest. ClevelandCliffs, who became the Cavs jersey patch partner this past offseason, is the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America and have been headquartered in Cleveland and operating in the Great Lakes region since 1847. Environmental stewardship is vital to Cleveland-Cliffs by operating in a responsible manner to produce green steel for blue lakes.

“For The Love. For The Land.” is written above the uniform jock tag, a call to action to embrace unity and come together in a common bond of love for each other and our city. Underneath the jock tag is Daniel Arsham’s signature. The shorts feature a tan and light blue waistband and the Cavs A special City Edition Court has been designed “V net” logo in the center. The to accompany the team’s uniform during light blue Cavs “C” logo can designated City Edition nights throughout the also be found on the right side season. The left side of the natural hardwood of the shorts. floor is accented in light blue and the right side in tan. At halfcourt, where water meets land, “The Land” logo is displayed, complementing the design on the chest of the uniform. “Cleveland” is featured on the left baseline, with “Cavaliers” on the right baseline. The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse logo is displayed near half court and the west baseline features the Cavs LET EM KNOW mantra. In addition, several other Cavs partners have prominent placement on the hardwood, including the logo of ClevelandCliffs on the left and right baseline, as well as Betway on the east sideline.

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Ke y Milestones

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Retail Collaborations The Cavs have seen 57% YOY retail growth including retail collaborations with brands such as Authmade, Concrete Flowers and Standard Issue.

The changing product assortment has shown to be popular with fans, especially towards the Gen-Z crowd.

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The connectivity between fashion and basketball has grown even more synonymous with the help of social media. Around the league, teams have partnered with streetwear brands to design exclusive team apparel and strengthen that connectivity.

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NBA All-Star

02.19.23

Our 2023 NBA All-Star Campaign was built around the slogan, “Trail to Salt Lake,” a phrase that nods to the mountainous theme of the host city and the parks theme of our current City Edition Uniforms. The color palette for this campaign followed suit, pulling yellow from the All-Star ’23 branding, and powder blue from our City Edition uniforms. We leaned into design elements throughout the campaign to build upon this theme, particularly through the utilization of a badge kit inspired by retro skiing and camping patches.

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Photo Highlights

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Season Favorites: Jimmy Longo Two photos from that night stick out to me from all the incredible images we made. One is the shot of all the water being doused on Donovan postgame on the court. I remember how slippery and chaotic the scene was; I was just trying to get as many images as I could while not falling. My tendency in those moments is to go with a wide lens and crouch low which in this case, paid off as the water fell downward onto Don. The floor was completely soaked, and the image is very matter-of-fact about what was happening and how loud the celebration was.

The other is this seemingly typical image that on any other night would just be a part of our general storytelling for the game, but for this night is a favorite anecdote of mine. As Don is at the line for one of the 25 free throws he took that night, DeMar DeRozan is in the background of the image out-of-focus with this bewildered smile on his face. People will remember Don’s performance as part of our franchise’s history forever, but on any other night, DeRozan’s 44 points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds are the story. The image is a symbolistic story of how that night unfolded and it means so much to me looking back.

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Another great story of this season is Donovan’s poster during our trip to Brooklyn. I always love shooting in Brooklyn.

Their warm light makes for different tones than what we get at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, but also their creatives are super gracious and always switch floor seats with us. The seat they provide is right under the basket which allowed for the

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photo pictured. What I’ll remember from this play is seeing it develop in transition after Caris’ steal, pass ahead to Don and then getting the entire sequence in images, while sitting next to legendary league photographer Nat Butler. To share that play professionally with someone who’s work and kindness I admire greatly, I definitely consider it a highlight of my career.

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Season Favorites: Courtney Payton

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Center Court Unveiled

05.16.23

The NBA Cleveland Cavaliers have officially opened the doors to a bright new modern and inviting two-story team shop inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Now called “Center Court,” the store has been completely transformed into an elevated and distinctive retail space that embodies the Cavaliers’ reinvigorated and modernized brand identity.

Designed in close collaboration with Snarkitecture, the international design practice of Cavaliers Creative Director, Daniel Arsham - Center Court is a reimagined twist on the traditional team shop.The 6,700 square foot space pulls in inspiration from “behind-the-scenes” areas of the FieldHouse with a balanced, pure and contemporary aesthetic akin to Arsham’s renowned artistic style. With careful consideration for lighting and presentation, the look and feel of the store creates an environment that transforms the wide assortment of merchandise into works of art.

“Our goal was to create a team shop that complements what Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is today as a modernized, world-class attraction,” said Nic Barlage, Cavaliers, Rock Entertainment Group and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO. “Much thought and inspiration went into creating not only a shopping experience, but a destination that goes beyond simply retail and activates our brand in a compelling and authentic way. We are proud of the outcome and thrilled to open the doors to Center Court for our fans to shop and enjoy.”

An unexpected activation inside Center Court is a signature Snarkitecture kinetic sculpture suspended from the second-floor ceiling through the center of the shop. Sure to be a fan favorite, the “basketball run” is a two-story tall art piece inspired by a children’s marble run toy scaled up to accommodate 15 custom white fullsize basketballs.

“One of our goals with Snarkitecture is to reimagine the familiar, and in our collaboration with the Cleveland Cavaliers, we’ve been able to create an inviting and elevated retail space,” said Alex Mustonen, partner and cofounder of Snarkitecture. “Our goal was to create a retail destination within Cleveland that draws on the experience and excitement of attending a Cavs game. Front and center within the space is a custom, sculptural Snarkitecture installation - a double height basketball run that creates a playful moment of engagement and wonder within an active retail environment.”

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Additional key features include:

On the exterior of the FieldHouse, the entrance from E. 6th St. near Gateway Plaza in downtown Cleveland has been reconstructed to allow more natural light into the shop. The second-floor façade has also been extended, bringing additional square footage to the upper level. This gives way to an entirely new wing dedicated solely to merchandise for the AHL Cleveland Monsters, who also call the FieldHouse home. The space brings fans onto the rink with wall displays inspired by hockey boards and a blue resin floor meant to mimic the glistening of ice.

Center Court will feature the widest selection of Cavs gear and will be home to product lines unavailable anywhere else. The first level has an expansive array of Cavs apparel, from hats to hoodies, memorabilia, trinkets and everything in between.

This includes gear from names like Nike, Lululemon, Peter Millar and many other top brands.

Designed by Arsham Studio, Center Court signage is inspired by vintage LED scoreboards, where the letters are composed of individually illuminated dots. The concourse entrance features a scrolling LED banner with the same retro sensibility.

The first level also includes an area dedicated to official team replica Nike player jerseys designed to resemble that of a locker room. The store entrance from the main concourse is inspired by the dark vomitory passageways that lead to the playing surface in the depths of the FieldHouse bowl.

Featuring walls lined with fluted wood panels, the first level also has a side room dedicated to retro Cavs gear. The area has a nostalgic warmth that counters the otherwise tonally cool environment of the full space.

The stairs leading to the second floor are inspired by tall theatrical curtains commonly used as backdrops and drapery on stages, a nod to the rich concert and entertainment history of the FieldHouse.

In addition to the new Monsters merchandise wing, the second level has an extensive collection of women’s and youth apparel, including a full assortment of jerseys.

A portion of the proceeds from all sales in the month of May will go to NF Forward in memory of Nick Gilbert, son of Cavs Chairman Dan Gilbert, who passed away earlier this week from complications related to Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF 1). NF Forward is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that funds groundbreaking, cuttingedge research and strives to raise awareness about NF among a wide range of individuals.

Center Court is the physical embodiment of the Cavaliers innovative retail strategy that has fueled 57% year-over-year retail growth. With a deep understanding of the purchasing behaviors across demographic cohorts, the team has used fan insights to help drive franchise record retail sales this season, even while Center Court was under construction. Through a regular cadence of retail collaborations with the likes of Authmade, Concrete Flowers, Standard Issue and many other recognizable names, an everchanging product assortment has proven to be popular with fans.

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