CLEVELAND (MEDIA GENERAL) – It’s not enough to say the Cleveland Cavaliers broke a historic title drought with their NBA championship. You must understand just how long the city of Cleveland waited.
Think about the number of tickets sold, foam fingers waived, and watch parties hosted in the 52 years since Cleveland last called itself a national champion. According to ESPN’s statistics, Cleveland didn’t just wait more than half a century, it waited 143 pro seasons. That’s 143 seasons fans routed for the NBA’s Cavs, ALF/NFL’s Browns, MLB’s Indians, and NHL’s Barons (the Baron’s lasted just two short seasons).
Nike didn’t take any time producing a heart-tugging spot to which almost any die-hard fan can relate.
There is a reason so many teams’ fans can relate to Nike’s video. Other cities are on the list waiting and waiting for that moment when they can sing “We Are the Champions.”
The other teams topping ESPN’s list include:
San Diego which has waited 107 seasons for the Chargers, Padres, Rockets and Clippers to win it all.
It’s been 101 seasons since Buffalo could call itself a championship city. The Bills, Braves (NBA) and Sabres have all failed to take home a trophy since 1965 when Buffalo won it all on the football field.
Milwaukee hasn’t won a professional title in 88 seasons. Its last title came in 1971 when the Bucks beat the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals.
And, while the Minnesota Twins have had a couple of championships in the last three decades, it’s been 87 professional seasons since Minneapolis could claim it is the best of the best.