Recordpub.com - List of enjoyment at The Q is long

By Melissa Dilley

Record-Courier correspondent

CLEVELAND — People watching the Cleveland Cavaliers at home may have more comfortable seats for a cheaper price, but it’s what goes on when the cameras are off that makes the game at The Q such a memorable experience.

Aside from getting to see some of the best and most well-known basketball players in the world up close, here are some other things that are worth the money and the drive.

• Walking to the game: The Cleveland skyline is lit up with lights from buildings and thousands of street lamps; all the restaurants are buzzing and fans are walking everywhere. Come early to get dinner or a few drinks before the game and experience the ambiance the city has to provide, even on a cold night.

• Before sitting down: Free sign-making and free hair and face-painting make getting to your seats half the fun of the game. Stop by the team shop to check out the special deal of the game and make sure to grab a snack, such as a Q-shaped pretzel before finding the usher, who will kindly direct you to your seat.

• At your seat: Get to know the people next to you. Even if you can’t afford lower-level seats, those who attend games know the fans who cheer loudest are at the top of the stands. Even if people around you aren’t clapping and screaming, there are organized chants that you can join.

• Opening sequence: Pyrotechnics, break-dancers and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary grad Ahmad make the introduction of players the most memorable moment of any sporting event in Cleveland. A video showing LeBron James coming to life from the “Witness” poster and Anderson Varejao walking tall alongside city buses truly makes the players larger than life and pumps up the crowd.

• During commercial breaks: While viewers at home watch commercials or flip through channels to pass the time, the Cavalier Girls dance, free shirts are shot out of cannons and Moondog, the team’s mascot, entertains the crowd at Quicken Loans Arena. On Tuesday, fans saw a girl get proposed to during the game’s second timeout and helped Marge celebrate her 101st birthday after the first quarter.

• Halftime: Instead of game highlights from commentators, fans at The Q flock to the concession stands and watch various entertainment depending on the night. Tuesday’s fun included a juggler and crowd members competing in a karaoke contest.

• Leaving the game after a win: When the Cavs defeated the Wizards 102-90 on Tuesday, fans filled the streets chanting and yelling “Let’s go Cavs!” The fans also received a coupon for a free Chalupa from Taco Bell on the way out because the Cavs reached the 100-point plateau.

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Melissa Dilley can be contacted at mdilley@recordpub.com