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Study: Nearly a quarter of Cavs fans won't watch games with LeBron gone

8 years ago
Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Some Cleveland Cavaliers fans have already made the decision not to tune in next season following the departure of LeBron James.

A study conducted by Qualtrics found that 23 percent of fans who viewed half or more of the Cavs' games during the 2017-18 season will no longer be watching, according to CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin.

The Cavs went a combined 97-215 with no playoff appearances during the four seasons James was with the Miami Heat, which could explain the lack of interest as fans prepare for another post-LeBron era. As Benjamin notes, secondary ticket marketplaces like StubHub and TickPick have reported price increases and decreases of up to 80 percent when James has arrived or departed in the past.

Interestingly, though, 33 percent of those surveyed said they believe James was fully justified moving to the Los Angeles Lakers, while only 14 percent consider it a cop-out.

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