‘You don’t have that sense of community.’ How the weirdest NBA Finals ever impacted Miami
Stephen A. Smith predicted it in December:
“We’re talking about the palm trees, the sunshine,” he said on ESPN’s “First Take.” “We’re talking about LA, Miami, NBA Finals. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, of course, but if we’re talking about my wish list: being sent to work, and for the month of June, I got to be stuck in Miami or L.A. Let’s just say I’ll get over that.”
What seemed like an outlandish wish at the time – the Miami Heat had the fourth-worst championship odds at 100/1 in October – came true, albeit in the least self-indulgent way possible: inside a “bubble” in Lake Buena Vista, where the Heat faces the L.A. Lakers tonight in the do-or-die Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
But unlike any of the four consecutive finals trips in the Big 3 era, the 2020 buzz — and the accompanying economic boost — are more of a quiet hum as fans watch from home as they channel-surf among basketball, pro football and college sports.
Miami Heat vice president of player programs Alonzo Mourning also attributes the city’s less-than-vibrant mood to the convergence of sociopolitical factors that have come to define 2020.
“When you think about the current political atmosphere, the effects of a global pandemic and the social and racial pandemic that we’re dealing with, there’s so many different distractions and obstacles that children and families are facing right now,” Mourning said.
Sure, fans are happy: it’s difficult not to be when a game-saving block, 40-point triple-double and snarling celebration have your team within three games of a NBA championship. Michael McCullough, the Heat’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, has noticed fans embracing the “United in Black” theme on his game-day trips to Publix. His neighbors, some of whom are just learning about his job, also seem more eager to talk hoops.
“I get in the elevator the other day and this guy gets in and he’s like ‘Dude big game tonight,’” McCullough said with a laugh. “I’ve never spoken to that guy before.”
But without a rocking AmericanAirlines Arena and the packed bars, there’s just something missing.
“Since everybody’s just watching the game at home, you don’t have that sense of community-wide camaraderie,” McCullough said.
From an economic standpoint, Miami’s losses are minimal. Dr. Victor Matheson, a sports economist and professor at the College of the Holy Cross, estimates that the Heat would’ve generated about $7 million per finals game for the South Florida economy, a small blip for a region that brings in billions. That relatively low figure, which Matheson says he derived from previous research about postseason baseball’s economic impact on a city, stems from the finals being a “home and away” event overwhelmingly attended by local residents.
“NBA Finals bring very few people in from across the country,” Matheson explained, as proven through hotel revenue data.
The same can’t be said for individual businesses near AA Arena, which would benefit from having the Finals nearby, according to Matheson. That means restaurateurs, parking garages operators and apparel shop owners are left out of the game.
Take Miami Silkscreens, for example. Ashley Gargir, who co-owns the apparel printing shop with her husband, says her clients usually spring for playoff-themed gear. This year, they haven’t printed one single item related to the Heat’s finals run.
“We’re right across from the arena and the vibe is just different,” Gargir said.
Restaurateurssuch as Derrick Turton, the House of Mac owner who’s better known as Chef Teach, have a slightly different view of the situation. Although the post-Heat home game rush would’ve been nice, he’s just happy to finally transition to dine-in eating after a rough seven months of takeout that reduced the profit margin by more than 60%.
“Three, four months ago, there were hay bales rolling across the street in Wynwood,” he said. “... We’re just grateful to be back open, Finals or not.”
This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 2:23 PM.
