CLEVELAND — After a 10-year run in Canton, the Cavaliers announced Wednesday that its G League team will be moving to Cleveland for the 2021-22 season.
The Charge will play at Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center. The Charge has not played in Canton since the start of the pandemic. The G League played its entire 2020-21 schedule at a neutral site due to COVID-19.
The Cavs said they were appreciative of Canton’s hospitality, but the organization now desires keeping minor league players closer to the parent team. The Charge’s relocation is part of a broader effort among G League teams to play closer to their parent clubs.
Moving the Charge to Cleveland will allow G League players to train and practice at the Cavs’ training facility.
“We’re very thankful for the seasons we played at the Civic Center in Canton. We enjoyed some truly special moments there with our players, staff and fans alike,” said Charge General Manager Brendon Yu. “As we look to the future, we’re very pleased to now be able to continue the growth of the Charge at the Wolstein Center. The proximity to Cleveland Clinic Courts and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse creates an enhanced synergy between the two teams and will foster even greater personnel development that will be very impactful for us.”
While the organization will no longer have a team in Canton, the Cavs said that they still plan to be visible in the city. The team said it will expand youth sports programs including Cavs Academy and Jr. Cavs camp and clinic program. The Cavs also said they will generate at a minimum 20,000 meals for local food banks and pantries.
Prior to the pandemic, G League teams played a 50-game schedule evenly divided between home and road games. The addition of 25 G League home games will make for a busy basketball season at the Wolstein Center in conjunction with Cleveland State Vikings’ men’s and women’s basketball games.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the Charge to the Wolstein Center and we look forward to collaborating with Rock Entertainment Group on what’s next,” said CSU President Harlan Sands. “This is bigger than basketball. It is a great example of our commitment to engage and collaborate with community partners to pool resources, strengthen downtown and make Cleveland and northeast Ohio an even more vibrant place to live, work, play and do business.”
Details on a team name, schedule and ticket packages are haven’t been released.
