LeBron James #ThisisHome Billboard Goes Up in Cleveland

The impending free agency of Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has been a boon to billboard owners.

Alison McIntyre Baranek, a realtor in Fairlawn, Ohio, has purchased ad space on a billboard in Akron to entice James to re-sign with the Cavaliers in the summer:

"It just seems right to reach out to him and let him know we want him to stay, to show him some hometown love," Baranek told Cleveland.com's Jennifer Conn. "He does so much for our community, especially the kids. Akron is so much better with him here."

The saga began last month when enterprising Philadelphia 76ers fans paid for three billboards in the Cleveland area to sell James on signing with the Sixers to "complete the process," per ESPN.com's Darren Rovell:

That prompted responses from members of the Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers fanbases:

Chances are even more will appear until James makes his decision.

Harvard researchers determined in a study released in May 2017 that James' presence had a tangible economic impact on the cities in which he played. The study focused on bars and restaurants close to his home arena. Perhaps the study can be amended to include the advertising industry.