Lebron James announced today that he would be leaving the Miami Heat to sign a free agent contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. I happened to be with a group of friends that were predominantly Heat fans but included somebody from Ohio. While the South Floridians bemoaned the loss of the most talented basketball player on the planet my friend who is originally from Sandusky, Ohio rejoiced that Lebron was “coming home.”
While they discussed the athletic implications for both teams I immediately thought about the move in human geography terms. What I found most surprising was that he was going against the current internal migration patterns evident in the United States. The “Rust Belt,” the Great Lakes with a historical tradition of manufacturing, has been rapidly losing population to the “Sun Belt” in recent years. Some of the reasons for this population shift include: retirees moving to areas with warmer climates, increased employment opportunities in the South, and the closing of factories as manufacturing jobs increasingly get transferred to countries like China where labor costs are significantly less. Lebron James even alluded to the challenges faced by the people of northeast Ohio and stated that he felt an obligation to help build up the community and local economy. While he tries to help revive a region that has struggled in recent years, he can rest assured knowing that he and his family have already taken a small step to reverse one negative trend for the people of the “Rust Belt,” he moved there.