LeBron James attended the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to support his favorite team, the Ohio State Buckeyes, as they played against Notre Dame.
ESPN cameras spotted James in a suite about 45 minutes before the game started. He had come to town the day before the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Washington Wizards, which he was scheduled to play the next day.
Late in the first half, James appeared on the stadium’s video board. He removed his red Ohio State hat, showed it to the crowd, and raised his right fist in excitement as the fans cheered.
LeBron James has always kept close ties to his home state of Ohio. He is originally from Akron and began his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bryce Harper, a star for the Philadelphia Phillies, was also present to support Ohio State. Harper’s wife, Kayla, attended Ohio State, and she was part of the Buckeyes’ cheering section.
On the Notre Dame side, there were several notable figures in the crowd. Former coach Lou Holtz, who is 88 years old, was in attendance, as was singer Jon Bon Jovi, both of whom watched the game from suites.
Before the game, two legendary running backs were introduced on the field. Archie Griffin, who won the Heisman Trophy for Ohio State in 1974 and 1975, appeared alongside Jerome Bettis, a former Notre Dame star and Pro Football Hall of Fame member.
Also at the game was Rev. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who is the CEO of The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. This was the first time the College Football Playoff National Championship was held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as well as the first time the game was played on the day of a presidential inauguration.
Bernice King had delivered a speech earlier in the day, warning against anti-woke rhetoric at a service held before her father’s former congregation in Atlanta. Later, she participated in the pregame coin toss at the championship game.
