LeBron James billboards appear in South Philadelphia

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James is set to become a free agent at the end of this year. About a month ago, we told you a Philadelphia company put up billboards in Cleveland in an effort to convince King James to come here. On Tuesday, a Cav's fan responded with two billboards along I-95 not far from the Wells Fargo Center.

The first billboard along I-95 at Girard Avenue points to Ben Franklin as a quote "Noted King Hater" - of course- referencing LeBron James' nickname of "King James".

The second billboard along I-95 at South Columbus Boulevard reads "Philly Has a Bad History with Royalty."

"I tried to think of something that would be creative," said Cavaliers fan James Betschel.

Betschel is the man responsible for these billboards that went up in Philadelphia. Action News spoke to him from his home in Ohio via FaceTime this afternoon.

"We obviously don't want to lose LeBron. We love him right here in Ohio," he said. "So I thought this would be a perfect way to send a message to Philadelphia that LeBron is good right here in Northern Ohio."

Just over a month ago, a company just outside Philadelphia started the LeBron billboards now popping up in other cities as well. They paid for three billboards that read "Complete the Process" and "Philly wants LeBron" to go up near the venue where the Cavaliers play. LeBron James was asked about the friendly competition to woo him away.

"People in their respective cities want me to come there," said Cavaliers Forward LeBron James. "That's dope."

Philadelphia sports fans said they don't think the new billboards here will work the way Cav's fans might want. They're feeling confident LeBron might really join the Sixers' squad.

"I think LeBron is coming to the end of his career and he's going to want to win," said Adam Short of South Philadelphia. "The way it's looking now there's no better place to come to."

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