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Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland-Cliffs Expand Partnership, Announce Cliffs Jersey Patch on Cavs Jersey

CLEVELAND – March 29, 2022 - The NBA Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE: CLF) (“Cliffs”), the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America, today announced an expansion of their existing multi-year marketing agreement to put the Cliffs logo on the Cavs player uniforms beginning with the 2022-23 season. The announcement was made today inside the Cliffs entrance of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland.

Cliffs Announcement

Since 1847, Cliffs has been headquartered in Cleveland and operating in the Great Lakes region. The Company’s headquarters are located downtown, less than a half mile from the home of the Cavaliers, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Cliffs has a long-standing relationship with the team and have entitlement branding to one of the marquee north entry points into the glass atrium of the newly transformed and completely modernized FieldHouse. Cliffs is also the only steel company to have a jersey patch partnership within the NBA.

“Cliffs has been an anchor for Cleveland and the Great Lakes Region for 175 years. We share an immense amount of hometown pride and love for this region and are committed to having a positive influence on the people that live and work here,” said Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO, Len Komoroski. “While our respective roles in the community are much different from each other, both Cliffs and the Cavs are considered part of the ‘fabric of life’ here in Northeast Ohio. It is now very appropriate and relevant for Cliffs to be represented, literally, on the fabric of the Cavs player jerseys.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Cleveland-Cliffs' Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer said, “Cleveland-Cliffs is proud of our partnership with the Cavaliers and the NBA, for our employees, their families, their communities and the entire Great Lakes Region. The Cavs stand out as a unique and authentic showcase for the importance of teamwork with its talented players, coaching staff and management team, coming together strategically to win. Cleveland-Cliffs is no different. We are made by our 26,000 employees. These people, situated across the entire Great Lakes region, are talented and dedicated, working together to execute a well thought strategy to produce a vital material, steel, that is woven into the fabric of everyday modern life. The power of this Cliffs-Cavs partnership is our common culture of teamwork, family and community, which are fundamental to our on-going success. The journey together will be rewarding, and winning is about the whole team.”

Cavaliers All-Star point guard, Darius Garland, attended the press conference alongside President of Basketball Operations, Koby Altman and Head Coach, J.B. Bickerstaff. Garland hails from the Great Lakes region in Gary, Indiana, which is in the heart of two of Cleveland-Cliffs largest steelmaking operations in Northwest Indiana. Both Garland’s grandparents worked within the steel industry.

“I will be very proud to wear the Cleveland-Cliffs logo on my jersey starting next season,” said Garland. “Being from Gary, Indiana, I know first-hand how important Cliffs and steel are to communities, both here in Cleveland and across our region. Every time I put this jersey on and see the Cliffs patch on the chest, I’ll be reminded of these people and motivated by the hard-working mentality that they bring every day.”

Cliffs also announced on Tuesday that the partnership will yield a very special community benefit for Boys & Girls Clubs throughout communities in which Cleveland-Cliffs operates. The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation is proud to pledge $500,000 of new funding to clubs serving in or near host communities. Area Clubs will be invited to apply for grant dollars to support capital and program expenses that encourage healthy lifestyles. The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation’s announcement aligns with the Company’s commitment to have a positive impact in the areas where it operates. Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis later this year.