Heat Fever Sweeps South Florida
MIAMI (CBS4) - Miami Heat fans clamored to get their hands on the latest White Hot merchandise Sunday, just hours after the team clinched a spot in the NBA Finals.
Miles from the AmericanAirlines Arena and moments after the final buzzer, fans from across South Florida flooded the streets to celebrate the Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics.
"We came all the way from West Kendall just to see this because I wanted them to see it," Juan Cueto said as he pointed to his two young sons.
The family just moved from Ohio a year ago.
"It's awesome. When we got here it was just crazy, everybody having a good time," said Cueto, just one of hundreds of people who lined Bird Road late Saturday in to Sunday morning.
"I got in the car, drove here, got my friends from out of town, they have to see this," Felipe Fidalgo said as he banged his pots and pans on the side of the road. He called it a "Miami experience".
Chopper 4 caught the madness over 49th Street in Hialeah and Bird Rd. in Westchester where police officers were called in to control the crowds.
As the game was winding down, production at Atlas Embroidery and Screen Printing in Fort Lauderdale ramped up.
"We're pumped," said manager Adam Cohen. "We've got 70 employees working in the middle of the night on Saturday night, so yeah. South Florida's going to have a good little shot in the arm as a result of the heat championship."
With at least four games to go, Cohen isn't expecting a break anytime soon.
"We're a little tired, but we're ready to go," he said. "We're running on adrenaline, hopefully for the next week or so. Hopefully they win the finals. Then we'll really be excited."
Three different official NBA t-shirt designs were shipped out early Sunday morning to area retailers. Some fans just couldn't wait to get their hands on the new Heat gear.
"First one. First shirt," Nicia Mollozzi said as she perused the wide selection of shirts at Dick's Sporting Goods. "I didn't want to deal with any lines, anything. Go Heat all the way."
Tickets to Finals games 3 and 4 went on sale Sunday online at Heat.com and Ticketmaster.com. There is a four ticket purchase limit per order.
If any tickets are still available Monday, they will go on sale at the American Airlines Arena box office on Monday, June 11th at 10:00 a.m.
