‘Believeland’ film examines Cleveland’s deep sports passion

FILE - In this May 21, 2006, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James walks off the court after the Detroit Pistons defeated the Cavaliers 79-61 in Game 7 of the NBA basketball playoffs at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich. Like so many kids growing up in Ohio, Andy Billman learned to love Cleveland's sports teams. And to have his heart broken. Billman's film, a sports-themed love letter to Cleveland's fans and teams, premieres Saturday, May 14, 2016, and fulfills a decade-long dream for the director, who didn't realize until he was working as a production assistant at ESPN after college that Cleveland's national reputation was as laughingstock. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

By Associated Press May 13, 2016 3 min read

CLEVELAND (AP) – Like so many kids growing up in Ohio, Andy Billman learned to love Cleveland’s sports teams.

And to have his heart broken.

But true to the passion of a proud city whose long-suffering fans haven’t celebrated a major professional championship since 1964, the director of an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary chronicling Cleveland’s half-century of sports misery has undying hope a title will come.

One day.

“It’s going to happen at some point,” said Billman, the director of “Believeland.” ”And once it does, Cleveland is going to burst – in a positive way.”