AKRON, Ohio?- LeBron James' Ohio hometown says fans quickly claimed the thousands of tickets available for the homecoming event expected to be his first public appearance in the state since announcing his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The free tickets for the Aug 8 show at InfoCision Stadium in Akron were released Monday and were gone within hours.

Akron spokeswoman Stephanie York won't divulge how many tickets were offered but says demand was overwhelming. She says organizers hope to make more available.

York says the event is more of a show than a party or rally. The stadium holds more than 27,000 people, but it's unclear how much space will be used for the event.

James has created big buzz by returning to Cleveland four years after leaving for the Miami Heat.