Cleveland Browns relocation controversy

Cleveland Municipal Stadium, where the Browns played until 1995.

The Cleveland Browns relocation controversy, sometimes referred to by fans as "The Move",[1][2] was the decision by then-Browns owner Art Modell to move the National Football League (NFL) team from its longtime home of Cleveland, Ohio, to Baltimore, Maryland, for the 1996 NFL season.

Subsequent legal actions saw a unique compromise that would later set a precedent in American professional sports: A relocating franchise would keep its existing personnel, but such personnel would form (and thus become) an entirely new, separate franchise (in this case, the Browns' original personnel becoming the Baltimore Ravens). The relocated franchise's original heritage would stay in its original city, with new personnel eventually reactivating the officially suspended franchise, thus becoming the new personnel of, and officially continuing the supposedly relocated franchise.

Dissatisfaction with Cleveland Stadium

Art Modell

In 1973, then-Browns owner Art Modell signed a 25-year lease to operate Cleveland Stadium.[3] Modell's newly formed company, Stadium Corporation, paid an annual rent of $150,000 for the first five years and $200,000 afterwards to the city. In exchange, the company received all revenue generated by the stadium, which amounted to far more than the Stadium Corp. would pay in rent.[4] This represented an enormous loss for the city of Cleveland. Stadium Corp installed new electronic scoreboards and luxury suites.[3] Renting the suites and the scoreboard advertising generated substantial revenue for Stadium Corp and Modell.

Modell had originally promised never to move the Browns. He had publicly criticized the Baltimore Colts' move to Indianapolis, and had testified in favor of the NFL in court cases where the league unsuccessfully tried to stop Al Davis from moving the Oakland Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles.

However, Modell refused to share the suite revenue with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball, who also played at Cleveland Stadium, even though much of the revenues were generated during baseball games as well as football games.

In 1990, the Indians prevailed upon the local governments and voters and convinced them to build them their own facility where they controlled the suite revenue.[3][4] Modell, mistakenly believing that his revenues were not endangered, refused to participate in the Gateway Project that built Progressive Field for the Indians and Quicken Loans Arena for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).[5] Modell's assumptions proved incorrect, and Stadium Corp's suite revenues declined sharply when the Indians moved from the stadium to Jacobs Field in 1994.[4] Soaring player salaries and deficits also contributed to Modell's financial losses. Modell lost $21 million between 1993 and 1994.[6]

Announcing the move

After Modell realized how much revenue he lost from the Indians moving out of Cleveland Stadium, he requested an issue be placed on the ballot to provide $175 million in tax dollars to refurbish the outmoded and declining Cleveland Stadium.[7]

On the field, the Browns, coached by Bill Belichick, were coming off a playoff season in which the team finished 11–5 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs entering the 1995 season. Sports Illustrated even predicted the Browns would represent the AFC in Super Bowl XXX at the end of the season.[8] However, the team disappointed many fans by losing three straight games after starting the season 3–1.[9]

On November 6, 1995, with the team sitting at 4–5,[9] Modell announced in a press conference at Camden Yards that he had signed a deal to relocate the Browns to Baltimore, Maryland in 1996 – a move which would return the NFL to that city since the Colts relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana after the 1983 season.[4][10] The reason Modell chose to relocate to Baltimore was because he felt the city had the funding to build a first-class stadium.[11] The very next day, on November 7, Cleveland voters overwhelmingly approved the aforementioned tax issue to remodel Cleveland Stadium.[12]

Initial reaction

The City of Cleveland sued Modell, the Browns, Stadium Corp, the Maryland Stadium Authority, and the authority's director, John A. Moag Jr., in City of Cleveland v. Cleveland Browns, et al., Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Case No. CV-95-297833, for breaching the Browns' lease, which required the team to play its home games at Cleveland Stadium for several years beyond 1995, filing an injunction to keep the Browns in the city until at least 1998. Several other lawsuits were filed by fans and ticket holders.[12][13] Congress even held hearings on the matter.[14][15]

Actor/comedian Drew Carey returned to his hometown of Cleveland on November 26, 1995, to host "Fan Jam" in protest of the proposed move. A protest was held in Pittsburgh during the Browns' game there against the Pittsburgh Steelers but ABC, the network broadcasting the game (and also the home of Carey's new sitcom that had just premiered), declined to cover or mention the protest. That game was one of the few instances that Steelers fans and Browns fans were supportive of each other, as fans in Pittsburgh felt that Modell was robbing their team of their long-standing rivalry with the Browns.[12][16] Browns fans reacted with anger to the news,[13] wearing hats and T-shirts that read "Muck Fodell".[17]

On the field, the announcement cut the legs out from under the Browns, as they stumbled to finish 5–11 after the announcement, ahead of only the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, to whom they lost twice, in the AFC Central, becoming the first team in the NFL's modern era to lose twice to a first-year expansion team.[9] Virtually all of the team's sponsors pulled their support,[12] leaving Cleveland Stadium devoid of advertising during the team's final weeks. The final game the team played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium was a 26–10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the first and only win since the announcement of the relocation.[18] The game itself was blacked out on television locally, but NBC did broadcast extensive pregame coverage from Cleveland.

Settlement

After extensive talks between the NFL, the Browns, and officials of the two cities, Cleveland accepted a legal settlement that would keep the Browns' legacy in Cleveland. On February 9, 1996, the NFL announced that the Browns would be 'deactivated' for three years, and that a new stadium would be built for a new Browns team, as either an expansion team or a team moved from another city, that would begin play in 1999. Modell would in turn then be granted a new franchise (the 31st NFL franchise), for Baltimore, retaining the current contracts of players and personnel. There would be a reactivated team for Cleveland, where the Browns' name, colors, history, records, awards, and archives would remain in Cleveland.[18] The only other current NFL team to suspend operations without merging with another was Cleveland's previous NFL team, the Rams, during the 1943 season at the height of World War II.[19]

An additional stipulation was that in any future realignment plan, the Browns would automatically be placed in a division with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, because of longstanding rivalries with those two teams.[20] Upon their reactivation in 1999, the Browns were placed back in the AFC Central with the Steelers and Bengals, as well as the Ravens, Titans, and Jaguars. This arrangement had the effect of creating - for the first time in NFL history - an alignment with teams from Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh all playing in the same division. When the NFL realigned into divisions of four teams for the 2002 season, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Baltimore remained together, but in the newly created AFC North.

Aftermath

The return of the NFL to Baltimore compelled the departure of the professional football team already in Baltimore at the time, the Grey Cup champion Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Although they had generated respectable fan support during their two seasons in Baltimore, Stallions owner Jim Speros knew his team could not compete with an NFL team and opted to establish a new franchise in Montreal.[21][22]They subsequently adopted the name of the team that previously played in the city, the Alouettes. Speros subsequently re-signed the core of his championship Stallions roster, giving the "new" Alouettes the superficial appearance of being a "relocated" team as opposed to an "expansion" team, notwithstanding the Alouettes' participation in an expansion draft intended to stock the team with the league-mandated quota of Canadian players that had not been required of teams based in the U.S. The CFL subsequently recognized the 1996 Alouettes to be a continuation of the previous Montreal franchise that had ceased operations in 1987 (similar to the manner in which the 1999 Browns were regarded by the NFL as a continuation of the franchise that suspended operations in 1995) while the CFL's Baltimore franchise was reckoned to have ceased operations.

Focus groups, a telephone survey, and a fan contest were all held to help select a new name for Modell's team. Starting with a list of over 100 possible names, the team's management reduced it to 17. From there, focus groups of a total of 200 Baltimore area residents reduced the list of names to six, and then a phone survey of 1000 people trimmed it down to three, Marauders, Americans, and Ravens. Finally, a fan contest drawing 33,288 voters picked "Ravens", a name that alludes to the famous poem, "The Raven", by Edgar Allan Poe, who spent the latter part of his life in Baltimore, and is also buried there.[23] The team also adopted purple and black as their team colors, a stark contrast to the brown and orange colors of the Browns. Ex-Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas disowned[24] the Colts after their move to Indianapolis. The former Colts Marching Band, which remained in Baltimore after the Colts moved, was subsequently renamed the Baltimore's Marching Ravens.[25] Along with the San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Redskins, the Ravens are one of only four NFL teams with an official marching band.

Modell's move to Baltimore came at the height of NFL teams relocating.[26][27] The move also fueled a proliferation of 12 new stadiums throughout the NFL. Several NFL franchises used the threat of relocation to coerce their respective cities to build new stadiums with public funds. Such franchises include the Seahawks, Buccaneers, Bengals, Lions, Cardinals, and Bears.[26][27] In the three-year period from 1995–1997, four NFL teams moved. In addition to Modell's move, Los Angeles lost both of its teams for the 1995 season as the Raiders moved back to Oakland and the Rams moved east to St. Louis. The fourth and final move saw the Houston Oilers move to Tennessee in 1997 to eventually become the Tennessee Titans in 1999.

After several NFL teams used Cleveland as a relocation threat to become the reactivated Browns (most notably the Tampa Bay Buccaneers[28]), the NFL decided in 1998 to make the reactivated Browns an expansion team, which while it temporarily gave the league an odd number of teams (causing at least one team to be off in each of the 17 weeks of the NFL season from 1999–2001), it also eliminated any possibility of an existing franchise giving up its own identity for the Browns and thus prevented more lawsuits. In a somewhat ironic twist, Al Lerner—who helped Modell move to Baltimore—was granted ownership of the reactivated Browns;[29] his son Randy took over ownership after Al's death in 2002 before selling the team to Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam in 2012. From its beginning, the odd number of teams and the ensuing awkward scheduling was considered a temporary arrangement pending the addition of a 32nd NFL franchise - although Los Angeles was heavily favored, it was ultimately the Houston Texans who were created as the 32nd team to replace the Oilers in Houston, Texas for the 2002 NFL season to give the league once again an even number of teams. Following this decision, Los Angeles became the favored destination for owners threatening to move their teams until the St. Louis Rams finally returned to L.A. for the 2016 season.

The reactivated Browns have had only two winning seasons since returning to the NFL in 1999: a 9–7 finish in 2002 which also saw the team clinch a wild card spot in the playoffs, and a 10–6 finish in 2007 while barely missing the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Ravens have been more successful, reaching the playoffs eight times since 2000 and winning Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XLVII, often to the dismay of Browns fans.[18][30] Longtime placekicker Matt Stover was the last remaining Raven that was with the Modell-owned Browns - he departed the Ravens following the 2008 season when the team chose not to re-sign him, finishing his career (somewhat ironically) with the Indianapolis Colts.[31] General manager and former Browns tight end Ozzie Newsome (who was in a front-office role under Modell in Cleveland) remains with the Ravens.

The move would also have an effect in Pittsburgh as well. Steelers owner Dan Rooney was one of two owners to oppose Modell's move to Baltimore because of a mutual respect for the team and the fans. Because of the move, the Browns–Steelers rivalry, arguably one of the most heated rivalries in the NFL, has somewhat cooled in Pittsburgh due to the new Browns' lack of success. The Steelers–Ravens rivalry is considered the spiritual successor by fans in Pittsburgh and is one of the most heated current rivalries in the NFL.[32] Since returning to the NFL, the Browns and Steelers rivalry has been largely one-sided in favor of Pittsburgh; although the rivalry is not as intense in Pittsburgh, Browns fans still consider it their top rivalry despite the Browns' recent struggles against the Steelers.

Because of continual financial hardships, the NFL directed Modell to initiate the sale of his franchise. On March 27, 2000, NFL owners approved the sale of 49% of the Ravens to Steve Bisciotti.[33] In the deal, Bisciotti had an option to purchase the remaining 51% for $325 million in 2004 from Art Modell. On April 8, 2004, the NFL approved Steve Bisciotti's purchase of the majority stake in the club.[34]

Although Modell later retired and had relinquished control of the Ravens, he is still hated in Cleveland, not only for relocating the Browns, but also for his firing of legendary head coach Paul Brown in 1963. Some considered the Browns' relocation and subsequent lawsuits costing Modell a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is located in Canton, Ohio, just 60 miles south of Cleveland and is both part of the Cleveland television market and part of the Browns' territorial rights.[35][36] Modell died in 2012, never returning to Cleveland after the move.[37]

On July 23, 2014, a video surfaced on YouTube of a unidentified Browns fan desecrating the grave of Modell wearing a Lyle Alzado jersey by urinating on the grave through a catheter, saying in the video that "he had no choice", echoing Modell's comments on moving his team to Baltimore.[38] Baltimore County filed charges for disorderly conduct at the request of Modell's son David Modell once the fan was identified.[39]

Effect on teams in other sports leagues

Major League Baseball

Major League Soccer

National Hockey League

National Basketball Association

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dyer, Bob (2007). The Top 20 Moments in Cleveland Sports History: Tremendous Tales of Heroes and Heartbreaks. Gray & Company. pp. 277–291. ISBN 9781598510300. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  2. ↑ "LeBron James makes his pick: He's going to Miami". NBA.com (NBA Media Ventures, LLC). Associated Press. July 9, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Munson, Lester. A Busted Play. Sports Illustrated. 4 December 1995. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Henkel 2005, p. 102
  5. ↑ Naymik, Mark. Art Modell was offered a stadium for the Cleveland Browns and passed. Cleveland Plain Dealer. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  6. ↑ McFadden, Robert D. (September 6, 2012). "Art Modell, Owner of Browns, Then Ravens, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012.
  7. ↑ Smith, Timothy (1995-11-04). "Baltimore Browns May Be a Done Deal". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  8. ↑ "Playoff Predictions". Sports Illustrated. 1995-09-04. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
  9. 1 2 3 "1995 Cleveland Browns". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  10. ↑ Morgan, Jon. Unforgettable is what it's been. The Baltimore Sun. 6 November 1996. Retrieved 17 June 2011
  11. ↑ Morgan, Jon. Inside the Browns Deal. The Baltimore Sun. 17 December 1995. Retrieved 17 June 2011
  12. 1 2 3 4 Sandomir, Richard (1995-11-12). "A City Fights To Save The Browns". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  13. 1 2 Rushin, Steve. The Heart Of A City. Sports Illustrated. 4 December 1995. Retrieved 19 May 2011
  14. ↑ "Franchise Relocation Curb Sought on Hill". Washington Post. 1995-11-30. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  15. ↑ Cleveland Browns Move to Baltimore Debate. C-SPAN. 1 December 1995. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  16. ↑ "A Rivalry Unravels". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1995-11-14. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  17. ↑ "Muck Fodell". 1995-09-04. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
  18. 1 2 3 Henkel 2005, p. 103
  19. ↑ "The Cleveland Rams". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  20. ↑ Stellino, Vito. NFL to try realign play. Baltimore Sun. 7 October 1999. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  21. ↑ Klingaman, Mike. Once, the Stallions rode high. Baltimore Sun. 26 November 2000. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  22. ↑ Montreal Alouettes – History. Montreal Alouettes. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  23. ↑ "Baltimore Ravens History". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2006-08-25.
  24. ↑ Chappell, Mike; Richards, Phil; Marchibroda, Ted (2004). Tales from the Indianapolis Colts Sideline. p. 21.
  25. ↑ "Marching Band History". Baltimore Ravens. Archived from the original on March 16, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  26. 1 2 King, Peter. Citing his crushing debts, Art Modell is taking his Browns to Baltimore . Sports Illustrated. 13 November 1995. Retrieved 19 May 2011
  27. 1 2 Crothers, Tim. Greedy owners are threatening to move their teams if demands for new stadiums, better lease deals, etc., aren't met. Sports Illustrated. 19 June 1995. Retrieved 19 May 2011
  28. ↑ "Tampa Still Hopeful Bucs Will Stay Put". Orlando Sentinel. 1995-12-07. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  29. ↑ Sandomir, Richard PRO FOOTBALL; Lerner Wins Browns for $530 Million New York Times (accessed April 10, 2010)
  30. ↑ "Top Ten Snakebit Franchises: Cleveland Browns". NFL Network 2010-05-14. Retrieved 2011-03-07
  31. ↑ Grossi, Tony (2010-02-06) "Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Stover has many ties to Cleveland Browns" The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2011-03-07
  32. ↑ "Top 10 New NFL Rivalries". Sports Illustrated Retrieved 2011-03-07
  33. ↑ "Bisciotti approved as co-owner of Ravens". Associated Press. 2000-03-27. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  34. ↑ "Bisciotti now officially Ravens owner". Associated Press. 2004-04-08. Archived from the original on January 25, 2010. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  35. ↑ Livingston, Bill. Upon further review, Art Modell's case for Canton gets weaker every year. The Plain Dealer. 12 December 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  36. ↑ John ClaytonNFL senior writerFollowArchive (2008-01-01). "NFL – Modell was a model owner in many ways – ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  37. ↑ McFadden, Robert D. (September 6, 2012). "Art Modell, Owner of Browns, Then Ravens, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012.
  38. ↑ Cemetery decries fan's actions ESPN.com (07/23/2014)
  39. ↑ Man faces jail time, fine for urination ESPN.com (07/29/2014)
  40. ↑ "San Jose's MLS team moving to Houston". USA Today. 2005-12-15. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  41. ↑ Latze, Jeff (2008-08-20). "Seattle to retain SuperSonics banners and trophies". The Seattle Times.
  42. ↑ "Charlotte Hornets Name Returns to Carolinas" (Press release). Charlotte Hornets. May 20, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.

Further reading

  • Henkel, Frank M. (2005). Cleveland Browns History. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-3428-2. 

External links

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