For a franchise that can’t seem to avoid controversy, the Cleveland Browns have once again found themselves at odds with their own fan base-and the city of Cleveland.
After enduring a turbulent season with Deshaun Watson, the Browns’ latest move has sparked a new wave of animosity, this time not over player conduct, but a major relocation plan that threatens to further alienate the team from its supporters.
Since the 1940s, the Browns have been synonymous with downtown Cleveland, playing in their current lakefront home at Huntington Bank Field since 1999.
However, with the lease set to expire in 2028, team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam are making headlines by pushing forward plans to build a new domed stadium and entertainment complex in Brook Park, a Cleveland suburb.
The bold move has ignited a fierce legal battle between the team and the city, one that is dredging up painful memories of the Browns’ past.
At the heart of the dispute is Ohio’s “Modell Law,” named after the infamous former Browns owner, Art Modell, who moved the franchise to Baltimore in 1995.
The law was designed to prevent a similar betrayal by requiring teams that use tax-supported facilities to either gain permission to relocate or give six months’ notice.
With Cleveland threatening to invoke the Modell Law, the Browns preemptively filed a federal lawsuit seeking clarification, setting the stage for a potential showdown in court.
