Why the Cleveland Browns Should Remain on the North Coast

While reviewing the sports news of the day, I stumbled onto an article written by Mary Kay Cabot of The (Ohio) Plain Dealer. The article appeared in the Cleveland.com website and dealt with the Cleveland Browns.

It appears that Jimmy Haslam III of Tennessee may buy the Cleveland Browns. At the same time, Haslam guaranteed that the Browns would remain in Cleveland regardless of the transaction.

While I do not pretend to be an expert on the Cleveland Browns, the need arose to address the issue of why the Browns should remain on the North Coast. I write this article as a person who was born and lived the first decade of his life in Ohio. I also took pre-college courses in the North Coast area, as well.

The reasons for the Browns to remain in Cleveland are many but are highlighted by a few.

Fanbase

Maybe the Browns did not have a great NFL season in 2011 (4-12), but the people in Cleveland love them. I can remember flags and banners of the Browns in stores, schools, marketplaces and shopping malls throughout the fall.

I'll never forget the time when some of the stores in Hudson, Ohio, were filled with banners supporting the Browns and the local high school football team. Who could forget the Christmas Carols dedicated to the Browns in 1980 and 2007?

The time has come to address the fall of 1995. It was an era that will live in infamy on the North Coast and beyond.

The same fans that support Cleveland were angered by the announcement that Art Modell would move the club to Baltimore. While Cleveland retained the colors and symbols, the move left a bad taste in the mouth of many on the North Coast.

It is a logical response to the feeling of being stabbed in the back by those who felt that money was more important. If there is any doubt about Ohio—especially Cleveland—loving sports, NFL football in particular, it was erased by the support for the Browns and rejection of Modell.

Contract Agreement Between Browns and Cleveland

According to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer, there is a lease which keeps the Browns in Cleveland until 2029.

What Can Be Done?

It is hoped that the people who love the Browns are willing to save their team. The way to go about it should be with respect and dignity but also loud.

People should demand that the Browns remain in Cleveland using the media, petitions and any legal means to address the issue. It is hoped that the Browns supporters and others are able to say, "No!" clearly and loudly to any attempts to relocate what is an institution.