CLEVELAND — Public funding for NFL stadiums has become commonplace; nearly every fanbase has contributed taxpayer dollars to ensure their favorite team plays in a fantastic venue.
But not all funding proposals are created equal: the Haslam Sports Group is asking for a historic price tag from Cleveland Browns fans despite years of subpar performances on the field.
Like it or not, the Browns are moving to the suburbs. Last month, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and the Haslam family announced the team's intent to build a new stadium in Brook Park in the coming years.
"They had the opportunity to reinvent in Cleveland, transform the current stadium into a world-class facility. Enhance the fan experience and remain highly profitable," Mayor Bibb lamented in a press conference on Oct. 18.
Regardless of where stadiums are located, business is booming for NFL owners across the league. Franchise valuations have skyrocketed across the last decade, but despite the rich getting richer, the Haslams still want taxpayer dollars to help pay for a new Cleveland Browns stadium.
The team published a letter earlier this year, showing off renderings of a new $2.4 billion domed facility. It also included the ask for a 50-50 partnership.
The price tag for the public? $1.2 billion.
Fans were split when they spoke with 3News about the potential investment, with some feeling like team ownership should front the bill, while others felt it was fair to pay for an upgraded fan experience.
"As a taxpayer, I don't want any dollars going toward it. It's private enterprise," fan Ben Bryson admitted to 3News. "I don't think it's up to the taxpayers to pay for that. Especially when you've got billionaires involved."
"If you want a state-of-the-art stadium to be able to see your Brownies play on Sunday, that's what you're going to pay for,” Warren Davidson admitted from a Muni Lot tailgate. "That's why these discussions are so tough and we have to go back and forth and find a middle ground somewhere."
The $1.2 billion wouldn't be a flat, one-time fee. The Browns would borrow against future tax revenues, with multiple government agencies providing bonds to help offset costs.
It’s complicated math, but simply put, it's still the public helping to pay for a new stadium.
According to numbers from the NFL, a fanbase paying this much money for a new build or renovation is almost unheard of. The Tennessee Titans approved more than $1.2 billion in taxpayer cost for a new stadium in 2023, but with interest expected to accrue, that figure will reportedly wind up being closer to $2.3 billion.
Outside of that outlier, the price tag the Browns are asking from its fanbase is unprecedented. A fanbase contributing $1.2 billion toward a sports venue would be the highest any NFL city has paid outside of Tennessee. Even compared to larger, more expensive areas like Chicago and Dallas, the Haslams are asking for a massive fee.
While the price tag would be top-tier, the performance of the Browns during the ownership tenure of the Haslam family has been closer to the bottom of the barrel.
During the last 10 years, the Browns have a record of 58-105. The 105 losses during that period is the third-most in the NFL, according to StatMuse.
Would fans be more willing to pay a huge price tag if the product on the field was better?
"If they win, we are obviously going to be happier. If we have Super Bowls in Cleveland, we will be happier,” Davidson admitted. “Even if they don't, if you're a Browns fan, you're still going to be happy to see your boys get dressed up and go play on Sundays."
"The performance of the team is always going to go up and down,” pointed out Eric Doll, dressed in Browns gear before a game. “That shouldn't really be a factor in the business decisions of the county and the city and the Haslams on how the stadium is funded."
Browns fans continue to be fiercely loyal, regardless of the emotional or financial cost.
3News reached out to the Haslam Sports Group for more information about the funding proposal and requested an interview. They have not responded to our requests.