Art Modell Law Cited by City of Cleveland in Browns Attempted Move

According to a Fox 8 News report on Monday, Mayor Justin Bibb is ready to send the letter to Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam officially invoking the law.

“I am writing this letter on behalf of the City of Cleveland (the “City”) to the Cleveland Browns Football Company LLC (the “Browns”), as owner of the professional sports team known as the Cleveland Browns,” Bibb writes in the letter.

“As you are well aware, in 1996, following the relocation of the Browns to Baltimore, the Ohio General Assembly enacted, and the Governor signed, Ohio Revised Code § 9.67. Known as the Modell Law, the statute provides in full:

“No owner of a professional sports team that uses a tax-supported facility for most of its home games and receives financial assistance from the state or a political subdivision thereof shall cease playing most of its home games at the facility and begin playing most of its home games elsewhere unless the owner either:

“(A) Enters into an agreement with the political subdivision permitting the team to play most of its home games elsewhere;

“(B) Gives the political subdivision in which the facility is located not less than six months’ advance notice of the owner’s intention to cease playing most of its home games at the facility and, during the six months after such notice, gives the political subdivision or any individual or group of individuals who reside in the area the opportunity to purchase the team.”

Regardless of the Art Modell Law, the Haslams are reportedly already moving forward with their plans to build a new, domed stadium in Brook Park without offering the team for sale. 

The Haslams are not ignoring the law, however, as they've filed a legal action asking for clarity on it, which is currently pending.

The now infamous Art Modell Law was created in response to the original Cleveland Browns' owner moving the team to Baltimore to become the Ravens back in 1996. It's intended to force an owner of a Cleveland sports franchise who wants to relocate his team to put it up for sale first.