Browns sharing their stadium?

[Wallydrag]

This sure isn't going to happen.

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/1076500590253010.xml

[Joe Stoker]

Only if the NFL Browns thought they could garner some off-season revenue in so doing. Wolstein is probably not happy with the Browns since he was rejected as a potential buyer when the NFL expansion franchise was up for bid, and the fact that the Browns went with ChampionsWorld in staging the Celtic exhibition at the stadium last July.

The Browns have been taking some mild heat for not allowing much to happen in the tax-paid facility during their off-season. Soccer could obviously be one avenue to appease those rants. The Browns just need some convincing that soccer matches can do far less damage to their precious turf than NFL games or rock concerts.

Even with 70,000+ seats, the place is far more intimate than the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium a lot of us grew up with. The crowd at Browns Stadium for Celtic-Boca was difficult to number, since it seemed half of the Bhoys faithful were at the watering holes at any given time during the match (LOL).

Right on top of the action from all angles. Excellent accoustics... The 20,000 (generous estimate) made far more noise than the same-sized crowd just down the street at the baseball game. Filled up most of the lower bowl quite well on two sides and the Dawg Pound.

While Wolstein, in an apparent hissy, says it won't work for him, pro soccer @ Browns Stadium could work for the Browns... good PR if nothing else... and (lest anyone care) for soccer fans. We could get the show up & running in short order.

Now, don't tell be Bert has an exclusivity clause. If so, guess we'll just have to settle for Celtic, Blackburn, Real, Juvy, etc. instead of MLS. Too bad(tongue firmly in cheek). Someone get Joe Stoker an appointment with Mr. Stewart. Quick.

[Joe Stoker]

From this morning's Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial page.

http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/opinion/107666831092642.xml?oxedi

How could anyone forget that late February WC qualifyer vs Mexico at Crew Stadium!

Would CSU willingly abandon Krenzler Field? I'd rather see college soccer (CSU, BW, NCAA Regionals), state high school soccer championships, and internationals, as part of the mix at a Wolstein stadium than high school pointy-ball. But to be "serious and realistic"...

[Crewmudgeon]

Glad to see the PD expose Wolstein's plan for what it is . . . a money grab. But we've been saying that all along.

As for using Browns' stadium, under the current lease agreement with the city, the only one who can make money at Browns' stadium is the Browns. They concession and parking revenue. So unless Lerner wants an NFL team, forget it.

Working with CSU may not be the answer. I know current president Michael Swartz, and he's no fool. He can see through Wolstein just like the rest of us can.

If Wolstein really wants to invest in MLS, he needs to sh@# or get off the pot.

[furie]

i thought the whole point was to get away from renting from NFL or whoever. if the expansion club can't start with a SSS, then don't expand.

[BulaJacket]

I brought this up a few months ago, and I still think this is a good idea..........for a year or two/

Cleveland has a problem with minor leagues, unless they're an affiliate of a current Cleveland team. Playing in Browns stadium may give them an initial major league feel for the soccer-miseducated, soccer-indifferent, or soccer-naive.

The most relevant article on this subject:
http://www.foxsportsworld.com/content/view?contentId=1776108
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=85395

[BulaJacket]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/7973823.htm
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/7973823.htm

Policy said the club would be willing to share Browns Stadium with a major professional soccer team. The MLS will have a franchise in the city in 2005, and team owner Bart Wolstein has been trying to raise funds to get a stadium built.

http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1699&dept_id=46370&newsid=10984325&PAG=461&rfi=9

Bart Wolstein, former owner of the Cleveland Force, wants to put an outdoor soccer team in Cleveland, but he is having a hard time finding a community willing to build a soccer specific stadium for an estimated $110 million. Policy said Wolstein's team could play in Cleveland Browns Stadium, which was designed to accommodate soccer. Browns Stadium is about 50,000 seats bigger than the 22,000-seat stadium the MLS is seeking.

[Joe Stoker]

I suspected Policy would eventually come around to this type of public utterance to get the city off his back regarding lack-of-use of the publicly-funded stadium. It sounded good, anyhow.

It would still surprise me if he made a temporary signed-in-blood deal with Weaselstein. Wouldn't it be a laugh if Policy himself would work his expert legalese to lift the MLS franchise frm 'Stein for a permanent stadium attraction. Orange stripes? "Bulldogs"? Possible.

[BulaJacket]

Just of note - Cleveland Browns Stadium again noted in recent (already noted) article as a temporary solution:
If a soccer specific stadium isn't finalised, a back up option of looking for a tenant relationship with - for example - the Cleveland Browns' stadium hasn't been ruled out. Although Garofolo believes that the best opportunity for the new club would be in their planned facility.

"That (sharing dates in an American football stadium) is something that has been talked about but no final decision has been made," he noted, "but the reality to me - and this is me speaking personally - is that we really only have one great opportunity to launch Major League Soccer in Cleveland and we want our best shot out of the soccer specific stadium, where were are the landlord of the facility, not the tenant."
http://www.ussocceruk.com/news/?CatTypeId=2&ContentId=1439

[SYoshonis]

Well, if it's just a temporary home while the SSS is being built, then I'm all for it. I'd like to see shovels in the ground before this happens, however, or at least the official financial okey-dokey from everyone concerned. There's no reason why a fan base shouldn't be started, and games played, before the thing is finished, when you have this big, new stadium just sitting there in the summer.

But, if this is just an attempt ( or even possible attempt) to bait-and-switch MLS to making Browns Stadium the permanent home, a rousing Hell No is in order.

[Viking64]

This is a non-starter.

If Wolstein gets a stadium deal, MLS will be overjoyed to wait two years while it's built, and pursue other markets in the meantime.

No way in hell will the Browns agree to give MLS enough of their own revenue for MLS to even consider it.

MLS would award a franchise to the Browns ownership group overnight if they wanted one and agreed to a modest expansion fee. But that is not even under discussion.