Cleveland Browns fans anxiously strode around FirstEnergy Stadium four hours before the gates were scheduled to open for their home opener. This event was about so much more than a regular season football game. Among that sea of enthusiastic and passionate supporters was one, Dan Moore. His maternal grandfather, Marty, was one of the first people in Cleveland to purchase season tickets for the Browns in 1946. The legacy of loyalty runs deep within this fan base, especially considering that Marty passed away from a heart attack while cheering for the team.
Despite being labeled as pro football’s worst team for over three decades, the Browns have managed to cultivate a passionate following. The capricious team’s troubled legacy reached a new low. Quarterback Deshaun Watson received an 11-game suspension in his first year with the Browns after being accused of “predatory behavior.” This incident became more than a setback. It also exposed a bigger story that has, in many ways, disenfranchised a dedicated and loyal fanbase.
Last year, the Cleveland Browns blew up the social media space in the NFL. They swapped three future first-round drafts picks, a future third-round pick and two fourth-round picks to get Watson. The decision to sign him for a five-year, $230 million contract—the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history—further polarized the fan base. Yet by 2023, cracks among die-hards started to show, reflecting an increasing fractiousness with the overall course of the franchise.
“Go browns go,” chanted one jubilant fan, reminding everyone of the most loyal of supporters still rooting for a very rough-and-tumble franchise.
The Browns have a long tradition that dates back to 1944. Arthur B. McBride assembled the club as an initial member of the short-lived All-America Football Conference. In 1950, after the demise of the AAFC, they were accepted into the NFL. After all, they’d already lost their first season in 1946, an era when Cleveland was a very different place from today. Since 2014, the organization has pumped more than $150 million into Northeast Ohio. This record-setting investment reflects their commitment to the new local community they’re helping to build.
Yet this season, attendance is down dramatically. The total number of attendees dropped from 610,295 in 2023—ranking 19th in the league—to just 541,808 in 2024, placing them at 28th. As if this weren’t enough, this decrease has sparked fears over long-term fan engagement and loyalty given many years of frustrations with the team.
I’ve been able to raise six kids on nothing but this,” said longtime supporter Big D, emphasizing the life-long ties that many supporters like to Deep Ellum have with the team. USA Today sportswriters just ranked Browns fans as number one in all of football. This celebration acknowledges their steadfast commitment to our team.
Still, some detractors have been quick to criticize the team’s choices. CBS Sports referred to Watson’s acquisition as “the single worst transaction in NFL history,” while USA Today likened the feeling of supporting the Browns to “what it must feel like getting a grand jury subpoena, except every week.” Such sentiments strike a chord with fans who see their fervent support eclipsed by crushing disloyalty.
Ray Prisby expressed his frustration over fans selling their season tickets amid the team’s struggles. “We’ve gotten used to losing and complaining. It’s a knee-jerk reaction. So, fans selling their season tickets? Dah, dah, dah. It’s all part of the losing.”
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