APReading: 2 min.
Due to bribery allegations, the team had to break its agreement with FirstEnergy Corp.
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns ended their stadium naming rights partnership with FirstEnergy Corp. after 10 years, and now it will be called Cleveland Browns Stadium.
The parties announced the mutual agreement on Thursday. Terms and conditions were not disclosed.
The original contract with FirstEnergy was worth $107 million and was until the 2028 season, when the lease for the Browns with the city of Cleveland.
The association of FirstEnergy with the franchise NFL came under scrutiny after the utility admitted to bribing lawmakers in Ohio. Some city and state officials had pushed for the Brown they broke the ties.
“We’ve had a great partnership with FirstEnergy for more than two decades, and we appreciate this partnership and what it has created for our team and the Northeast Ohio community at large,” said Dave JenkinsDirector of Operations Haslam Sports Group founded by the owners of the Browns, Dee y Jimmy Haslam. We come to this amicable agreement that is consistent with the productive relationship we have always enjoyed, and we wish success to FirstEnergy in your future initiatives.
Los Browns they plan to reopen the bidding for the name of their stadium.
John Somerhalderinterim president of FirstEnergy, He said the change was due in part to a shift in company priorities.
Like the rest of northern Ohiowe remain passionate fans of the Browns and we will root for them in the seasons to come,” Somerhalder said. “We also look forward to maintaining our deep relationships with civic, arts and other organizations to bring good energy to our communities.”
Los Haslam publicly offered their commitment to renovate the 67,000-seat stadium, which was built in the same area as the Estadio Municipal de Cleveland and was inaugurated in 1999 when the Browns they returned to the league as an expansion team.
Los Haslam they financed the bulk of a $125 million improvement to the stadium in 2014-15.
