Dear Randy Lerner
BLOGGER'S NOTE: Today I'm posting my letter to Randy Lerner. Tom Withers recently wrote a story about Randy Lerner and his restaurant in NY State. I'm printing this letter and mailing it to him tomorrow. I don't expect a response but he should know how restless the natives are getting....
Dear Mr. Lerner,
I never imagined that I would be writing you. But, finally, after last Sunday’s game I’ve seen enough.
I have been a Browns season ticketholder since 1999 and a Cleveland Browns fan my entire life. I grew up watching Brian Sipe and the Kardiac Kids and lived and died with the Browns each and every Sunday growing up.
I, like you, have suffered through it all. Red Right 88, The Drive, The Fumble, Bernie Kosar’s "diminishing skills," and of course the move to Baltimore. I heard about Art Modell moving the team first on the radio. I dashed home for lunch that day and got there just as Art Modell stepped up to the microphone and announced he was moving the Browns to Baltimore because, " he had no choice."
When I watched the press conference from the tarmac at the Baltimore Airport I cried. My beloved Browns would be no more. Then, when your father stepped up to the plate and was named the new owner for the franchise’s return to Cleveland I was jubilant. My brother, cousin and I even decided to pony up and purchase season tickets. But the honeymoon is long since over.
I’ve gotten to see a lot of bad, very bad, football at the stadium since the Browns came back in 1999. And after this season, I’m at the point of apathy toward my (and your) Browns. I just can’t take it anymore. I wrap myself up emotionally, in the team and how they play each week and I’m tired of being disappointed nearly each and every week.
And I don’t think I’m getting value for my season tickets that others around the NFL get. At least most see improvement and effort out on the field, especially at home. Honestly, I don’t see either. If this were a regular business, the Browns would be losing customers left and right. But people have an emotional stake in the Browns and that’s a tough thing to just walk away from.
All I know is I have never been more disillusioned or felt more detached from the team than I do right now. I feel cheated, taken for granted. I have to make sacrifices just go use my season tickets and go to Browns games on Sundays.
My season tickets cost $440 this season, please Mr. Lerner take no offense, but that doesn’t probably doesn’t sound like much money for a billionaire like yourself. For me, that $440 is a chunk of change and it takes me more than a week working at my job to make enough to pay for those season tickets. That doesn’t include the gas for the 235-mile round trip between Findlay and Cleveland, parking, concessions and the Browns clothing that I pick up in the team shop every time I go to the Stadium.
If any other business put a product on the field as disappointing as the Browns have for seven years, refunds would be in order or the business would probably go broke.
I want to hang on but I don’t know if I have any faith left in this organization. I am a die-hard Mr. Lerner, and if you lose me you’ve lost "The Fans." Help me, give me a reason to stick it out.
Tell me why I should stick it out as a Browns fan? What is the organization going to do other than give me the same old song and dance I’ve been hearing the past seven years.
Thanks for your time,
Jamie Baker
Browns Season Ticketholder
Findlay, Ohio
Dear Mr. Lerner,
I never imagined that I would be writing you. But, finally, after last Sunday’s game I’ve seen enough.
I have been a Browns season ticketholder since 1999 and a Cleveland Browns fan my entire life. I grew up watching Brian Sipe and the Kardiac Kids and lived and died with the Browns each and every Sunday growing up.
I, like you, have suffered through it all. Red Right 88, The Drive, The Fumble, Bernie Kosar’s "diminishing skills," and of course the move to Baltimore. I heard about Art Modell moving the team first on the radio. I dashed home for lunch that day and got there just as Art Modell stepped up to the microphone and announced he was moving the Browns to Baltimore because, " he had no choice."
When I watched the press conference from the tarmac at the Baltimore Airport I cried. My beloved Browns would be no more. Then, when your father stepped up to the plate and was named the new owner for the franchise’s return to Cleveland I was jubilant. My brother, cousin and I even decided to pony up and purchase season tickets. But the honeymoon is long since over.
I’ve gotten to see a lot of bad, very bad, football at the stadium since the Browns came back in 1999. And after this season, I’m at the point of apathy toward my (and your) Browns. I just can’t take it anymore. I wrap myself up emotionally, in the team and how they play each week and I’m tired of being disappointed nearly each and every week.
And I don’t think I’m getting value for my season tickets that others around the NFL get. At least most see improvement and effort out on the field, especially at home. Honestly, I don’t see either. If this were a regular business, the Browns would be losing customers left and right. But people have an emotional stake in the Browns and that’s a tough thing to just walk away from.
All I know is I have never been more disillusioned or felt more detached from the team than I do right now. I feel cheated, taken for granted. I have to make sacrifices just go use my season tickets and go to Browns games on Sundays.
My season tickets cost $440 this season, please Mr. Lerner take no offense, but that doesn’t probably doesn’t sound like much money for a billionaire like yourself. For me, that $440 is a chunk of change and it takes me more than a week working at my job to make enough to pay for those season tickets. That doesn’t include the gas for the 235-mile round trip between Findlay and Cleveland, parking, concessions and the Browns clothing that I pick up in the team shop every time I go to the Stadium.
If any other business put a product on the field as disappointing as the Browns have for seven years, refunds would be in order or the business would probably go broke.
I want to hang on but I don’t know if I have any faith left in this organization. I am a die-hard Mr. Lerner, and if you lose me you’ve lost "The Fans." Help me, give me a reason to stick it out.
Tell me why I should stick it out as a Browns fan? What is the organization going to do other than give me the same old song and dance I’ve been hearing the past seven years.
Thanks for your time,
Jamie Baker
Browns Season Ticketholder
Findlay, Ohio
posted by --J-- @ 6:07 PM
3 Comments:
At 8:44 PM,
Anonymous said…
Jamie,
I can certainly feel your frustration, I'm not a Browns fan, but being a fan, I can see your frustration when you pour your heart and soul (and money) and get little satisfaction.
However, I'm sure you know this already, but just being a die hard fan does not equate to wins. Especially in professional sports, the margin between good and bad is very, very minimal. With pro football's salary cap, it's designed for teams to have to pair down their rosters and spread the good players around. Now, again there's no guaratee, there are several variable to take into consideration.
As I said before, I'm not a Browns fan, but being in the area we certainly get a lot of Browns coverage. You can honestly say many of their decisions over the years have not been poor ones, they just didn't work out. Who knew Butch Davis wouldn't transform the Browns into Miami "north". Who knew Tim Couch would be a flop?
Things will get better, I think Crennell is the right guy for the job, he just needs a few years to get things around.
JDee
At 5:21 AM,
Anonymous said…
I am 40 and a life long Browns fan. I have my 10 XL shirt hanging on my wall.(9f wide at the sleeves). As a Browns fan I have decided the city of Cleveland is cursed. Romeo must go, I have tried to back him up but he has shown little leadership, the Blaylon Edwards sideline display is good example. Lerner needs to fire everyone in organization and start over. Hire people who have done it before, no first time coaches, no first time anything. If Lerner does not want to spend the money, sell the team and get someone who will. A owner needs to want the team to win, not make money.
At 7:50 PM,
Anonymous said…
Again, I'm not a Browns fan, but you can't just clean house every two years in the NFL. There is something said for consistency and keeping the same system in place for several years.
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