Art Modell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Art Modell
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Modell at a press conference in 1983
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Arthur Bertram Modell
June 23, 1925 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Died | September 6, 2012 (aged 87) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Occupation | NFL franchise owner Cleveland Browns (1961–1995) Baltimore Ravens (1996–2004) Businessman |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 (David Modell and John) |
| Awards | 1964 NFL champion Super Bowl XXXV champion |
Arthur Bertram Modell (June 23, 1925 – September 6, 2012) was an American businessman who owned two professional football teams in the National Football League (NFL). He owned the Cleveland Browns for 35 years. Later, he started the Baltimore Ravens team, which he owned for nine years.
Modell took over the Browns in 1961. He helped make the NFL more popular. At first, people in Cleveland liked him because he was active in the community and tried to make the team better. However, he made some choices that caused arguments. These included firing Paul Brown, the team's first coach, and letting go of star player Jim Brown.
In 1995, many fans in Cleveland were upset when Modell decided to move the Browns team to Baltimore. The NFL helped work out a deal. Modell agreed to leave the Browns' name, colors, and history in Cleveland. A new Browns team started in Cleveland in 1999. Modell took all the players and staff to Baltimore and created the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are officially considered a new team that started in 1996.
People in Baltimore were happy because Modell brought football back to their city after the Colts team had left. But in Cleveland, Modell is still a debated figure because he moved the team.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Art Modell was born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York. His father, George, was a wine sales manager who lost his business after the stock market crash of 1929. Modell's father died when Art was 14 years old.
Modell went to New Utrecht High School. At age 15, he left school to help his family. His first job was cleaning ships in a Brooklyn shipyard.
In 1943, when he was 18, he joined the US Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war, he studied television in New York City. In 1947, he started his own TV production company. In 1949, they created a show called Market Melodies. This show was about cooking and decorating.
Modell sold his show idea to the Grand Union grocery store chain. He put televisions in the store aisles where the show became very popular. At that time, few homes had TVs, so watching the show in stores was a big success. Modell later worked in advertising, becoming a partner at L.H. Hartman Co. in New York City.
Owning the Cleveland Browns (1961–1995)
Modell bought the Cleveland Browns in 1961 for $4 million. He used only $250,000 of his own money. He borrowed the rest and found partners to help.
Firing Coach Paul Brown (1963)
When Modell first owned the team, some players, like Milt Plum and Jim Brown, had problems with head coach Paul Brown. They questioned Brown's coaching style. Players talked to Modell, who was easier to relate to than the older coach.
In 1962, Coach Brown traded away star player Bobby Mitchell and draft pick Leroy Jackson for Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Brown did this without telling Modell. Davis was soon diagnosed with leukemia. Modell wanted Davis to play, but Brown refused. Davis died the next year without ever playing a game. Modell fired Paul Brown on January 9, 1963. He then hired Brown's assistant, Blanton Collier, as the new head coach.
Browns Win NFL Championship (1964)
After three seasons without reaching the playoffs, the 1964 Browns team finished with a 10–3–1 record. They played in the 1964 NFL Championship Game. They faced the strong Don Shula-coached Baltimore Colts team, led by famous quarterback Johnny Unitas. The Browns beat the Colts 27–0 in Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Many players on this championship team were first chosen by Paul Brown.
For the next 30 years in Cleveland, Modell's teams did not win another league title. However, they did play in six NFL/AFC championship games between 1965 and 1995. Before Modell arrived, the Browns had won seven championships in 17 years.
Modell's Team Promotions
Modell used his advertising skills to promote the team. In 1962, he started scheduling professional football preseason doubleheaders at Cleveland Stadium. This was a popular idea.
Modell also became important in NFL leadership. He served as NFL President. He used his TV connections to help make deals for the league's growing television contracts. He also allowed his team to play in the first prime-time Thanksgiving game in 1966. The Browns also played in the first Monday Night Football game in 1970.
Community Involvement in Cleveland
Modell was very involved in the Cleveland community. He helped raise money for charities and for Republican Party candidates. In 1969, he married TV actress Patricia Breslin. He was known for his quick wit. For example, about the NFL sharing TV money equally among all teams, Modell joked that the NFL was run by "a bunch of fat-cat Republicans who vote socialist on football."
Player Contract Issues
In 1967, five African American Browns players had a contract disagreement and did not report to training camp. Modell eventually traded or released four of them. Only star running back Leroy Kelly stayed.
Later, contract problems with defensive end Jack Gregory in 1972 and draft pick Tom Skladany in 1977 made some Cleveland fans unhappy with Modell. Fans felt that the team's constant sellouts should be used to make the team stronger. Some fans put up anti-Modell banners in the stadium, but stadium management quickly removed them.
Modell as Stadium Landlord (1973–1995)
Modell Takes Control of Cleveland Stadium (1973)
In 1973, Modell took control of Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The City of Cleveland owned the stadium but found it too costly to run. Modell made a deal with the city. His new company, Stadium Corp., would rent the stadium for $1 per year. It would also pay for all operating and repair costs. Stadium Corp. would then rent the stadium to its two main teams: the Browns and the Cleveland Indians baseball team.
Cleveland Indians Baseball
As head of Stadium Corp., Modell was also the landlord for the Indians. This was a good business move, even though the Indians often played poorly and had small crowds in the 1970s and 1980s. The Browns paid rent to Stadium Corp. Modell's company also built special luxury suites in the stadium. These suites brought in a lot of money from rentals, which was not shared with the Indians.
Indians Become Unhappy with Modell
The Indians team became unhappy with Modell's Stadium Corp. as their landlord. Modell did not share the money earned from the luxury suites during baseball games with the Indians. Eventually, the Indians convinced voters in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to pay for a new baseball stadium, which became Jacobs Field.
Modell's Disappointment with Jacobs Field
Modell was not happy about the Indians' new stadium. Once Jacobs Field opened, Stadium Corp.'s income from suite rentals went down. Many customers switched from the older Cleveland Stadium suites to the newer ones at Jacobs Field. This was also because the Indians became very popular in the mid-1990s. Modell's Stadium Corp. also refused to lower the yearly rent for the suites, even though there were fewer events (81 home games) at Cleveland Stadium after the Indians left.
Gateway Sports Project Clash
Modell was offered a place for the Browns in Cleveland's new Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex. However, he asked for improvements to Municipal Stadium instead. Because Modell's Stadium Corp. still controlled Municipal Stadium, it might have made more business sense for him to try to keep the Indians there. The Indians later played in the World Series in 1995 and 1997. They sold out 455 games in a row at Jacobs Field from 1995 to 2001. The City of Cleveland agreed to improve Municipal Stadium. The money for these improvements was supposed to come from an extended "sin tax," but this tax was instead used to fund the Gateway Sports Complex.
Modell Moves to Baltimore (1996)
The City of Cleveland, Ohio, wanted to improve Municipal Stadium. But Modell stopped all talks about the stadium's future for his team. During this time, Modell secretly talked with the State of Maryland about moving the team to Baltimore for the 1996 season.
The announcement of the move happened a few days before a public vote on extending the "sin tax." This tax would have funded the stadium improvements Modell had asked for. Modell wrote a letter to Cleveland's mayor Michael R. White and Ohio's governor George Voinovich. He said that even if the tax passed, it might not be enough to keep the Browns. Modell had lost $21 million in the two seasons before the move.
Some people thought Modell timed the announcement to make the tax vote fail. This would allow him to say he wasn't getting enough public support to stay in Cleveland. However, the tax vote passed by a large amount. Modell was helped in the move by Alfred Lerner, who later became the new owner of the reactivated Cleveland Browns team in 1998.
Modell's move brought the NFL back to Baltimore. The Colts had left Baltimore for Indianapolis after the 1983 season. People in Cleveland were very angry. Modell had promised he would never move the team. He had also publicly criticized the Baltimore Colts' move to Indianapolis. He had even supported the NFL in court cases where the league tried to stop Al Davis from moving the Oakland Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles.
'The City of Cleveland vs. Cleveland Browns'
The City of Cleveland sued Modell and the Browns. They said Modell broke the Browns' lease, which required the team to play at Cleveland Stadium for several more years.
Browns Team Deactivated, Returns in 1999
Eventually, the NFL and the teams worked out a deal. The Browns team would be put on hold for three years. Modell first tried to take the Browns name with him to Baltimore. But as part of the deal, Modell agreed to leave the Browns' name, colors, and history in Cleveland for a new team. In return, Modell was allowed to take the team's rights, players, and organization to Baltimore to form a new team, the Ravens. Cleveland received a loan from the NFL to help pay for a new stadium.
The Browns returned to the NFL in 1999. Lerner, a friend of Modell and a part-owner of Modell's original team, became the owner. Lerner won a bid against other interested buyers to buy the reactivated Browns team.
The Browns' Record Under Modell
During Modell's 35 seasons as owner, the Browns made it to the postseason 17 times. They won 11 division titles and the NFL championship in 1964. The team's overall regular season record under Modell was 252 wins, 233 losses, and 10 ties (a winning percentage of .519). Their postseason record was 7 wins and 14 losses (a winning percentage of .333).
Impact of the Move
The Browns' move led to many new stadiums being built across the NFL. Using the agreement between the NFL and Cleveland (to provide a team by 1999), several NFL teams convinced their cities to build new stadiums using public money. This included teams like the Broncos, Eagles, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Bengals, Lions, Cardinals, and Colts.
Other sports teams later made similar agreements. For example, when the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team moved to Houston in 2005, the team name, colors, and records stayed in San Jose for a future team. When the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, they agreed to leave the "SuperSonics" name and logo in Seattle for a possible future NBA team.
Modell was considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame several times, but he was never chosen. The Hall of Fame is in Canton, Ohio, which is near Cleveland. Many believe the Browns' move and the lawsuits that followed cost Modell a spot in the Hall of Fame.
He never returned to Cleveland after 1996. When Browns kicking legend Lou "The Toe" Groza died in 2000, Modell did not attend.
Browns' Final Game in Cleveland (1995)
When the last game was played in Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1995, more people were outside protesting the move than inside watching the game. The TV announcers for NBC mentioned the protesters. Former NFL coach Mike Ditka said, "These are some of the best fans in the NFL. They (the Cleveland sports fans) don't deserve this. If Modell had any sort of sense of dignity he would have sold the team."
Owning the Baltimore Ravens (1996–2004)
Former Colts Players and Fans Support the Team
Many Baltimore fans, including some famous old-time Colts players, saw the Ravens as the new version of the Baltimore Colts. Other retired stars, like Art Donovan, felt mixed emotions. They were happy that Baltimore fans had an NFL team again. But they were also sad that Cleveland was feeling the same loss Baltimore had felt in 1984.
Head Coaching Changes
When the team moved in 1996, Modell chose Ted Marchibroda as the new head coach. Marchibroda had coached the Colts when they were in Baltimore in the late 1970s. He had also coached them in Indianapolis before the move.
However, the new Ravens struggled for their first three seasons in Baltimore and missed the playoffs. In 1999, Modell hired Brian Billick as the new head coach. Billick was known as a smart offensive coach.
Super Bowl XXXV
In 2000, the Ravens, coached by Billick, made it to the postseason for the first time. They had a 12–4 record. The team was led by a strong defense, with team captain and star linebacker Ray Lewis. Quarterback Trent Dilfer led the offense. The Ravens went on to defeat the New York Giants 34–7 in Super Bowl XXXV.
Soon after the Super Bowl win, Modell gave control of the team's daily operations to his son, David. The Ravens made the postseason again in 2001 and in 2003, winning their first division title. The Ravens' regular season record under Modell as owner was 72 wins and 63 losses.
Community Involvement in Baltimore
Modell and his wife, Patricia Breslin, gave millions of dollars to many charities. These included the SEED School (a boarding school for disadvantaged youth), Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the House of Ruth (a domestic violence center). Modell received the Generous Heart Award from the Dr. Ben Carson Scholarship Foundation for his community work.
Ravens Sold to Steve Bisciotti
Even though the Ravens had a stadium lease with no cost and kept all money from parking, food, and TV, Modell's ownership of the team faced financial challenges. In late 2002, the NFL told Modell to sell his team.
In 2003, Modell sold the Ravens to Steve Bisciotti, a businessman from Maryland who was a minority owner. Modell kept a small share (about 1%) of the team after the sale. This was a legal move to avoid a claim from a trust that wanted a large payment when Modell sold the team. In July 2005, Modell won the court case. At the time of the sale, the team was worth about $600 million.
Bisciotti had the option to buy the team fully by March 2004. He became a minority owner (about 45%) in 1999. Bisciotti used his option to buy the team in January 2004. Modell kept his 1% share and an office at the Ravens' headquarters. He worked as a team consultant.
Personal Life
Modell was married only once, to Patricia Breslin. Their marriage lasted from 1969 until her death in 2011. He adopted Patricia's two sons, John and David, from her first marriage. David later worked for the Browns/Ravens team, becoming team president and CEO before the team was sold in 2004.
Modell died on September 6, 2012, at Johns Hopkins Hospital at age 87 due to natural causes. He had not returned to Cleveland before his death.
The Ravens dedicated their 2012 season to Modell. In Week 1, all team members wore an "Art" sticker on their helmets. For the rest of the season, they wore an "Art" patch on their jerseys. The Ravens went on to win Super Bowl XLVII that season.
The Sunday after Modell's death was the first weekend of the 2012 NFL season. Each team playing a home game was asked to have a moment of silence for Modell. However, the Browns decided not to have a moment of silence. Instead, they had a "brief read over the public address system." Finally, at the request of David Modell, the Browns chose not to mention Modell during their pregame events to avoid a negative reaction from fans.
Art Modell was the grandson of the person who started Modell's Sporting Goods, Morris A. Modell. But Art Modell had no connection to that company.
See also
In Spanish: Art Modell para niños
Images for kids
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Modell at a press conference in 1983
