Pat McAfee debates controversial feature in Browns $2.4bn stadium which risks alienating ‘real fans’ ...Middle East

The Cleveland Browns and their iconic Dawg Pound are set for a move to the suburbs.

For eight decades, the NFL franchise has played on the same site, with their current Huntington Bank Field home sitting on Downtown Cleveland’s lakefront.

But owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam have long battled to move the team away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and build a new, domed stadium nearby.

On Tuesday, July 1, the Browns got a major boost, when the state of Ohio formally approved a two-year budget plan that sets aside $600million for their relocation project.

Those funds, signed into law by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine late Monday, will be paid out from an account of unclaimed state funds and make up a quarter of the $2.4 billion cost of building a new Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park.

A groundbreaking is now set for early next year, in advance of a planned opening in 2029.

Soon after the budget was approved, Haslam shared an open letter with fans that celebrated a ‘tremendous milestone’ for their stadium project.

It has been described as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ facility in the NFL with new images and concepts confirming the stadium will be built at the center of a major lifestyle and entertainment development.

“Our fans deserve a world-class facility, and we are committed to building a state-of-the-art enclosed stadium that resonates with Cleveland, highlighting our loyal and passionate fans and the Dawg Pound, while also incorporating innovation, bold design, and an immersive experience,” the letter read.

The Browns plan to build a domed stadium that will boast the largest locker room in the NFL, as well as the biggest fan wall and concourse in the league.

Concepts suggest the new Huntington Bank Field will also feature the closest first and last rows in the NFL, and it will be the first facility in the AFC North with a roof.

The Browns will be the only franchise in their division with a weather-proof, year-round venue, while rivals like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals remain outdoors in the elements that have defined AFC North football.

Part of the appeal of building an enclosed stadium is the chance to host a future Super Bowl, as well as other events like music concerts and NCAA basketball’s Final Four tournament.

While those will all be positives for the organization, former NFL star A.J. Hawk believes the Browns have risked irking ‘real fans’ by moving the team indoors.

“People, I think, are kind of torn about this. They love where they’re at on the lake and everything about it,” Super Bowl XLV champion Hawk told Pat McAfee, discussing the move to Brook Park.

“But isn’t every team, every owner, trying to build their own Patriots place?

“Like, ‘Hey, let’s build it. Let’s own the real estate. Let’s own everything around it, and let’s just rake in all the money.’

“I think it’s a good thing for everybody, honestly.”

While McAfee and Hawk agreed that a move to Brook Park was reasonable for the Browns, they soon debated the pros and cons of ‘football weather’ — and raised an issue with the roof.

“Real fans definitely hate the dome, real fans hate the fact that the roof does not retract,” Hawk said.

McAfee then chimed in: “That was the biggest argument (in Cleveland). Football is supposed to be played outside.

“We’ll have a Thanksgiving, November, or December game in a blizzard, and everybody’s like, ‘This is football, this is awesome.’

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“Then in some cities, they eliminate that.”

While football weather is beloved by NFL fans, more and more players these days are probably happy they have to spend less time braving the elements.

Playing in tough conditions also didn’t serve the Browns too well in 2024, when they finished with a 3-14 record.

Should they indeed move to a domed Brook Park stadium in four years’ time, the concept of football weather will cease to exist in Cleveland.

And while that might upset some fans, owner Haslam and the Browns organization will be happy to take that risk.

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