Is MB Cheap really?

[*ochocincos*]

(09-03-2019, 12:38 PM)Whatever Wrote: Another big issue is competition.  Not only are they a small market team, but they are in the same state in the same conference as another NFL team. It's harder to grow the fanbase because they split airtime in a number of large in state tv markets.  They also have intense competition for merchandise dollars from Ohio State.  Most of their star players aren't that marketable, either.

Even though it's been over 50 years, the Bengals were technically an expansion team. There are quite a few people between Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus that actually live closer to Cincinnati but root for the Browns because either the Bengals weren't around when they got into NFL or their parents/grandparents root(ed) for the Browns.