07-24-2025, 04:43 PM
(07-24-2025, 11:50 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: A couple of problems with this statement, NFL owners were known to have lost money or low profits until Modell negotiated a great TV deal. The TV deals changed the landscape of every NFL franchise. Th efirst huge deal was 1990.
Second, the Bengals had multiple owners until around 2001 when MB bought them out. It is expensive to buy out partners and likely required 10 to 20 year loans they had to pay back. I am not crying on behalf of the Browns family, but they are unique in the way they don't own other businesses that can support their bottom line. I have n doubt they are in great shape now, but I don't think they were killing it until they got the partners paid off, just don't know when that was but guessing aroun 2015 at the earliest.
https://www.benton.org/headlines/art-modell-helped-pioneer-big-tv-deals-nfl
CBS made the first big NFL deal, buying the rights for just over $14 million a season. As the sport grew in popularity, so did the license fees, and it wasn't long before the league started selling to multiple networks, which drove the cost higher. The last deal Modell oversaw was the 1990 package for a then-record $3.6 billion.
Straight cash, homey. $200 million. In 2001 dollars. $355 million today adjusted for inflation.
Quote:The Brown family is paying cash for the stake
https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2011/12/21/brown-family-buys-remaing-stake-in-cincinnati-bengals-for-200-million/
