Soon to be the Pilot Flying J Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Soon to be the Pilot Flying J Cleveland Browns Stadium.

The Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers are bitter rivals in the AFC North, but that doesn’t mean they also don’t have some things in common.  For example, Cleveland and Pittsburgh do not have official cheerleaders.  Another shared trait is their shared ownership.  Wait, what?  That’s right, they share an owner.  Truck stop billionaire Jimmy Haslam III is part owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and will be the new owner of the Cleveland Browns.  Haslam III bought the Browns from Michael Lerner for $1 billion dollars.

“This is a very exciting time for my family and me,” said Haslam through his latest purchase.  “To own such a storied franchise as the Cleveland Browns, with its rich tradition and history, is a dream come true.  We are committed to keeping the team in Cleveland and seeing it get back to the elite of the NFL – something all Browns fans want and deserve.”

The Lerner family have owned the Browns since 1999, when the team was recreated and sold to Al Lerner.  The original Cleveland Browns were moved to Baltimore in 1996.  Haslam made his fortune in Pilot and Flying J truck stops; his brother Bill Haslam is the current governor of Tennessee.  He’s got his work cut out for him as an owner.  The Browns have only had two winning seasons since they returned to the NFL, with one playoff appearance and no wins in the post-season.  But they did get former running back Peyton Hillis as the Madden 12 cover athlete, so at least there’s that.

Tags: cleveland, ohio, cleveland browns, cleveland browns sold for

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