Owner Randy Lerner in Cleveland Browns sale deal talks with Steelers fan Jimmy Haslam – NFL News
Owner Randy Lerner has confirmed what was suspected a couple of months ago that the Cleveland Browns are on sale and according to the owner’s official statement, the buyer is a person who claims to be "1,000 percent" fan of the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
Jimmy Haslam – the truck-stop magnate – is in talks with the owner, who according to his confirmatory remarks has offered to give up the controlling interests of the team. The prospective owner will be bound to keep the team in Cleveland.
The statement reads:
"In connection with current rumours and press inquiries, I can report that I've been approached by Mr. Jimmy Haslam, who is interested in making an investment in the Cleveland Browns. We are currently in negotiations and both sides have
agreed to keep that dialogue and its details private."
It adds:
"Given that any transaction would require League approval, care has been taken so that this process will not be disruptive to the organisation, in particular the football team, as it prepares for the upcoming season. We will share further
details or make an announcement if it becomes necessary."
Randy did not disclose the current status of the talks, especially how much ground the parties have already covered. His only hint is that they are continuing the prospective deal talks.
Browns president Mike Holmgren commenting on the latest development said that the owner’s interest in the team has changed recently. Mike said Randy had told him a while ago that he loves his team and will like to give up the controlling
interest to some genuine investor.
If the deal is successful, it will have to clear certain regulatory hurdles. They include the approval of the finance and ownership committees of the National Football League (NFL).
The Browns are the latest team in the market seeking new investor. The Jacksonville Jaguars were sold to the present owner Shahid Khan in November last year. The deal was cleared in January this year. The St. Louis Rams had met a similar
fate a year earlier.
It is pertinent to note that Randy Lerner, who inherited the Browns after his father’s death in 2002, also owns the English premier league soccer club Aston Villa.
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