Modell Agrees To Pay Browns Ticket-Holders

The man who took the old Browns out of Cleveland offered a refund to thousands of fans. <P> <P /> <IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2001/0115/419641.jpg" WIDTH="120" HEIGHT="90" ALT="Art Modell" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="5" BORDER="0"> <P /> NewsChannel5 reports that Art Modell (pictured, left) and the National Football League agreed Wednesday in an out-of-court settlement to pay $3 million to about 14,000 1995 Browns season ticket-holders. <P> <P /> That was the last year that the old team was in Cleveland before Modell moved it to Baltimore.<P> <P /> The settlement results in a payout of $50 per seat, roughly the price of a ticket to a single game at the new Cleveland Browns Stadium.<P> <P /> Ticket-holders will have the option of accepting the money or donating it to a charitable foundation being established by the NFL to provide football equipment and other athletic gear for underprivileged children in the Cleveland area, <I>The Plain Dealer</I> reports.<P> <P /> "In his heart, Art Modell has always had a fond feeling for the fans who supported him in Cleveland," said attorney Michael D. Colglazier of Baltimore, who defended Modell in the ticket-holder lawsuit. "I think it's safe to say he's glad to bring finality to this case."<P> <P /> The agreement marks the first time that ticket-holders have sued a professional sports franchise and won a cash settlement, according to <I>The Plain Dealer</I>.<P> <P /> The lawsuit accused Modell of breach of contract for leaving town and of fraud, for proclaiming that he would never move the team.<P> <P /> The ticket-holders must approve the deal before it can be finalized, <I>The Plain Dealer</I> reports. <P> <P /> About 220 season ticket-holders opted out of joining the class-action lawsuit and sharing in the financial rewards of the settlement, including Al Lerner, the owner of the new Cleveland Browns. <P> <P /> <ibs_related type="links"> <B>Previous Stories:</B> <ul> <li>January 17, 2001: <A HREF="http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/sports-browns-53754020010313-150312.html">Modell Ticket Lawsuit Ends</A></li> <li>January 17, 2001: <A HREF="/sports/stories/sports-stories-20010116-191437.html">Modell's Lawyers Trying To Dismiss Suit</A></li> <li>July 10, 1998: <A HREF="/sports/browns/sports-browns-980710-064344.html">Browns Season-Ticket Holders Win Victory</A></li> </ul> </ibs_related> <P />