CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns have announced a new 20-year partnership with Huntington Bank that includes the naming rights for the stadium, now called "Huntington Bank Field."
The announcement came during a press conference on Tuesday morning at the newly-named stadium on the downtown lakefront. Financial terms of the partnership were not revealed.
"We're thrilled to partner with Huntington," Browns co-owner Dee Haslam said during the event. "It's a bank that cares about neighborhoods and it's a bank that gives back to communities. Our partnership is not just about the name on the stadium. It's about what we can do together to make an impact on Northeast Ohio."
In a release, the team says that Columbus-based Huntington Bank will be "the anchor investor in the existing or new home of the Browns for the next 20 years." The announcement comes as the Haslam Sports Group is working to determine where the team will play when the current lease expires after the 2028 season. The Haslams have said that they are down to two options: renovating the existing facility or constructing a new domed stadium in Brook Park.
Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam did not want to comment on the progress of stadium discussions Tuesday, calling it "a subject for another day."
"Today is about a long-term partnership between what we believe are two of Ohio's premier institutions: Huntington Bank and the Cleveland Browns," he added. "That's what we want to talk about today. We'll answer those questions in the coming days."
Regardless of where the Browns will play their games in the future, Huntington Bank says it will be along for the ride.
"This (partnership) is with the Cleveland Browns," explained Huntington Bank chairman, president and CEO Steve Steinour. "So wherever the Cleveland Browns play, we're gonna be there in a big way and that's either here (downtown) or a new stadium."
Huntington Bank Field marks the third different name of the Browns' home, which first opened in 1999. The facility was called "Cleveland Browns Stadium" from 1999-2012. Amid a change in team ownership, the stadium became known in 2013 as "FirstEnergy Stadium" after the Browns agreed to a partnership with Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp.
Controversy over FirstEnergy's partnership with the Browns ensued as a result of the company's involvement in the House Bill 6 bribery scandal, which notably led to criminal convictions for former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and ex-state Republican Party Chair Matt Borges.
The Browns formally announced a mutual agreement to end its stadium naming rights deal with FirstEnergy in April of 2023. The facility again became known as "Cleveland Browns Stadium" and remained so prior to Tuesday's announcement.
The first game in the newly-named Huntington Bank Field will take place on Sunday when the Browns host the Dallas Cowboys in the 2024 regular season opener.
You can watch the press conference announcing the change from Cleveland Browns Stadium to Huntington Bank Field in the player below
Previous Reporting:
- Haslam Sports Group makes pitch to Cleveland Browns fans for domed stadium in Brook Park with letter, renderings, video
- City of Cleveland announces $461 million funding plan to renovate Browns Stadium, asks team owners to respond by Aug. 12
- Browns end stadium naming rights deal with FirstEnergy; facility now once again known as Cleveland Browns Stadium