Saturday, January 27, 2001
Modell helped build NFL foundation
Owner had hand in revenue sharing, 'Monday Night'
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
TAMPA, Fla. — Long before Art Modell became public enemy No.1 in northern Ohio, he was one of the architects of the modern NFL.
He might be remembered as the man who moved his team from Cleveland to Baltimore and ripped out the hearts of the most loyal fans in professional football.
But 35 years before his Browns became the Ravens — who have carried Modell to his first Super Bowl in 40 years of NFL ownership — Modell helped engineer record TV contracts and union agreements and lay the foundation for the NFL's progressive revenue-sharing policy.
He also is one of the fathers of “Monday Night Football,” which originally was intended to air on Friday.
Modell, 75, came into the NFL on March 21, 1961, when he bought the Cleveland Browns. He had a background as a television executive and immediately went to work on the NFL's Television Committee, which he would chair for 31 years.
He has basked in the glow of his first Super Bowl, sitting for several interviews throughout the week and telling stories of his unique place in NFL history.
Former NFL commissioner “Pete Rozelle knew of my television background,” Modell said during one give-and-take session with reporters. “He asked me to head up the new TV committee. We had a problem. We wanted them to pool our rights and sell our rights collectively.”
Several networks already were involved. The Steelers and Redskins were on ABC. Nine other teams were on CBS. The Browns had their own network that was organized by Paul Brown and sponsored by a beer company.
Modell persuaded several fellow owners to surrender their individual TV rights for the long-term betterment of the league.
“That launched the whole philosophy of sharing,” Modell said, “something that other leagues wished they had. The sharing amongst our partners is the basis to where we are right now.”
Modell negotiated a series of multimillion-dollar deals with the TV networks, and the money was split evenly among the teams.
“Green Bay has the same revenues as the New York Giants,” he said.
The same can't be said for the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers in baseball, and the great disparity in revenues threatens to tear that game apart.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner “is a very good friend of mine,” Modell said, “but in their system, the only way they can prosper is to go after free agents without worrying about any compensation or salary cap.”
As the NFL's popularity expanded during the 1960s, so did that of the fledgling American Football League. Modell saw potential in a merger and served on the committee that made it happen. He broke an impasse in realignment plans by agreeing to move his Browns to the newly formed American Football Conference.
Always, there was an eye to the greater good for the league.
“Without that socialistic, communistic approach to business, we wouldn't be here enjoying this colossal happening, the Super Bowl,” he said.
In the late 1960s, Modell also was elected the only NFL president in history and served from 1967-69.
In 1968, Modell chaired the Owners' Labor Committee, which successfully negotiated the first Collective Bargaining Agreement with the players' union. Today, players get 63 percent of the league's gross.
Another of his lasting contributions to the popularity and financial health of the NFL is “Monday Night Football,” the brainchild of ABC sports executive Roone Arlidge that Modell embraced as his own.
Modell and Rozelle tried to get sponsorship for the program, which Arlidge wanted to run Friday night. But Congress prevented the NFL from airing on Friday night or Saturday, so it wouldn't interfere with high school and college football.
The game was moved to Monday, and Modell volunteered for the Browns to play host to the New York Jets on the first Monday night game in 1970.
“It was a smash hit,” Modell said. “A sensational game with a great crowd. We sold standing-room only. After the labor thing and "Monday Night Football,' we really took off. "Monday Night Football' to this date is the second-longest(-running) night-time program. Only "60 Minutes' is longer.”
“We deliver the most reliable audience known to mankind. We have the programming. We can't always guarantee a good game, but we had some suberb games on Monday night this year.”
Sports Stories
New Cinergy Field has views, grass, character
Readers like tall wall
New manager likes grass
Graves biggest star at Redsfest
Baseball blocks Deion's contract
UC, Wake Forest need boost
Southern Miss women 81, UC 71
Chalmers takes aim at Duquesne
XU women 72, St. Bonaventure 60
Bengals not happy with training staff
Modell helped build NFL foundation
