Connecticut - New York Browns Backers
President - John Lamb
Vice-President - Dean Morgans
Secretary - Chayi Mulberg
Honorary Chairman- Charles P. Lamb, Jr.

The Connecticut-New York Browns Backers were established in 1988. In those early days, the Browns Backers were an underground network of clubs showing the Browns on satellite. Club locations were kept secret to avoid legal action for pirating the NFL signal. Several clubs were actually closed down. Others went to court against the league. In Connecticut, we packed our location by word-of-mouth only.

The Browns Backers received no help in our plight from the Browns ownership. Art Modell showed legendary cowardice, siding with the league instead of his own fans in our fight to see Browns games. Modell's inept step-son David was placed in charge of the Browns Backers. But instead of providing support, he sold the club lists to direct marketers. He told us not to watch the game live on satellite - he said we should tape the game and meet to watch it two days later. (What a moron.)

Despite the lack of support from management, the Browns Backers grew exponentially. By 1989, there were over 200 clubs across the country, a few in Europe, and even one in Australia. We had become the largest organized fan group in the world. Yet our very existence was being threatened by the NFL all the time. A Browns Backers petition drive was started. Noise was made. Finally, the Browns Backers found a powerful ally - Budweiser, the leading advertiser for NFL games.

In a press release, Anheiser-Busch sided with the fans and their right to watch out-of-area games. They said fans should be able to watch whatever game they want. And besides, they were selling beer in California at 9:30 AM Sunday morning and that means - cha-ching. The NFL instantly dropped all pending action versus Browns Backer locations.

Our beer drinking saved us!

Once out of hiding, the NFL realized that the market for out-of-town games was an untapped source of revenue. So the NFL started offering all games on a subscription basis on satellite. Revenue was better than lawsuits for the NFL
In 1990 - yes 1990 - five years before going there for good, Modell hired an agency in Baltimore (shock) to run the Browns Backers. Did he actually think Browns fans would follow him to Baltimore?

When the most loyal fans in the world were abandoned in 1995, the Browns Backers faced their toughest challenge. Not unlike the 1950 Browns who were NFL Champions in their first year in the league, they were up to the task. The Worldwide Browns Backers underground network spontaneously went to work as Save the Browns efforts sprouted up all over. The unprecedented effort succeeded. When the city of Cleveland settled the lawsuit with the NFL that brought the Browns back to Cleveland, the Browns Backers were made a party to the agreement.

Now the Connecticut-New York Browns Backers are an officially recognized club, entitled to various special offers and benefits such as the first chance at unsold tickets. We have one of 56 flags representing Browns Backers clubs across the country at the Gridiron Grille in Cleveland. A secret underground club had become legit!
Here are our club meeting information:

· We meet to watch Browns games at the Skybox Cafe in Fairfield. Good food, nice people, and every Browns game from kickoff until the final gun.

· We have no dues - The CT-NY Browns Backers have never charged any dues - and never will. Please join our club Email list and keep in touch.

· Have fun - see you at the club!

Go Browns,

John J. Lamb
President, CT-NY Browns Backers
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