Tony Rizzo expects ‘sticker shock’ at the Browns’ new stadium

Tony Rizzo expects higher costs for Browns fans at the team’s new stadium in Brook Park and questions how much corporate support Cleveland can provide for its suites.

Rizzo discussed the move with Chris Russo on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Unleashed on Friday, October 2, after a conversation about the Browns’ start to the season.

“There’s gonna be a little sticker shock going on here in Northeast Ohio,” Rizzo said.

The Browns broke ground April 30 on the new Huntington Bank Field. The enclosed stadium in Brook Park and the first phase of its surrounding mixed-use development are scheduled to open in 2029.

Rizzo described the project as a complex with retail, a hotel and restaurants. He said its location outside downtown and its roof were issues Cleveland fans were discussing.

Russo asked whether Cleveland was “50-50” on the idea of a new stadium outside downtown. Rizzo referred to the Browns’ 3-1 start and said “everybody will go” before turning to ticket prices.

“This isn’t New York or L.A.,” he said while considering the local market’s capacity to support the new building.

“I wonder about the support from the corporate world here for the suites.”

“The tickets are gonna be considerably more than they are right now,” he said.

Rizzo also raised personal seat licenses during the discussion. Russo responded with criticism of the practice.

“These PSLs, it’s a joke,” Russo said. “These owners are a disaster.”