失去勒布朗不要緊，克利夫蘭還有布朗

今年對于克利夫蘭布朗隊的球迷來說，很可能是有特殊意義的一年。

在克利夫蘭布朗隊的終身球迷、哈佛大學和凱斯西儲大學的經濟學教授丹·肖格看來，今年很可能將成為布朗隊戰績最好的一個賽季，布朗隊的出色表現，也給這座城市帶來了很多生氣。

“這個地方讓人感覺充滿了活力，”他說：“克利夫蘭一直是一個橄欖球之城，現在我們對這個賽季的期望值簡直爆表！”

在布朗隊以20：16的比分擊敗底特律雄獅隊之后，克利夫蘭第一能源體育場旁邊的道路上依舊人滿為患，周圍的酒吧和餐廳里也擠滿了興奮和熱切的球迷。而這一切都發生在一個周四的晚上，而并非是周日的下午。另外，這還僅僅只是一場季前賽而已。

大家為什么這樣興奮呢？因為30多年來，克利夫蘭布朗隊再度成了分區冠軍的大熱門，拉斯維加斯還開出了10:1的賠率，賭布朗隊有可能捧得今年的“超級碗”。要知道，這支布朗隊已經連續17年沒有打入季后賽了，2017年它甚至沒能贏得任何一場NFL的比賽，而現在它突然成了奪冠的大熱門。上個賽季，終于受到命運青睞的布朗隊，在最后7場比賽中贏得5場，最終以7勝8負1平的成績結束了2018賽季的征戰。

本賽季球迷對克朗隊的狂熱，也讓一些人不禁去想，克朗隊以及它的當家球星貝克·梅菲爾德和小奧德爾·貝克漢姆在球迷中的號召力以及經濟價值，是否有可能達到NBA超級巨星勒布朗·詹姆斯的高度？

現在就下定論，顯然還為時過早，而且這樣的影響也很難量化。但在這里，我們還是值得討論一番的。

由于每賽季比賽場次的密度不同，一支職業橄欖球隊和一支職業籃球隊的經濟價值還是有差距的。布朗隊每個賽季只能打10場主場比賽，而征戰NBA的克利夫蘭騎士隊，每年光是季前賽和常規賽，就能打40場主場比賽。在詹姆斯和騎士隊的巔峰時期，騎士隊年年都能挺進季后賽，因而他們的主場場次還要更多。

在克利夫蘭當地，有一個叫做“大克利夫蘭地區合作商會”的區域性商會組織，其成員是北俄亥俄地區70多家企業的CEO。該組織沒有明說“小皇帝”詹姆斯兩度為騎士隊效力期間創造的商業價值的確切數值，只是簡單地表示，詹姆斯給克利夫蘭帶來的經濟效益要“以數億美元計”。

肖格認為，也許有一天，克利夫蘭布朗隊以及它的當家球星也能創造不亞于詹姆斯的經濟效益。不過實際上，要實現這個目標，難度是不小的。

肖格和美國企業研究所的常駐學者斯坦·沃格甚至還就這個問題寫了一篇論文。他們深入研究了“詹姆斯經濟”能否在另一個城市復制。他們的論文指出，詹姆斯的到來，使騎士隊的主場體育館周邊一英里內的餐館、酒吧等場所的數量增加了13%，并將就業率提高了23.5%。

不要忘了，騎士隊之所以成為季后賽的?？?，并且連續8年打入NBA決賽圈，3次獲得總冠軍，都要歸功于詹姆斯超人般的表現。2016年，詹姆斯帶領騎士隊奪得了40年來的第一個總冠軍。那一年，克利夫蘭有130多萬人上街游行慶祝騎士隊奪冠。

克利夫蘭從一個衰敗的“鐵銹城市”、“藍領城市”變成美國的籃球之都，很大程度上要歸功于詹姆斯。據克利夫蘭旅游局稱，如今的克利夫蘭已經成了美國的熱門旅游地之一。詹姆斯對克利夫蘭的經濟發展可謂居功至偉。

克利夫蘭還舉辦了2016年的共和黨全國代表大會和今年的美國職棒大聯盟全明星賽。在明年的NCAA男子籃球錦標賽、2021年的NFL選秀大會和2022年的NBA全明星賽期間，克利夫蘭也將作為分賽場舉辦一系列比賽。

克利夫蘭旅游局的一位女發言人表示：“我想說的是，‘詹姆斯時代’是我們得以舉辦這些高規格活動的原因之一，但并不是主要原因。我們已經向旅游相關基礎設施投入了幾十億美元。而詹姆斯則幫我們打造了知名度?！?/p>

要想擁有像詹姆斯一樣的高人氣，對于布朗隊來說顯然不是一件容易的事。不過詹姆斯已經在2018年與洛杉磯湖人隊簽下了四年1.54億美元的合同。隨著這位傳奇巨星的轉去，目前在全美風頭正勁的布朗隊，還是有可能填補詹姆斯留下的一些空白的。

根據FormSwift公司去年為《黑人企業》雜志做的一項研究，如果詹姆斯選擇洛杉磯湖人隊或者洛杉磯快船中的任意一支球隊加盟，那么五年之內，將會給洛杉磯帶來3.96億美元的直接經濟效益。此外，洛杉磯還會增加3000個就業崗位和2900萬美元的州稅收。相比之下，如果詹姆斯繼續留在克利夫蘭，將會給克利夫蘭帶來1.76億美元的經濟效益，以及1500個就業崗位和近1000萬美元的州稅收。

至于布朗隊能否給克利夫蘭的經濟帶來同等量級的刺激，目前猶未可知。俄亥俄州揚斯敦州立大學專門研究社交媒體和粉絲參與課題的教授亞當·恩哈特表示：“在他們持續取勝之前，我暫時不想給出任何預測?！?/p>

對于他的看法，作為常春藤名校經濟學家和布朗隊忠實粉絲的肖格也表示認可。

肖格表示：“從情感上看，在詹姆斯離開之后，這座城市又看到了一道曙光，這對克利夫蘭的意義是巨大的。我認為，隨著時間的推移，你會看到布朗隊的影響進一步擴大?！?/p>

成功預兆初顯

去年，布朗隊在2018年的NFL選秀大會上，以狀元簽簽下了來自俄克拉荷馬州的四分衛梅菲爾德。這個狂妄自大的小伙子也是2017年的海斯曼杯得主。球迷們親眼見證了這位選秀狀元從一名大學球員迅速成長為職業球員，同時也在HBO的電視真人秀《硬漢拓展營》中見識了他的天賦和潛力。

與此同時，觀眾們發現，布朗隊的總經理約翰·多爾西也對球隊陣容進行了重新洗牌。多爾西在擔任堪薩斯酋長隊總經理時，也對球隊陣容進行過一番打磨，在他的操刀下，如今的酋長隊已經成了季后賽的?？?。就在簽下梅菲爾德之前的一個月，多爾西從邁阿密海豚隊交易來了接球手賈維斯·蘭德里。蘭德里不僅僅是用來輔佐梅菲爾德的一個重要的角色球員，也間接說明了多爾西正在試圖建立負責和堅韌的球隊文化，從而推動球隊走向勝利。

梅菲爾德雖然投球的手臂十分強壯，一定程度上彌補了身材上的不足，但僅憑他一人之力，真的能夠拯救這支自20年前俱樂部重建以來，勝率還不到三分之一的魚腩球隊嗎？

布朗隊也并非生來就是一支魚腩球隊。早在1946年，這支球隊就參加了全美橄欖球聯會。在1950年加入NFL之前，他們已經拿到了四次總冠軍。1950年、1954年、1955年和1964年，布朗隊也分別拿到了NBL的總冠軍。在“前超級碗時代”，布朗隊隊史上最有名的當家球星是NBL名人堂成員吉姆·布朗，他可以說也是有史以來最偉大的橄欖球運動員了。

在那個時代，克利夫蘭市本身也經歷了相當大的變化。首先，由于克利夫蘭成了全美最大的工業中心之一，它的人口急劇增加了近100萬人。而在很多鋼鐵公司倒閉后，大量居民又流出了這座城市。流經克利夫蘭市的凱霍加河（最終注入五大湖之一的伊利湖），曾因油污嚴重而導致河面多次起火。另外，克利夫蘭在上世紀70年代曾拖欠多筆銀行貸款，成了全國的新聞頭條。即便這座城市的發展經歷了許多坎坷，甚至被人嘲諷為“湖邊的錯誤”，布朗隊卻始終是一個堅挺且令人欣慰的存在。

到了20世紀80年代，由四分衛布萊恩·西普、伯尼·科薩和跑衛凱文·麥克、歐內斯特·伯納等領銜的布朗隊仍然是季后賽的有力競爭者。然后它在三場關鍵的季后賽中都被成功狙殺。第一次是1981年，這場經典比賽又被稱作“紅右88”（Red Right 88），至今仍為人津津樂道，西普在關鍵時刻的一次傳球被抄截，導致球隊輸給了當年的“超級碗”總冠軍奧克蘭襲擊者隊。

第二次又稱“那一次推進”（The Drive），那是在1987年的美聯決賽上，布朗隊在加時賽中以23：20輸給了丹佛野馬隊。當時，野馬隊的四分衛約翰·埃爾韋在比賽還剩31秒的時候，在31秒的時間里內狂推98碼，將比分追成20:20平。在加時賽中，野馬隊推進60碼攻入致勝一球，絕殺了布朗隊。

更讓布朗隊傷心的是1988年，布朗隊在美聯決賽中遭遇丹佛野馬隊。當時球員拜納距離達陣只有一步之遙，即將觸地得分時，竟然莫名其妙地掉球了。野馬隊以38-33獲勝。這場比賽又因“那一次掉球”而銘記史冊。

七年后的1995年，布朗隊的老板阿特·莫德爾宣布，他將把球隊主場遷往巴爾的摩，球隊也因此改名為巴爾的摩烏鴉隊。布朗隊的球迷十分憤怒，他們甚至上街游行示威，并且去法院打官司，要求布朗隊回歸克利夫蘭。到了1999年，他們的愿望終于實現了，重建后的布朗隊終于回歸了這座城市。

不過自那以后，布朗隊球迷每年的期盼都以失望收場，2016年布朗隊全年無一勝跡，2017年也只贏了一場。這些年來唯一的例外，就是2002年和2007年還打得不錯。球隊也只在2002年亮相了一次季后賽。

但是上個賽季，隨著梅菲爾德領銜的布朗隊在第三周的比賽中以21：17擊敗紐約噴氣機隊，布朗隊的球迷們開始看到了希望。他們走上街頭歡慶勝利，橄欖球專家們也紛紛預言布朗隊的表現可能會發生變化。

五個星期后，布朗隊解雇了主教練休·杰克遜和進攻教練托德·海利。而梅菲爾德的表現愈發出色，在新秀賽季便憑借27次觸地得分創下了NFL的四分衛紀錄。他已經成了某種意義上的救世主。

肖格評價道：“貝克憑借他的堅忍不拔，與這座城市建立了情感上的聯系?！?

今年1月，布朗隊將進攻教練弗雷迪·基欽斯提拔為球隊主教練，這主要是由于他在教導梅菲爾德上取得的成功。今年3月，布朗隊又進行了一項重磅交易，從紐約巨人隊交易來了全明星級球員小貝克漢姆。9500萬美元的合同也使小貝克漢姆成為了NFL薪水最高的球員之一。而小貝克漢姆也得以在克利夫蘭與他最好的朋友、路易斯安那州立大學的隊友蘭德里重新聚首。

布朗隊本賽季的球票本來就十分緊俏，交易來小貝克漢姆之后，更是一票難求。布朗隊表示，2019年，布朗隊的季票持有者人數已超過6萬人，售票量已達極限，比上一賽季增加了1.2萬余人。本賽季8場主場比賽的門票全部售罄。

另外布朗隊還表示，第一能源體育場的143個包廂早在幾個月前就售罄了。此外還有成千上萬的球迷已經交了100美元的定金在排隊買票。

布朗隊的發言人羅伯·麥克伯內特對《財富》表示：“球迷們可以先付定金，如果明年有票的話，這些人可以先到先得。早在（小貝克漢姆）轉會的消息出來之前，我們的賽季售票量就已經快達到極限了。2018年末球隊的整體表現是造成這一現象最重要的原因?！?/p>

在二級市場，對布朗隊比賽門票的需求也出現了飆升。馬克·克朗對此深有感受。他是俄亥俄州梅菲爾德山莊一家票務公司的老板。

克朗表示，目前市場對布朗隊比賽門票的熱炒，讓詹姆斯時代那11年間騎士隊的常規賽門票都相形見絀。布朗隊的比賽門票在二級市場上的銷售情況，已經達到了1995年至1996年世界職業棒球大賽決賽期間，球迷對克利夫蘭印第安人隊比賽門票的熱炒水平。

他表示，11月10日布朗隊對陣水牛城比爾隊的比賽，為他的網站創造了本賽季第五高的價格。這個價格也比2018賽季揭幕戰對陣聯盟勁族匹茲堡鋼人隊的票價高出了20%。

而今年布朗隊主場對陣鋼人隊的比賽，盡管有全國電視轉播，但比較便宜的中場票已經賣到了900美元，而去年這個位置只能賣450美元。

克朗表示，布朗隊的球票是他目前經手的最貴的門票。當然，布朗隊越成功，對它的球票的需求就會越高，票價也會越高。

“我們已經料到本賽季的球票銷量會非常強勁，但在布朗隊簽下小貝克漢姆之后，球票的走勢甚至超過了我們的預期?！?/p>

克朗認為，如果拿梅菲爾德、小貝克漢姆和詹姆斯比經濟效益，那是“拿蘋果和橙子比”。但說到對球迷情感的影響，尤其考慮到布朗隊在克利夫蘭的悠久歷史，只要這些關鍵球員們能發揮出自己的潛力，布朗隊對球隊的號召力是有可能達到詹姆斯的高度的。

“布朗隊球迷的范圍要大得多。要比地盤，布朗隊的球迷和騎士隊的球迷比，就好比黑夜和白天。毫無疑問，布朗隊的球迷遠遠比騎士隊的球迷多?！?/p>

來自俄亥俄州特溫斯堡郊區的喬治·泰勒就是布朗隊的球迷之一。他表示，為了觀看布朗隊本賽季的一場黃金時段的比賽，他很可能會在二級票源市場上出高價求購。

泰勒周末的工作是在機場當租車經理，他經常用手機收看布朗隊的比賽。

泰勒表示：“有些客人經常自動跟我說起布朗隊的比賽?，F在大家已經在談季后賽的事了，而不是談下個賽季我們應該在選秀里選誰，這種感覺真是不可思議?！?/p>

泰勒補充道，現在，梅菲爾德、小貝克漢姆和布朗隊只有一件事情要做。

“萬事具備，他們只需要贏球！”（財富中文網）

譯者：樸成奎

It feels like something special is coming for Cleveland Browns fans.

Anticipating what could be one of the best seasons the football team has had in a generation is bringing life to the city, according to Dan Shoad, a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan and an economics professor at Harvard University and Case Western Reserve University.

"This place feels alive," he said. "Cleveland has always been a football town, and now our expectations this season are through the roof!"

At every turn, the sidewalks, bars, and restaurants surrounding FirstEnergy Stadium were still packed, buzzing full of excited and anxious fans after the Browns beat the Detroit Lions 20-16. This was all on a Thursday night, not a Sunday afternoon, and it was a preseason football game to boot.

Why this excitement? The Browns, yes, the Cleveland Browns, are not only considered the favorite to win their first division title in more than three decades, but they also have as high as 10-to-1 odds in Vegas to win the Super Bowl this season. The same Browns that haven't been in the NFL playoffs in 17 years, and did not win a single NFL game in 2017 could have a chance to win it all. Last season, the Browns' fortune turned around as they won five out of their last seven games and ended the season with a 7-8-1 record.

The euphoria over the Browns this season is leading some to wonder if the team and star players Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. can have as big an emotional and economic impact for Cleveland fans as NBA superstar LeBron James did.

While obviously, it's too early to tell and hard to quantify such an impact, there's discussion to be had.

The economic impact of a football and a basketball team differ due to the difference in frequency of play. The Browns only play 10 home games a year, compared to the more than 40 pre-season and regular-season home games for the Cleveland Cavaliers. And during James' heyday with the Cavs, they played even more because of their playoff runs.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership–a regional Chamber of Commerce overseen by more than 70 CEOs in Northeast Ohio–hasn't tried to put a number on the true value of "King James" to the area during his two stints playing with the Cavs. The group has only safely said that James' impact is in the "hundreds of millions of dollars."

Maybe one day the once-horrific football team and its' new star players could be mentioned in the same breath with LeBron economically, Shoag said. But that might prove challenging.

Shoag's study, "Taking My Talents to South Beach (and Back) - Evidence on Local Externalities from a Superstar Athlete, co-written with Stan Veuger, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, delves into whether James' economic impact would be similar in a different city. They write that James' presence in Cleveland increased the number of restaurants, bars, and other establishments within one mile of the home arenas where he played by about 13%, and employment by about 23.5%.

Keep in mind, James' transcendent play led to several playoff appearances this decade, eight straight appearances in the NBA Finals, and three NBA championships. In 2016, James led the Cavs to victory, giving Cleveland its first pro championship in 40 years. More than 1.3 million people attended the championship parade downtown that year.

James helped make Cleveland, a hardscrabble rust-belt town known for its roll-up-your-sleeves, blue-collar style, intriguing on the national level. It's no coincidence that Cleveland's prominence has also made it a top travel destination in the U.S., according to Destination Cleveland, the city's tourism and convention bureau.

The city hosted the 2016 Republican National Convention and this year's Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Cleveland will also host regional games during next year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 2021 NFL Draft, and the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.

"I would say that the LeBron era was a part of our ability to garner these high-profile events, but not the primary reason why. We've put billions of dollars into visitor-related infrastructure," said Emily Lauer, a Destination spokeswoman. "LeBron helped create awareness."

Maintaining that type of visibility will be a tall order for the Browns, but a renewed interest in the team nationally could have them picking up where the basketball legend left off when he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for a four-year $154 million deal in 2018.

A study conducted by FormSwift for Black Enterprise last year predicted that L.A. would experience a $396 million economic impact if James chose either the Lakers or the Clippers over a five-year period. Additionally, L.A. would gain about 3,000 jobs and $29 million in state tax revenue. By comparison, the study said if James remained in Cleveland, he would have had a $176 million economic impact, and the city would gain about 1,500 jobs and nearly $10 million in state tax revenue.

As for the Browns, their ability to bring in that type of economic stimulus remains to be seen. "I would hold off on any predictions until they start winning consistently," said Adam Earnheardt, a professor at Youngstown State University in Ohio who specializes in social media and fan engagement.

Shoag, wearing both hats as an Ivy League economist and Browns super-fan, agrees.

"Emotionally, it's already been huge for the city to have a bright light with the Browns so shortly after LeBron left," Shoag said. "I think you will see a big impact over time."

Early Signs of Newfound Success

Interest was already piqued for the Browns last season after the team selected Mayfield–the brash, cocky quarterback from Oklahoma and the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner–as the top overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Rabid fans were able to witness Mayfield's rapid progression from college athlete to pro and the Browns' hopeful future taking form in training camp via HBO's Hard Knocks reality show.

Viewers saw new Browns General Manager John Dorsey, a football lifer who was fresh from turning the Kansas City Chiefs into a perennial playoff club, rebuild the team's roster. A month before drafting Mayfield, Dorsey traded for stud wide receiver Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins, who would not only serve as a key target for Mayfield, but also channel Dorsey's new culture of accountability and tenacity that would hopefully lead to wins.

But the biggest question remained: could Mayfield, with a strong throwing arm that compensates for his undersized stature, finally be the franchise quarterback to save this team that had barely won a third of its games since it was re-established as an expansion club 20 years ago?

The Browns weren't always so bad. The team started in the All-America Football Conference in 1946 and won four titles in that league before joining the NFL in 1950. They won a championship that year and three more in 1954, 1955, and 1964. During this pre-Super Bowl dynasty, the Browns were led by hall of fame running back Jim Brown, arguably the greatest football player ever.

During that period, the city of Cleveland went through quite a bit of change. First, there was a population surge of nearly 1 million residents due to the city's status as one of the biggest industrial centers in the U.S. Then, scores of residents left after many steel and iron companies shut down. The Cuyahoga River, which runs through the city and feeds into Lake Erie, caught fire because of a rising pollution problem. And finally, Cleveland had to default on major bank loans in the 1970s, grabbing national headlines. Through all of this, the Browns were a stable and comforting presence, even as the city was got dubbed, "The Mistake by the Lake."

By the 1980s, the Browns were a playoff contender, led by quarterbacks Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar, and running backs Kevin Mack and Ernest Byner. But the team was snakebitten during three key playoff games. The first is the play known infamously as "Red Right 88," when Sipe threw an interception during the Browns' tough loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders in 1981.

Then there's "The Drive," where the Browns lost in overtime to the Denver Broncos 23-20 during the AFC championship game in 1987 after Broncos quarterback John Elway led his team on a remarkable 98-yard drive to tie the game 20-20 with 31 seconds left to play in regulation. The Broncos went on to win that game with a field goal during a nine-play 60-yard drive in overtime.

More heartbreak came for the Browns in 1988, when Byner fumbled at the 1-yard line while trying to score a touchdown to pull within a point of Denver during the AFC title game. The Broncos won 38-33 and the play is forever known as "The Fumble."

Seven years later, in 1995, longtime Browns owner Art Modell announced he was moving the team to Baltimore and the franchise was renamed the Ravens. Browns fans were furious. They held protests and filed lawsuits wanting their football team back. Their wishes were granted when the Browns returned as an expansion team in 1999.

Since then, Browns fans have suffered through years of futility, including the winless 2016 season and a lone victory in 2017. The only exceptions in these years of heartache are two winning seasons in 2002 and 2007, and a lone playoff appearance in 2002.

But last season, things started looking up for Browns fans when Mayfield took the field in Week 3 and rallied to beat the New York Jets 21-17 in a nationally-televised game. Fans took to the streets in jubilation and football pundits wondered if a change was around the corner.

Five weeks later, the Browns fired both head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Mayfield excelled, setting a new NFL record for the most touchdown passes thrown by a quarterback in his rookie season with 27. He became a savior of sorts.

"Baker has emotionally connected with the city with his grittiness," Shoag said.

In January, the team promoted offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to head coach mostly based on his success with Mayfield. Then the Browns made a bombshell move in March by trading for Beckham, the electrifying Pro Bowl receiver with the New York Giants known for his spectacular one-handed catches, touchdown celebrations, and a $95 million contract that puts him among the highest-paid players in the NFL. The trade also reunited Beckham with Landry, his best friend and college teammate from Louisiana State University.

Demand for Browns season tickets was already high, but it exploded after the Beckham trade. The team said it has reached its max for season ticket holders for 2019 at more than 60,000–a spike of about 12,000 from last season. And all eight home games this season are sellouts.

Additionally, the Browns said that all of the 143 suites at FirstEnergy Stadium have been sold out for months, and it has thousands of fans on its waiting list for tickets, which require a $100 deposit.

"Fans can put down a deposit, and assuming inventory is available next year, those individuals have the first opportunity to purchase," Browns spokesman Rob McBurnett told Fortune. "We were trending towards reaching our season ticket maximum prior to that [Beckham trade] news, with overall team performance late in 2018 as one of the strongest factors."

Ticket demand for the Browns has spiked in the secondary market, as well. Just ask Mark Klang, the owner, and operator of Amazing Tickets in suburban Mayfield Heights, Ohio.

Klang said the fervor for Browns tickets is currently "dwarfing" any of the regular-season games James' played during his 11 years with the Cavaliers. In fact, he said Browns' secondary ticket sales are reaching the levels he saw for the 1995 and 1996 World Series-title chasing Cleveland Indians, a team that was in the midst of ending four decades of frustration.

He said the Browns' Nov. 10 matchup against the lowly Buffalo Bills is generating the fifth-highest prices of the season for his website. The prices are about 20% higher than those for the 2018 season opener versus the arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

As for the this year's home matchup against the Steelers, a nationally-televised Thursday night game on Nov. 14, lower-level midfield tickets that were going for $450 last year are currently going for $900.

Those are his most expensive tickets–for now. Naturally, the more successful the Browns are, the higher the ticket demand will be, thus driving prices higher, Klang said.

"We thought sales were going to be really strong this season," Klang said. "But after the Browns got Odell, this is more than even we expected."

Klang said that comparing the economic impact of Mayfield and Beckham to James is like comparing "apples to oranges," but when it comes to the emotional impact, especially in terms of longevity and selling merchandise, the Browns have a chance to match James if their key players live up to their potential.

"The reach the Browns draw is so much larger," Klang said. "The wide demographic of Browns fans to Cavs fans is like night and day. Unquestionably, the Browns' reach is far more than the Cavs'."

One Browns fan, Jorge Taylor of suburban Twinsburg, Ohio, said he will likely pay top dollar on the secondary ticket market to see one of the Browns' primetime games this season.

Taylor's works weekends as a rental car manager at the airport and usually follows Browns games on his smartphone.

"I have customers who are talking about the Browns without even being prompted," Taylor said. "The idea that we're already talking about going the playoffs instead of who we're going to draft next season is pretty incomprehensible."

Now, Taylor said, there's only one thing for the Browns, Mayfield, and Beckham to do.

"All of the pieces are in place," he said. "They just gotta win!"