A recent article by Seth Wickersham of ESPN portrayed the Cleveland Browns organization, and owner Jimmy Haslam in particular, in a negative light. The account laid out an inept and overmatched management style by Haslam, repeatedly criticizing the Browns ownership for fumbling decisions.
As a result, Haslam is pulling out of a multimillion-dollar advertising and sponsorship agreement with ESPN, according to SportsBusiness Daily. The four-year deals — “believed to be worth low-to-mid seven figures annually” — covered Haslam’s Pilot Flying J truck stop chain and also involved the ESPN-owned SEC Network.
Pilot Flying J’s agreement with ESPN included extensive advertising centered on the network’s college football coverage and included sponsorship deals with ESPN analysts Paul Finebaum and Laura Rutledge. The deals are only halfway through, but SportsBusiness Daily reports the Browns owner is working to unwind them.
