Browns Backers Worldwide History

Information provided by Krystal Thomas, Browns Backers Worldwide Coordinator.

The Browns Backers Worldwide is considered to be the largest organized fan club in all of professional sports.  It was formed in 1984 to organize several independent fan clubs in the Cleveland, Akron, and Lorain areas.  Browns News/Illustrated and the original clubs helped spread the idea throughout the country and the world.  It is estimated that in 1990, total membership for the Browns Backers Worldwide reached 60,000 member

After the former Browns relocated to Baltimore in 1995, the Cleveland Browns Trust organized the Browns Backers Worldwide to help maintain fan interest in the Browns until the team returned to Cleveland at the start of the 1999 season.  When the Browns retook the field in 1999, there were 146 Browns Backers chapters with 15,729 members in almost every state and in several countries, including Italy, Egypt, Israel, Germany, and England.

For more information on the Browns Backers Worldwide see their official homepage.

Chapter History

The idea for forming a Browns Backers club in Oxford began in the fall of 1997 by Eric Schwartz.   The original idea for the club was kind of a joke.  Eric asked around to see if people would join a Browns Backers club if he started one.  A lot of people said they would, so Eric began researching what it took to start a club.

Eric recruited his sister Abby, and Al Schubert to help with the responsibilities of starting the club in 1998.  Together they chose the Stadium in uptown Oxford for their meeting place.  They also contacted the Browns Backers Worldwide to sign the club charter, which was signed in the spring of 1999.  After the charter was signed additional members were recruited and activities were planned.

Eric ran the club for two years.  He  graduated from Miami University in May 2001 with a major in Systems Analysis and a minor in Finance.  After, the 2000 season Eric handed over the club to Jim and Geri Schick, since he was graduating and his sister, Abby, would be studying abroad.  Jim and Geri live in Eaton, a town near Oxford.  Geri is also an employee of Miami University.