PAINESVILLE, Ohio — One Cleveland Browns season ticket holder said he went from the Dawg Pound to the dog house thanks to renovations at FirstEnergy Stadium.
“Here we go Brownies, here we go,” yelled Patrick Sturgill of Painesville. “I’ve been a Browns fan since I was in diapers.”
Sturgill has been attending Browns games for years. Once Jimmy Haslam took over ownership of the team and lifted permanent seat licenses, Patrick bought season tickets for the first time: he was sitting in Section 320, Row 33.
“They were great, I loved them,” he said.
Patrick’s season tickets were actually in the Dawg Pound, but thanks to the new video boards going up at FirstEnergy Stadium, Sturgill said his new seats are a downgrade thanks to the upgrade at the facility.
“I’m higher up; I’m in the 500′s instead of section 320, and I’m no longer in the Dawg Pound. I’m on the side of the field about 10-yard line,” he said.
Sturgill reached out to the Browns to voice his concern about being moved from the Dawg Pound. He was told that his seats were the best seats available for fans displaced by the new video boards.
The price of his new seats are the same price he paid when he sat in the Dawg Pound. He was also told season ticket holders for 5, 10 and 15 years received the priority on upgrades.
“I wish they would have done more for the season tickets holders that did lose their seats no matter what their tenure was,” Sturgill said. “I told him I thought you guys should have handled it better whether it be free merchandise a voucher, gift card to the gift shop.”
Sturgill said despite all the troubles, he will still buy the season tickets and support the brown and orange.
“It’s still special to be a Browns season ticket holder and tell people that,” he said.
The Browns have not returned our request seeking comment about the tickets.
