<P> In 1995 , owner Art Modell , who had purchased the Browns in 1961 , announced plans to move the team to Baltimore , Maryland . After threats of legal action from the city of Cleveland and fans , a compromise was reached in early 1996 that allowed Modell to establish the Baltimore Ravens as a new franchise while retaining the contracts of all Browns personnel . The Browns ' intellectual property , including team name , logos , training facility , and history , were kept in trust and the franchise was regarded by the NFL as suspended , with a new team to be established by 1999 either by expansion or relocation . The Browns were announced as an expansion team in 1998 and resumed play in 1999 . </P>
<P> In 1995 , owner Art Modell , who had purchased the Browns in 1961 , announced plans to move the team to Baltimore , Maryland . After threats of legal action from the city of Cleveland and fans , a compromise was reached in early 1996 that allowed Modell to establish the Baltimore Ravens as a new franchise while retaining the contracts of all Browns personnel . The Browns ' intellectual property , including team name , logos , training facility , and history , were kept in trust and the franchise was regarded by the NFL as suspended , with a new team to be established by 1999 either by expansion or relocation . The Browns were announced as an expansion team in 1998 and resumed play in 1999 . </P>
where did the current cleveland browns come from
where did the current cleveland browns come from
Baltimore , Maryland
Baltimore , Maryland