The three major professional sports teams in Cleveland have united as one in an effort to combat social injustice and promote positive change in Northeast Ohio and beyond. The Browns joined with the Cavaliers from the NBA and the Indians of MLB in a partnership they hope will help improve relations between police and the community, increase voter registration and improve educational opportunities.
From the press statement, which was released via all three teams,
Head Coaches and front office executives representing the city’s three major professional sports teams – the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians – announced today a sports alliance to develop a sustainable and direct strategy to address social injustice facing the city of Cleveland and all Northeast Ohio communities. The alliance will also focus on improving the relationship between law enforcement and its citizens, encouraging nonpartisan voting activities and increasing the opportunities for quality education for everyone.
Browns GM Andrew Berry offered this quote on his team’s behalf,
“We understand the platform our organization has to make a positive impact on these important issues. When Coach Stefanski and I began discussing how we might be able to elevate and broaden that impact by expanding the dialogue to our counterparts in Cleveland, it quickly became apparent that partnering with the other teams in our city would help our region come together so we can collectively address the problems that we’ve all been working to help solve independently.”
It’s the latest in a growing trend of professional sports teams choosing to try and be more impactful in the greater community than just an avenue for entertainment.