Art Modell, the former owner of the Baltimore Ravens and one of the owners who helped bring the NFL to prominence, died on Thursday at age 87.
Beginning as owner of the Cleveland Browns, Modell was one of the most important owners in league history, helping to shape the modern game and bring it to television.
According to the Associated Press, David Modell said he and his brother, John, were at their father's side when he "died peacefully of natural causes."
Modell was the majority owner of the Browns and Ravens for over 40 years from 1961-2003. During his tenure he oversaw 18 playoff teams and two championships, one with the Browns in 1964 and with the Ravens in 2000.
"I believe very strongly that Art Modell is one of the most important figures in the history of the modern NFL," former NBC-TV president Dick Ebersol said to the Associated Press. "He and Pete Rozelle developed the magic formula that married the potential of television to the game."
While Modell helped grow the league through television, he is remembered by many as the man who moved the Browns from Cleveland. It was a move that infuriated many fans in Cleveland, but ended up being a great success for the franchise.
In Super Bowl XXXV, the Ravens were led by coach Brian Billick and defeated the New York Giants 34-7. It was the team's first championship since moving to Baltimore.
Modell spend over four decades as an NFL owner after buying the Browns in 1961 for $4 million. He quickly made his impact felt by firing legendary head coach Paul Brown in 1963. The team won the NFL Championship the next season in 1964 and continued to be one of the best teams during the decade. The Browns also played in the title game three more times, in 1965, 1968 and 1969.
He worked over the years to negotiate the NFL's television deals and also helped ABC and the league come to an agreement to broadcast games on Monday night. Monday Night Football is now a staple of sports television.
Modell helped to establish NFL Films and also served on the NFL-AFL merger committee.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 23, 1925, Modell was the grandson of Morris Modell, founder of the famous sporting goods chain Modell's. After serving in the Air Force, Modell got into the advertising business before he decided to buy the Browns franchise.
Although Modell made a great impact on the league, he most likely will be remembered for the move from Cleveland.
For years Modell lost money operating the Browns in Cleveland and had trouble getting a new facility built for the team. In November of 1995 he announced that the team would be relocating to Baltimore the next season. The city had been without a team since 1983, when the Baltimore Colts relocated in the middle of the night to Indianapolis.
When Modell moved the Browns, the team name, the history of the team and its statistics stayed with the city, allowing Baltimore's franchise to start fresh and Cleveland to retain its team history.
"I think that part of my legacy is I left the colors, the name and the records in Cleveland," Modell said, according to the Associated Press. "The fans in Cleveland were loyal and supportive. They lived and died with me every Sunday for 35 years."
Eventually the city got a new stadium and the team back in 1999.
Modell's wife Patricia died in 2011. He is survived by his two children and six grandchildren.
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