Browns brass admitted the team's poor play in some years made it difficult to sell sponsorshipsGETTY IMAGES
Browns Dir of Corporate Partnership Activation Bridget Kakos said that the team's record in recent years has "made a job in sales 'very difficult' at times," according to Steve Doerschuk of the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL. Kakos, speaking yesterday during a HOF Luncheon Club event, answered questions about the "expense of buying a Browns corporate sponsorship." She said, "Our average partnership is in the mid-six figures, annually. These are a three- to five-year term on average. We tell our partners that in year one they will feel a little impact but by the third year will really notice the benefits." Kakos said the Browns "try not to do one-year partnerships," noting each deal is "unique and customized." The Browns' struggles were "well known to all in the room" as one audience member asked, "Because of the Browns' turmoil, have you encountered many rejections?" Kakos in response said, "In our partnerships, we don't sell what happens on the field. We can't say we're going to win or lose. But there were years when it was tough. ... We tried to kind of block that out and provide a really great return on the investment." Kakos said that the ability of partners to display their logos alongside the team's orange helmet "retains proven value" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 2/25).
