Charles Woodson will not be buying part of the Browns.
NFL Hall of Famer Charles Woodson was announced to have purchased a 0.1% stake in the Cleveland Browns last May. There appears to be a hitch in that deal.
The former defensive back told Front Office Sports that he has opted to forego his minority stake in the Browns in order to keep his name connected to the branding of his spirits companies. From FOS:
“I thought I was going to be a proud owner of the Browns but it wasn’t able to happen because I wasn’t able to take my name off of my product,” Woodson said. “It’s what made the product. It’s how I started so I wasn’t able to do that.”
The deal had progressed enough that the Browns announced in May that Woodson had received league approval while speaking glowingly of the insight he will provide in the owners' box. With the team valued at $6.4 billion last summer, we are talking about a stake worth approximately $6 million.
However, FOS notes that league rules prohibit owners from advertising alcohol, which clashes with Woodson's "Charles Woodson's Intercept Wines" and "Woodson Whiskey" labels. Funnily enough, that wine brand has been served at Las Vegas Raiders games in the past.
Woodson ultimately opted to keep the brands rather than join the Browns, who released a short statement to FOS:
“We respect the decision by Charles and wish him well.”
Woodson never played for the Browns in his career, but he's an Ohio native who reportedly hit it off with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam in 2024. With no NFL team to help manage, Woodson will continue his post-retirement life as an NFL broadcaster and aspiring alcohol mogul.
Category: General Sports
