The man who negotiated the deal that brought the Browns to Baltimore told Pennsylvania lawmakers this week that the NFL's new television contracts mean teams should pay more of the cost of stadium construction.

"I don't think the Ravens would have gotten as good a deal today. The revenues coming into teams are higher than when we cut a deal," said Maryland Stadium Authority Chairman John Moag, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"There is a tremendous new cash flow for these teams," said Moag, who was addressing a panel of lawmakers in Harrisburg, Pa., considering stadium funding for Pennsylvania-based teams.

The Browns moved to Baltimore in 1995 and changed their name to the Ravens.

At the insistence of lawmakers, the franchise contributed the equivalent of $12 million toward the construction of the $223 million, downtown stadium.

Pub Date: 8/29/98