AFC North News - Browns to be Sold?

[Mista T]

This is good news for Cleveland.... and good news for the Ravens.

...... As for the impact on the Ravens, the Browns are the major reason why the AFC North isn't considered the premier division in the NFL. New owner + increased competitiveness = more viewership by the NFL, at large, and a hypercompetitiveness within the division.

I don't see how a division competitor improving can be good news for the Ravens. I would rather see all three with losing records.

I'll agree that "more viewership by the NFL, at large" would be a good thing for Ravens fans once we see ticket prices substantially reduced and mandatory exhibition games eliminated. Otherwise: what's the benefit to Ravens fans more viewership by the NFL, at large?

As for the impact on the Ravens, the Browns are the major reason why the AFC North isn't considered the premier division in the NFL.....

Now somebody find a new owner for the Bengals, and this division will eclipse the NFC East as the predominant division in football (which, in my opinion, they are just because of the Ravens :))

I disagree. The NFC East was the NFL's strongest division several decades ago, but has declined since Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder have run down their teams. The AFC North placed three playoff teams in 2011, is overall still the strongest.

Clark Judge of CBS Sports agrees:

Strongest division
AFC North
Three of the four reached last year's playoffs, with one (Baltimore) making it to the conference championship game. Pittsburgh went to three of the past seven Super Bowls, winning twice. Baltimore went to two of the past four conference championship games. So did the Steelers. Now, Cincinnati is starting to squeeze both, with a quarterback who, as a rookie last season, had to play 10 top 10 ranked defenses yet still finished 9-7. Yeah, I know, the Bengals were 0-8 vs. playoff teams, but four of them (twice each) were Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Anyway, there's strength at the top.