It's been a while since the Cleveland Browns have won a football game.
Since Dec. 24, 2016 against the San Diego Chargers, to be exact. After the conclusion of last season, Browns fans even held a parade to commemorate their 0-16 record. This season, the fans will get a littlereward for the Browns' first win, whenever it happens, and it will come in the form of free beer.
Bud Light, the official beer of the NFL and 28 of its 32 teams, including the Browns, will have 10 "Victory Fridges" filled with Bud Light bottles placed at different Cleveland-area bars that purchased them. Several of the fridges will be placed inside FirstEnergy stadium, per cleveland.com.
Andy Goeler, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, says the victory fridges are a way to honour the loyalty of Browns fans. Bud Light fulfilled a similar promise to Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson, guaranteeing a beer for every fan at a bar that was on the route of the Eagle's Super Bowl victory parade.
"We're always cheering for them," Goeler told reporters. "Obviously, they haven't won in a while. We're putting victory fridges out into the marketplace. When the Cleveland Browns win, at the end of the game, these refrigerators . . . will send a wireless signal that will unlock them and give fans the opportunity to have a celebratory Bud Light."
According to cleveland.com, the idea for the victory fridges was born last year when Brown fans started holding "Dilly Dilly" signs, the slogan for a Bud Light campaign.
Goeler says the beer in the victory fridges will be changed out every month, if necessary, to ensure the product stays fresh, per ESPN.
This will surely get Browns fans thirsty for the first victory, not that they will really need to extra motivation. Team officials have also embraced the reward.
"Obviously, we are nowhere near satisfied with our win totals in recent seasons, and our fans deserve much better," Browns chief operating officer Dave Jenkins told ESPN. "While some may characterize it as celebrating one victory, we view this as an opportunity to thank Browns fans for their unwavering support while also looking forward to our goal of rewarding Cleveland with a consistently winning football team."
Cleveland opens its season in FirstEnergy Stadium on Sept. 10 NZT. against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
