The Browns Backers of Greater Dayton was formed in 1986 to promote the Cleveland Browns in the Dayton metropolitan area. In its first ten years of existence, the Browns Backers of Greater Dayton, or "BBGD" for short, established itself as one of the most active chapters among the various Browns Backers groups across the country. The chapter's active and inactive membership grew to over 1,100 fans throughout Southwestern Ohio . After the departure of the Browns to Baltimore , membership dipped but we're coming back to around 500 active members.

The BBGD continue to hold annual post-season banquets before sold-out crowds. The list of speakers at those past events included then-active Browns players such as Hanford Dixon, Brian Brennan, Carl Hairston, Ozzie Newsome, Kevin Mack, Dan Fike, Rob Burnett, Ron Wolfley, Steve Everitt, Felix Wright, Bob Golic and many others. Continuing as emcee, Doug Dieken, with his unique brand of wit and humor, has become a fixture at our annual events. Now that the Browns are back in contention of the AFC North, we hope that the banquets will continue to grow even larger.  At last years' banquet (held after draft day) our guests included Kamerion Wimbley, Daven Holly, Felix Wright & Earnest Byner. We always try to get several current as well as retired players.

The chapter also sponsors various other events during the football season, including the season kick-off party, bus trips to Browns games (our first trip has included a tailgate party catered by Al "Bubba" Baker), fish fries and monthly membership meetings. The BBGD publish a monthly newsletter and operates a telephone message line to keep the lines of communication open to its members. If you have an email address and would like to be included in an email newsletter, please let us know.  Our chapter developed its own logo and offers a line of merchandise for sale to its members. Perhaps most importantly, the BBGD has raised thousands of dollars for local charities such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Dayton.  Last year was our first time supporting the wonderful works of GreeneBucs chapter of the national organization AMBUCS,   http://www.ambucs.com , who create mobility and independence for people with disabilities.

An executive committee whose members are elected, govern the BBGD. When the Browns left Cleveland in 1995 and the future of football in Cleveland was unknown, the members of the Executive Committee who had been elected to serve for the 1995-96 season resigned.  As a "Steering Committee", four of those five members chose to work with Terry Fague, one of the original founders of the Browns Backers of Greater Dayton, to get the Chapter rolling again in 1999. 

Randy Dodson has served as our president since 2001.  Currently Don Krebs, Paul Monnig, Bill Forsthoefel and Larry Gee make up the remainder of the Executive Committee. 

We would like to involve some new people in the leadership of our Chapter.  Prior to our next football season, for the first time, instead of holding a vote involving only the membership who attends monthly meetings, we'd like to open the voting up to on-line or mail-in voting.  We feel we can get more vote participation this way as this is done in the summer.  If you'd be interested in serving as a member of the Executive Committee, check out the information under "Elections" on our Announcements page.