The Cleveland Menace
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Written by Sage Colón
Inside the rise of one of Cleveland’s biggest sports meme pages.
The Turning Point
As Aidan Crowley looked around at the crowd outside the Browns stadium on Feb. 3, 2025, he realized the potential he held in his hands. No more than three hours earlier, he had been sitting with his friends when news broke that Myles Garrett – one of the Cleveland Browns’ most beloved players – was requesting a trade.
That morning, Crowley rushed to make an Instagram post about the tragedy that had just hit Cleveland sports. Jokingly, he floated the idea to his friends of holding a protest outside the stadium to showcase the fans’ frustration.
The idea, like so many that appear online, took on a life of its own. Crowley – the brains behind the Instagram page @theclevelandmenace – spread the word about the protest, and it started gaining popularity almost instantly. The post racked up thousands of shares within hours, continuing to rise until it reached millions of views. Local TV crews started calling, eager to cover the alleged fan uprising.
By that evening, Crowley and about 20 fans were gathered outside the stadium alongside many local news stations that also caught word of the protests and wanted to document the seemingly large act of contempt. They held signs, voiced their disdain and filled their feeds with images that made the demonstration look much larger than it was.
Although Garrett ultimately decided to stay in Cleveland, the incident confirmed something Crowley already suspected – he had the ability to tap into the heart of a city that is devoted to their sports teams.
“It was just a really cool thing,” Crowley, 21, said. “It’s just the power of social media, you can really make anything look like something.”
The Myles Garrett “protest” was the biggest stunt yet for The Cleveland Menace, but it didn’t come out of nowhere. The menace knew a post like that would go viral, but how did he get to such a platform in the first place?
The Beginning
Crowley launched The Cleveland Menace in 2022 as a joke. A self-described diehard sports fan, he wanted a place to vent about late-game collapses and questionable coaching decisions without clogging his personal feed.
“I kind of started it just for fun,” he said. “I didn’t want to put my rants on my personal Instagram, so I made this ‘burner’ account. Somehow, people just got behind it.”
The account, which started with memes, quick edits, and sarcastic captions, quickly picked up traction. Friends shared posts, strangers tagged others, and within months, Crowley was looking at follower counts in the thousands and post views reaching the millions.
Today, The Cleveland Menace has gained more than 36,000 followers on Instagram. The account is known for its humorous memes, highlight edits and running commentary on everything from Browns’ heartbreaks to Guardians' spotlight streaks.
“I just post whatever I want to post,” Crowley said. “For some reason, people enjoy it.”
Crowley admits he can’t quite recall how the name came to him, but he does remember the reactions it sparks in public. Fans often expect to see some larger-than-life figure lurking behind the account.
“People are always looking around for this menacing figure,” Crowley said. “But it's just me, this 6-foot-3 kid, and it's just kinda funny to think about.”
Going Viral
The Garrett “protest” was one of the page’s flashiest moments, but not the only time The Menace has gone viral. From trolling rival teams with witty edits to jumping on trends the moment a play happens, Crowley has a knack for knowing what Cleveland fans want to see.
He remembers last year’s NFL draft as another turning point. “The Browns had such a high pick, and everyone had an opinion,” he said. “I was on the side that they should draft Deion Sanders Jr. I thought it would be a big culture shift for Cleveland. I posted about it for probably six months leading up to the draft.”
Not everyone agreed. His comments section was filled with fans insisting he didn’t know what he was talking about. “The funny thing is, they’re right, I don’t know anything,” Crowley said. “I have zero control over what the team actually does. But because I have a following on social media, people want to hear what I have to say. I just find that funny.”
The controversy this attracted joined his list of viral moments, pulling in new followers and cementing his place in the local sports conversation. “The Browns aren’t making picks based on what The Cleveland Menace posts,” he said. “But people were talking, and that gave the page a lot of traction.”
Unlike the sports teams’ official team accounts, Crowley’s page is more spontaneous. He doesn’t plan posts days in advance or stick to any kind of schedule. Instead, he just reacts to whatever is happening in Cleveland sports that day.
Crowley said he never sets out with a master plan. “It’s not like I have a content calendar,” he said. “It’s just, if something funny happens in the game, I’ll post about it. If the Guards get a win, I’ll make an edit. People know it’s real because I’m just reacting like a fan.”
Crowley’s edits have become their own kind of homework assignment. After a Guardians win, his quick-turnaround highlight videos often rack up thousands of views overnight. Fans say the videos have become part of the postgame ritual, and they need to be watched before the next game.
“I really enjoy seeing his Cleveland sports edits,” one follower said. “His edits are awesome, especially after a Guard's win.”
The Business Side
With popularity came opportunity. Crowley now partners with Cleveland Vibes, a family-run marketing group that helps influencers connect with local businesses. Through them, he’s hosted bar promotions, raffled off free tickets and even helped fans be able to throw the first pitch of the game.
“Our goal is to always just try and create viral moments,” he said. “There is always potential all around you.”
What makes Crowley’s story even more surprising is how close to home it really is. The guy behind The Cleveland Menace isn’t some faceless internet personality – he’s a 21-year-old student walking across Cleveland State University’s campus, working toward a degree in public relations.
For Crowley, balancing college with running a page that reaches tens of thousands of fans has been eye-opening. “College alone can be a waste of time if you don’t build anything else into it,” he said. “This page gave me real experience – connections, partnerships, business meetings. If you can combine that with a degree, you’ll be successful.”
Still, Crowley is careful about how he monetizes The Cleveland Menace. He isn’t interested in slapping his name on just any partnership or cashing in on quick deals. While plenty of other sports pages chase money through flashy betting promotions, Crowley says that’s not the route he wants to take.
“I don’t want to sell out my page to some gambling company,” he said. “I want to do things that are fun and good for the community.”
That community focus has inspired some new ventures. This fall, Crowley is partnering with a local indoor golf simulator to launch a Cleveland Menace golf league.
“It’s not just about making money,” he said. “It’s about building something people actually want to be part of.”
The Community
Perhaps the biggest surprise for Crowley has been how much The Cleveland Menace has spilled into real life. On game days, strangers often recognize him in the stands, shout his handle or ask for selfies.
“I try not to act like some celebrity. I’m literally just a normal guy,” he said. “I go to games with people I’ve never met before and have fun. That’s why the page grows the way it has.”
For Crowley, the best part of running The Cleveland Menace isn't the sponsorships or money, it’s the community and fans that he has gained that see him as one of their own.
“It’s cool when someone you don’t know tells you your posts made them laugh after a tough loss,” he said. “That’s what makes it worth it.”
Looking Ahead
Whether The Cleveland Menace becomes a full-time career or remains a side hustle, Crowley is content with where it has taken him so far.
“I’d love for it to grow into something bigger, but even if it doesn’t, I’ll still be at the games,” he said. “At the end of the day, I’m just a sports fan. And if you can do something you enjoy and make a little money from it, you’re already winning.”
You can also check out Crowley's other account, @thesportsmenace, on Instagram as well. There, Crowley covers a broader range of sports, not only local to Cleveland.
