City: Baltimore, MD

Category: Spectator Sports

Telephone: (410) 230-8000

Address: 1101 Russell St.

Description: Baltimore has a love affair with the Ravens that no Super Bowl trophy (XXXV, January 28, 2001, when the Ravens defeated the New York Giants 34-7, under the leadership of head coach Brian Billick) can overstate or losing seasons can explain. Denied their beloved Baltimore Colts in the midnight raid in 1984 by Ursay to Indianapolis, the local fans were not one bit sympathetic to the cries from the fans when Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns from their hometown in 1995. The major difference was Baltimore was not allowed to keep the Colts as their image and Cleveland was allowed to keep the Browns. Ergo, we became the Ravens, as in the bird from the Edgar Allan Poe poem. The story is told that after the first score of the first home game played by the Ravens, an unholy sound like a wounded Raven squeaked over the loud speaker system. It was also the last time. Team colors are purple, black, and gold and you can see purple invade everywhere during the season and sometimes all year. After decades during which the exploits of the greats—“Golden Arm” Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, Lenny Moore, and Bert Jones—cemented fans’ love of the team, people are starting to find new heroes to focus their football fandom on. In 1998 a new era began for the team, as it opened a football-only stadium, built across from Oriole Park at Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore, about 6 blocks from the Inner Harbor. After closing the book on Memorial Stadium—a 60,000-seat grande dame among outdoor stadiums, used by the Colts, Ravens, and the Canadian Football League’s now-defunct Baltimore Stallions (not to mention the Baltimore Orioles until 1992)—the team’s move to what is now called M&T Bank Stadium has brought more of the historic charm that came with Camden Yards. The new digs provide the team, its owner, and fans with the state-of-the-art facilities considered so essential to a winning football organization these days. The 69,300-seat stadium, with 108 luxury suites, is fully ADA compliant, with 700+ seats for the disabled and eight family bathrooms. The stadium has several unique characteristics, including a distinct upper-seating level with notched corner. There are 62 oversized restrooms located throughout the stadium. The stadium has 245 food and beverage stands. Extra-wide concourses and unobstructed views place this stadium in a class of its own. The two SmartVision boards, each measuring 25 by 100 feet almost give you the feeling of being right on the field in the middle of the action, minus the bruises and the paycheck. More than 10,000 Phelps Phever fans stayed after the Ravens-Vikings pre-season game (Ravens lost 23-15) to watch Michael Phelps’ final Beijing Olympic swim win on August 16, 2008. At least one home-town hero gave them something to rally behind (OK, so Derrick Martin did intercept John David Booty for 22 years that was followed by a 2 point conversion). Back to the stadium. There are seven levels, including five with seating. The facade has brick arches at its base, aluminum trim at the grid lines, and a frame of concrete supported by pewter structural steel rakers. Throughout the project, dark, rich brick and mortar, manufactured in Maryland and similar in appearance to other buildings in the area, were used. Training camp for the Ravens has been held at McDaniel College in Westminster since the mid-1960s. The late July practices open with rookies, quarterbacks, and injured veterans reporting first, followed by all veterans, and the first full-squad practices that are open to the public. Pets are not allowed. Players are available for autographs each day after practice. Just line up next to the fences and ropes surrounding the field. No guarantees that your favorite player will sign an autograph. Please park around Bair Stadium. Call (410) 261-RAVE for updated information about practice times.Getting to/from the stadium is best done via public transit. Take Light Rail to the Hamburg Street stop at the stadium. Take the Subway to Lexington Market North or Charles Center West stations, then walk. Take any local bus (1, 3, 7, 11, 19, 27, 35, and 64). Each costs $1.60 one-way, $3.20 round trip, and $3.50 for a day pass. Check www.mtamaryland.com/sports/Ravens for details and changes. Other options include parking at a local gas station or city lot (figure $10-20 or more).