“We have the best fans in the world,” said Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill in an interview with with The News-Letter. “When we play on the road — like in Tampa Bay or Los Angeles — the Ravens Flock is there making noise.”
Hill’s sentiment captures what many players and fans think alike: There’s an unbreakable bond between the Ravens and the city it calls home.
Despite the strong connection between the Ravens and Baltimore, the Ravens were not always Baltimore’s team. From 1953 to 1983, the city’s football team was the Baltimore Colts, named after the city’s history of horse breeding. Then in 1984, Colts owner Robert Irsay made a deal with Indianapolis, Ind. to move the team following a long-running controversy over the team's performance, attendance at games and the quality of Memorial Stadium where the Colts played. The controversial move left Baltimore without a professional football team for 12 years: a bleak period for Baltimore football fans.
In 1996, the Ravens were born when Art Modell — the former owner of the Cleveland Browns — chose to take his team and personnel from Cleveland to Baltimore. Since then, the Ravens have represented the blue-collar, hard-nosed city of Baltimore and have become a major factor in the city’s economy and cultural landscape.
Wherever you go in Baltimore — whether it’s the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, Canton, Hampden, the Westside or Lauraville — you will see the iconic Ravens logo glimmering in royal purple, black and gold. Especially during the regular NFL season, it’s impossible to miss the brilliant spots of purple that crop up all over town, from the exterior lights of M&T Bank Stadium, Under Armour’s flagship store or the buildings that make up Baltimore’s skyline — Ravens Purple is impossible to miss.
Together with the Baltimore Orioles and the Hopkins Blue Jays, the Ravens (a name inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's timeless poem “The Raven”) have become an integral part of Baltimore’s sports culture: a culture so prominent that one of the city’s nicknames is “Birdland.”
Baltimore’s gritty soul has encapsulated what the Ravens have played with for all their existence; from the terrifying defenses led by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, to the dynamic leadership and play of Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers, the Ravens mirror the persevering spirit of Baltimore and Baltimoreans.
Veteran Ravens defensive lineman Brent Urban spoke about this spirit in an interview with The News-Letter.
“Baltimore is a city that just feels really together. There is a definite culture about the city, and I think Ravens football is ingrained in that culture,” he said. “It’s a tough, gritty city that plays football the same way. The fans kind of encapsulate the identity of the city.”
Ravens fandom
For many Baltimoreans, the Ravens are a symbol of civic unity and pride. Longtime die-hard fan Kevin Henderson says that the Ravens brought the city together, adding enthusiastically that “the fans, we are passionate, and we love the team!”
For longtime fan Alonzo Blue, Ravens fandom runs in the family.
“My dad was the one who got me into it. He grew up here and has been a fan ever since they came in the nineties,” he added in an interview with The News-Letter.
Like many Baltimoreans, the Ravens have influenced Blue’s life in a variety of ways.
“The Ravens definitely have impacted who I am,” he said. “They’re the reason I played football in high school, and football is how I met some of my best friends...football builds bonds like no other sport.”
Ravens super-fan and social media influencer Zuha Islam — the owner of the Instagram page @markandrewsoursavior — commented on how watching the Ravens gave him a sense of community in an interview with The News-Letter.
“The Ravens have been part of a major chunk of my life. I’ve been watching them ever since they beat Pittsburgh 35-7 in 2011, and my interest grew even more when they won the Super Bowl,” he said. “Me and my dad would watch games all the time together, and it was to the point where I would even cry as a kid after losses. To this day, the Ravens are a huge part of my life, as I love covering them on my page and still never miss a game, and if possible, it is something I’d like to expand upon in the future.”
Game day atmosphere and traditions
Undoubtedly, the most iconic element of Ravens fandom are the game-day traditions that bring fans together. Ravens players themselves know just how much the fans contribute to the team's spirit and momentum.
“The fans are everything. The best part of the game is the energy they bring to M&T Bank Stadium. It sends vibrations through the team to get hype and get excited,” Urban added. “Gameday is the best part of football. The energy in M&T Bank Stadium is what really gets us going and makes it so exciting for us.”
The electrifying atmosphere on game days is something that players and fans treasure.
“Ravens game days are different at M&T Bank,” Islam aggreed, highlighting the remarkable energy that fills the Baltimore air every time the Ravens take the field. “Personally, I haven’t gone to a ton of games, but when I have, the atmosphere is top-notch. Ravens Flock always comes out and shows out, and there are so many little things to enjoy, from Real Fan Dan to the funny signs on the big board: a lot of them troll the Steelers.”
The fun doesn't stop there. One of the most iconic traditions is the “Seven Nation Army” chant, from the famous The White Stripes song, and it's become a tradition on game days and a signature anthem of Ravens Flock.
“The ‘Seven Nation Army’ chant is a staple of the Ravens and was ingrained into me from a very young age,” Islam added. “That was the song I associated with the Ravens’ 2012 Super Bowl run as a child. When the Ravens make a big play, you can hear the whole stadium chanting the song.”
Another prominent tradition Islam explained is how outside the stadium, fans rub the toes of the Johnny Unitas and Ray Lewis’ statues for good luck before heading inside.
A Super Bowl dream
For fans like Blue, Henderson and Islam, nothing compares to the idea of another Ravens Super Bowl win.
Islam said it best: “I would do nearly anything for a Ravens Super Bowl win, within bounds, of course. This city, team, and Lamar Jackson deserve a Super Bowl more than anything, and it would mean the world to relive that once-in-a-lifetime feeling and live on top of the NFL world.”
The last time Baltimore celebrated a Super Bowl victory was in 2012: a moment that is enshrined in the hearts of Ravens fans.
“My best memory is definitely the Super Bowl win,” Blue shares. “Ray Lewis was my favorite growing up, and he’s still an icon.”
Henderson says another Super Bowl win would mean the world to him.
“I'll rejoice, man, I’ll be so happy, man, just celebrate, man… I could see myself now just getting with friends, and you know and calling up my peoples and talking about it, just enjoying it,” he said.
The excitement and passion in his voice mirror the anticipation of Ravens Flock’s dream that could be coming sooner than later. A Super Bowl win would not only lift the spirits of fans but also reinforce the positive impact of the Ravens’ role as a cornerstone of Baltimore’s identity.
As Islam simply said, “This city and this team deserve it.”
Booming businesses
The Ravens aren't just central to Baltimore's sports culture: The team is central to the city's economy as well. Game days are particularly profitable for pubs, restaurants and alcoholic beverage retailers as fans flock to gather and cheer on their team.
Anirban Basu, the chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, an economic and policy consulting firm that he founded in 2004, estimates that for each home game, between $20 to $25 million are generated from visitors traveling to Baltimore for a weekend to watch the Ravens compete.
Local establishments near M&T Bank Stadium typically experience the most significant surge in business, with fans heading to nearby locations like Cross Street Market and Federal Hill to celebrate or unite after games.
The economic impact of the Ravens extends well beyond the stadium’s immediate area, reaching neighborhoods like Charles Village, a 15 to 20-minute drive from the stadium. Despite the distance, local businesses still see substantial boosts in sales on game days.
Charles Village Pub, located at 3107 St Paul St. experiences the greatest crowds on game days. However, unlike downtown pubs, the crowds at these neighborhood pubs aren’t just a gathering of fans from the stadium. Instead, community members will often flock to their local sports bars to watch games with their friends and neighbors. When the Ravens score or a big play occurs, one person will often buy a round of shots for the entire bar, including the bartenders.
Many businesses also have Ravens’ decor throughout stores and unique Ravens products for sale. Charles Village Pub has the Ravens game schedule on its front door hanging from a flag the size of a whiteboard and a large “Flock Together” flag draping from the ceiling at the entrance — it’s impossible to miss. In addition, the bar has been working on a “Ravens Shot,” which is a shot that matches the Ravens’ purple.
Ravens Flock is a Way of Life
Every chant of “Seven Nation Army,” every tailgate in the shadow of M&T Bank Stadium, and every flash of purple across the city speaks to a pride beyond the football field.
For many Baltimoreans, the Ravens Flock is more than a fan base: it's a family. Whether rallying behind Lamar Jackson or cherishing memories of Joe Flacco, cheering at M&T Bank or celebrating in a packed pub at Cross Street Market or a local one, one thing is evident to all: The Ravens are Baltimore’s soul.
