RAVENS ANNOUNCE DIGITAL TICKETING
Back on July 12 the Ravens made the following announcement…
“As part of continued upgrades to the fan experience, the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday announced a new digital ticketing system, providing fans a simple, smart and secure way to enter games at M&T Bank Stadium.
Beginning for 2018, traditional paper season tickets will no longer be used to attend a Ravens’ home game. Instead, the following two options can be utilized:
Fans may access tickets via their smartphone by using the Ravens Mobile App. (When using the App, fans can also make an easy digital transfer of tickets to a guest, or tickets can be sold directly through the app.)
Or, Ravens season ticket holders will receive a PSL Owner Season Ticket card – much like a credit card or hotel room key – to enter the stadium.”
An upgrade to the fan experience? According to whom?
Check out fan reaction to the announcement, expressed on RSR’s forums:
“I’m not a happy camper!! WTF are they doing? No longer do you receive a packet of hard paper tickets. Instead I got this real fancy box with two plastic ID cards and lanyards that I somehow have to scan this sh*t into my phone and present the “electronic ticket at the gate.
I say again…WHAT THE F*** ARE THEY DOING???
Suppose I don’t own a smart phone or am electronically and mobile device challenged?
If I want to sell my tickets it’s a whole major to do with transferring them to whoever I sell them to for them to be able to receive them and electronically use them. That person no longer gets the hard ticket as a memento.
Not sure what the hell I’m supposed to do if I want to donate them to charity.”
~ The Fanatic
“So dumb. Don’t really care about impact on selling as I don’t sell mine, but I like to frame the ticket stubs after each season as they are usually very nicely done and have done so since we got season tix back in ’03. We pay thousands for season tix and they can’t print out actual tickets? GTFO.”
~ BhcForLife
“From my understanding this is the result of a deal between NFL and Ticketmaster in order to have better fan communication. With paper tickets they don’t know who is in the seat so they can’t create the best experience and relationship with the fans who attend the games.
This was a mandate by the NFL and is being implemented in every stadium. There is an article on it Here
This is most certainly not an agreement between TM and the NFL to force profit from the secondary market into TM and the NFL’s hands.”
~ My Turn
“There’s gotta be a way to print out paper tickets. My son lives out of state and he usually sells most, except for when he comes to town.
I just donated the Rams game to a raffle and need something to give to the little girl who won.”
~ SteveZ51
A couple of Ravens execs weigh in on the topic…
“This is another step forward in our mission to enrich the gameday experience and deliver convenience for our fans,” Ravens senior vice president of ticket sales and operations Baker Koppelman stated. “Ultimately, this will streamline access to the stadium and make the overall ticketing experience more efficient.”
“We’re paralleling the world, which includes the sports, entertainment and airline industries,” Ravens president Dick Cass added. “This is an NFL initiative that all teams must implement by 2019, but we’re excited to move forward this season so our fans have a simple, smart and secure way to use Ravens tickets.”
It will be interesting to see how the Ravens handle this at the gate. Prepare for delays early on and even more empty seats at kickoff as fans do their best to make their way to their seats.
This is yet another example of the NFL insulting the intelligence of fans while claiming to be focused on improving the fan experience. In the end, it seems like another money grab.
PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM (“PUP”)
At the beginning of Training Camp, teams can place players on either of the two (2) PUP lists. A player may not be added to either PUP list once Training Camp has commenced.
There are two (2) PUP lists – “active” and “reserve”. The “active” PUP list is for players who may, or will, be activated during Training Camp. A player on “reserve” PUP cannot be activated during Training Camp and must sit out at least the first six (6) games of the season.
A player on “active” PUP does count toward the applicable preseason roster limit (90 or below, depending on the limit at that time). A player on “reserve” PUP does not count toward the 53-man roster limit during the season.
The Ravens have placed six players on PUP: Marshal Yanda; Brent Urban; Vince Mayle; Jaylen Hill; Bam Bradley and Quincy Adeboyejo.
There’s no need to be concerned about Yanda at this point. He’s a gritty vet and he will be back on his terms. Keep in mind the Ravens have an extended week of training camp given their involvement in the Hall of Fame Game. The rest are all coming off injury and assigning them to PUP allows them to work back slowly while giving the team an opportunity to evaluate the six players who will occupy their spots on the 90-man roster.
It’s a process…
CAMP BATTLES
As camp begins in full swing tomorrow, our guys will be on hand to do their usual thing. We’ll be focusing upon many things given the drastic overhaul of the roster. As your eyes and ears at camp, we’re certainly open to your suggestions. For my money, the following camp battles are the most intriguing:
1. Keeping Three: It isn’t often that the Ravens keep three quarterbacks but count me among those who believe that 2018 will be different. Look for Robert Griffin, III to make the 53-man roster unless he falls completely flat on his face. Insiders say that RGIII has looked terrific and has shown outstanding leadership in and around the Under Armour Performance Center.
2. Inside LB: It’s good to see that the Ravens haven’t felt pressure to sign C.J. Mosley to an extended deal. He just doesn’t make enough impact plays to justify the dollars he seeks (i.e. highest paid ILB) and the last thing they need is another overpaid player not performing to the level of his contract. That said, he’s a good, not great player who struggles in coverage and really needs a wingman. Who might that be? Word is rookie Kenny Young has opened some eyes.
3. Opposite Ronnie Stanley: Who will start at right tackle? Many believe that James Hurst’s, 4-year deal worth $9.47M with a signing bonus of $4.97M, is an indication that he’ll be protecting Joe Flacco’s right flank. Not so fast. A team source has shared that the job is really Orlando Brown, Jr.’s job to lose.
4. Anchoring the Offense: At this time last year the Ravens weren’t sure who their center would be. Ryan Jensen emerged despite the team’s failed attempt to rekindle things with Jeremy Zuttah. Jensen was a solid anchor at the point of attack and performed far better than expected. Who will step up in 2018? Matt Skura? Alex Lewis? Bradley Bozeman?
5. Bringing the Heat: Where will the pass rush come from? Even if the soon-to-be 36-year old Terrell Suggs and 2016 5th-round pick Matt Judon contribute at 2017 levels, DC Wink Martindale will need more contributions from others. Can Za’Darius Smith step up? Will Brent Urban stay healthy? Will 2017 rookies Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams contribute? There are many questions on the edge with no clear-cut answers – yet.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Manny Machado, by most accounts, will follow LeBron James to LA and will soon be wearing Dodger blue. But let’s be honest, with the Orioles and their volatile owner Peter Angelos, anything is possible. Would anyone be shocked if this thing drags out?
But assuming it doesn’t and a deal does get done, I’m not losing sleep over the soon-to-be departed Machado. The Orioles need to be blown up like The Godfather and what better way than to start the rebuild with young players scouted and developed by a team other than the Orioles?
Rebuilding is going to be a VERY long process, particularly with this dysfunctional group. To say the organization is like a rudderless ship is an insult to rudderless ships.
Every home run of Manny Machado’s Orioles career: pic.twitter.com/Exb0tpDj4q
— BMOREcenter (@BMOREcenter) July 18, 2018
Jeff Zrebiec is back! He’ll continue with his coverage of the Ravens for the up-and-coming, “The Athletic”. Jeff is a class act and a talented journalist who will have a bit more freedom to develop stories than he had with The Sun, where he was too often bogged down in minutiae. If not for Jeff, I wouldn’t have plunked down the $48 annual tariff for The Athletic. But Jeff and curiosity got the best of me. Best wishes to JZ in his new endeavors.
The Fanimal will be back soon. We were proud to be the No. 1 rated show in our time slot on 105.7 The Fan during the 26 weeks we aired. We ended our relationship with The Fan to start a new venture – Fanimal Radio.
We heard the complaints about the show being too short (1 hour); about the lengthy commercials; about the early Saturday morning start time (8 AM); about the inability to hear a recorded version of the show On Demand. And we’ve addressed every single issue you pointed out.
We’ll have some announcements over the next couple of weeks regarding Fanimal Radio but until then, here are a couple of soundbites that will be of interest to fans, aspiring sports talkers looking to make their way onto the airwaves, and of course our valued customers, past, present and future.
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THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY
1968, Working at Abbey Road studios The Beatles recorded ‘Cry Baby Cry’ and ‘Helter Skelter’. One take of ‘Helter Skelter’ lasted 27′ 11”, the longest Beatle recording ever.
1973, Bruce Springsteen played the first of four nights at Max’s Kansas City in New York City, New York, supported by Bob Marley and The Wailers who were on their first ever North American tour.
1980, Billy Joel held the top position of both the US albums and singles charts. His album Glass Houses contained his first and biggest No.1 hit, ‘It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me.’
“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale
