Sunday will mark the fourth time in their last five games that the Ravens have been on the road. Next week they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium to face the upstart Detroit Lions. The type of crowd the Ravens come home to rides on how they perform in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Will they return stateside as a (4-2) squad or a .500 team?
Win or lose in London, the crowds at The Bank just aren’t what they used to be. There isn’t any one specific reason why the Ravens struggle to pack the stadium. The empty seats are the byproduct of several forces at play, among them:
• Perceived safety issues
• Prohibitive costs
• Creature comforts
• Convenience
• Quality of play
• Growing angst towards the head coach and quarterback
• Remaining scars from the 2017 kneeling incident in London
That debacle of a game at Wembley Stadium on September 24, 2017, the last and only time the Ravens played on foreign soil, during which several players knelt to protest the things said about NFL players by then President Donald Trump, is still felt by many fans. Some are now former fans.
There are many who have served the country, many who support those who serve, who view the acts of those players as a slap in the face of patriotism. I’m not choosing a side here. But right or wrong, the ramifications of that protest linger today. You only need to visit the Ravens Nests and Roosts around town. They begin their meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance. They love and honor the flag. That protest has influenced many to opt out as members of the Nests or Roosts and as fans. You don’t have to agree with their position. You don’t have to understand. But it is a fact, and it has hurt the gate at The Bank.
But from my vantage point, and I hear this from many fans, they just don’t think that attending live games is worth the investment of time and money, particularly when the alternatives are considered.
There’s the price of tickets; the cost to park; expensive concessions; the inconvenience of traffic and the travel time; the risks of unruly fans; lines in the bathrooms – all compared to the advantages and convenience of watching from home or even at a friendly neighborhood pub.
This isn’t anything new.
Back in 2015 during one of our visits with Steve Bisciotti at The Original Greene Turtle in Ocean City, MD, I presented this position to the Ravens owner to set up this question: “Might the NFL consider building smaller stadiums, the way baseball has, in order to enhance the fan experience and provide something uniquely different at the live experience that they could never get by staying home?”
Steve responded with a big smile – a smile that suggested, “are you f***ing kidding me!” And then he said, “Tony, have you seen how packed stadiums are around the league?”
The smile lingered. It’s indicative of how untouchable the owners think they are. This isn’t intended to be a knock on Steve. It’s just the way it is. And I get that. The game, despite its flaws, remains immensely popular. The owners know it and in part it’s why we do what we do here at RSR.
The owners can deny the problem all they want as they rake in truckloads of cash. But eight years later, the appeal of live games, despite the all-for-show attendance figures they pump out there, has fallen off.
Just ask PSL owners who have tried to sell those licenses.
Ravens v. Steelers
This rivalry just isn’t what it used to be. It’s not even close. The game has legislated out the physicality that defined the rivalry’s intensity, plus many of the players, the characters who fueled the contention between the clubs, have moved on. Two men who remain and are woven into the fabric of this rivalry are Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh.
They know each other. They understand each other’s tendencies. But it’s Tomlin who plays it better. Tomlin is the better chess player. It’s as if he knows the Ravens will make mistakes and when they do, he has his team ready to capitalize.
Mike Tomlin on the Ravens years ago: "We know they don't play a full four quarters."
Tomlin to his team last week: "When it’s a dying moment, they will try to burn the house down."
— Russell St. Report (@RussellStReport) October 12, 2023
“I'll never forget, on Wednesday meeting, [Mike Tomlin] said, ‘When it’s a dying moment [the #Ravens] will try to burn the house down.' You go back to that moment. I’ll be damned, they tried to burn the house down, and we caught ‘em”. ~ Patrick Peterson on the game winner from… pic.twitter.com/FvbgpE17G5
— Russell St. Report (@RussellStReport) October 13, 2023
Round 2 is scheduled for January 7, 2024.
Lamar v. Steelers Revisited
If Ravens receivers caught a few of the balls they should have v. Pittsburgh, the vibe in Baltimore might be a lot different today. But they didn’t and at this point it’s water under the bridge and hopefully represents an opportunity for the team to learn, to get better.
Respected NFL analyst Greg Cosell certainly found a silver lining in the loss.
Don’t let the score or stats fool you, Lamar Jackson is thriving in new OC Todd Monken’s offense.@GregCosell explains: pic.twitter.com/vsJg8OofM9
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) October 12, 2023
Cosell’s insights aside, the lingering play that still sticks in the craw of Ravens fans, is the pick Lamar threw in the end zone to rookie Joey Porter, Jr. And as Junior goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
“Strapped his old ass”
Joey Porter had a lot to say after he intercepted a pass against Odell Beckham Jr… 👀
(H/T: nflrjay/TT) pic.twitter.com/Bd9H8OSeDP
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 12, 2023
[Related Article: Ravens WR Room Still Needs a Repairman]
Parity
The Ravens very easily could be sitting at (5-0). But they were apparently feeling a bit philanthropic, giving away two games to the Colts and Steelers, respectively. Now that the dust has settled, the Ravens can still gain control of the AFC North with a win in London over the Titans. Perhaps even more encouraging, is that the AFC doesn’t really have a standout team – for the moment.
With their less-than-impressive win over the Broncos last night, the Chiefs now sit at (5-1). They’ve been resourceful. They get the calls. And if you disagree, just watch any Chiefs game. Patrick Mahomes is the new Tom Brady – the best quarterback who whines incessantly to game officials and regularly gets his way.
That aside, other than their ability to do what they need to do to win, the Chiefs aren’t all that impressive. They’re beatable. And a look around the conference suggests that the AFC is up for grabs. Just like any other season, it all comes down to the team that gets on a roll at the right time. Despite the two mind-numbing losses this season, the Ravens are very much in the mix.
But they really could use a dub at Tottenham.
17 Responses
When people believe they are untouchable , that is when things go south. Until the Ravens become mentally tough they will always be a talented team that underachieve who should be 3 or 4 wins better than their record. I am not sure it is a Monken problem or a Lamar Problem but it certainly is a different team in the 4th quarter.
I agree. It’s attitude. How many times have we seen when we get ahead of an opponent early and then let off the gas. We play it conservative and lose all momentum. Then the 4th quarter comes around and we are in a battle.
This seems to have been more common in the past 4-5 years IMO. There’s no killer attitude. Put away the opponents early and kill their morale. Is it a result of Harbaugh’s or the organization’s input into the makeup of the team? Maybe it’s just the way players are nowadays playing with an indifferent attitude.
Long before analytics, teams who won the toss to start the game would always want the ball because it’s hard to score without it! And, getting a good start was deemed important! That’s no longer the case and, the Ravens ultra conservative approach to offense is definitely anti-aggressive! Too bad they wait until there’s no choice but to put the pedal to the metal because it seems counter productive in their case! Just one fan’s opinion for a change……
We always enjoyed the tailgating before the game. Next time we come for a game, that’s what we’re going to do. Tailgate.
Then we’ll go to a bar to watch it.
Cost vs. Benefit.
The atmosphere when we used to go games was fun, sometimes electric. And I imagine it still would be. But not at these prices!
The problem is that the team isn’t exciting because they aren’t really contenders for a Super Bowl. John Harbaugh costs us at least 3 games a year with poor clock management and silly decisions. Since winning the Super Bowl he’s has under a .600 winning percentage and we’ve had one playoff win. So why am I going to play close to $1,000 to take me and family to the stadium and deal with people. I can get Sunday Ticket for $399 and enjoy the game in the comfort of my home and when the Ravens stink turn the channel to another game.
Exactly
Unless I’m traveling to an away game and can make a vacation out of it, I’d rather stay at home. Live games in Baltimore aren’t what they used to be. The head coach is mediocre and should have been fired years ago hence why Steve wanted to fire and or trade him. Harbaugh didn’t like what the ravens were when he first came on the team has completely changed, has gotten soft and always makes the same mistakes. Harbaugh has gotten all scapegoats the excuses, and so many different coordinators, but hasn’t produced enough. We need a change the top down. Everyone including Harbaugh, biscotti and DeCosta are way too comfortable. That’s not to even mention the cost of living crisis and how people much rather would watch a game at home then go down to Baltimore.
The crime situation in downtown Baltimore is also a huge factor that no one seems to
talk much about. You get around the stadium and it the grounds are beautiful and folks are festive. You walk two blocks either way and the streets and sidewalks are crumbling, filled with trash and grime and you have to have your head on a swivel for thugs. Put some of that $600 million in the areas surrounding the stadiums and make it safer and more appealing.
I never miss a Ravens game…..on tv. My grill is out back. My tv is huge. My family is here. I can follow other games. My time investment in the game-on a Sunday before the work week-is exactly the length of the telecast.
While the live game experience is very good (I enjoy the 1-2 games I see each year), it doesn’t beat being at home-unless it’s a playoff game and even then it’s close. And the cost is so much higher both in money and time invested. Your suggestion to Steve was a good one. They will have to feel the pain before doing that.
The attendance has nothing to do with players kneeling 6 years ago. The economy isn’t great and 70 inch televisions provide a better experience for a fraction of the cost. You got those parts right but leading with kneeling in 2017 is ridiculous. Some racist fans left the NFL, oh well. The fact that the average fan can’t afford to go to games is why seats are empty. Many fans would have to choose between a family vacation or going to a couple games.
Hey Ed
Your idea that the kneeling had nothing to do with fan apathy is off but not isolated from the other real concerns about cost,comfort and ease of watching from the comforts of home. So which factor counts more or most, I would,t say.
But what prompted me to write was “Some racist fans left the NFL”
Mabe there are real racists out there I don,t know any. But I do know a lot of people who have grandfathers uncles etc that died at Normandy , Korea, Nam, and Iraq Afghanistan. Many of these true heros were disgusted that the flag and country would be trashed by a bunch of ill-informed prima donas because some police officers certainly did commit actual real crimes.
The vast vast majority of these people are not racist for becoming disaffected with admittedly great athletes, many of whom, really haven’t the faintest idea that they are only able to express their foolish opinions because they are lucky enough to live here. And you are wrong for casually applying the term.
Ed, Wrong…. Completely wrong. Obviously the only racist here is Ed making comments like that. If you don’t agree with an uneducated racist (Ed), and they are threatened by the truth because it doesn’t fit their racist narrative, they will attempt to paint the other people as racists and name call like a 2nd grader. Stay home Ed, stay in your safe place living in denial, we don’t want your offensive, racist kind at the stadium.
They have spent too many years bending to every whim of the TV partners no matter how much it inconveniences the fans. I can understand it. Look at how small a percentage of the cap was adjusted down after the Covid losses. We are walking into a large TV studio and the network partners dictate everything. How many times are you going to have a Sunday ruined by a 1PM game getting flexed to 8PM or any other number of inconvenient game time/day flexes until you say screw it. It’s not worth it anymore. I can’t wait for the first game to be flexed from Sunday to Thursday night. I still go to the games, but it gets hard to renew each year.
Well said. Ditto here!
How soon we forget the 12 years we were without football in Baltimore…🤔
How soon we forget we were without a team for 12 years because the NFL blocked teams from moving here because JKC did not approve and then they would not award us an expansion team. They bent over backwards to make Cleveland whole when the Browns left, they told Baltimore to spend our stadium money on a museum.
I was one of those who couldn’t sell my PSL to save my life. I had to surrender it back and eat the cost. To answer by bullet point I don’t feel unsafe around the stadium during game day. Common sense and travelling with friends goes a long way. Frankly I feel less safe inside as at least in my section many fights and uncomfortable insults would be hurled out. Cost isn’t an issue but my time is. Honestly going to a game is almost like going to work. For a 1 PM kick to practically tailgate you have to start to find parking at 8 am. After you’ve consumed a fair amount of food and libations you still have to march to the stadium and sit out in the elements which sometimes brings on a pretty fierce food coma or exacerbates dehydration which requires the purchase of said concessions. I can do the same at home and not wait in line to use a bathroom and enjoy RedZone.