Just two seasons removed from a Super Bowl title, the Baltimore Ravens are hoping to make a return to the postseason after an 8-8 finish in 2013. Ravens fans are some of the most die-hard in the NFL; and the organization does a strong job of improving its value proposition each year to retain existing fans and attract new ones into M&T Bank Stadium.
Last year, the Ravens unveiled a two-year, $35 million initiative to upgrade the game day experience at the stadium. Here’s a breakdown of what is included in the two-year upgrade plan:
- More video:
- 30 feet by eight feed video boards at Gates A and D. These new boards will give fans fantastic views of action inside the stadium, including instant replays and tons of other great content.
- New concourse theme:
- The organization has invested to make the inside of M&T Bank Stadium look as rustic and industrial as the outside, taking a page out of the Orioles’ playbook.
- Redesign of all lower concourse concession stands:
- The new concession stands will allow customers to track their orders as they are being prepared. There will also be digital (and dynamic menu boards).
- 4 new LED boards inside the stadium
- These will be added on each of side of the two giant “Ravensvision” video boards that are already in the stadium. There will also be new LED ribbon boards to connect around the middle bowl of seats.
The new additions to the stadium undoubtedly enhance the gameday experience for Ravens fans and give them more of a reason to come watch the game in person. Ultimately, it comes down to the product on the field, but the Ravens have also recognized the importance of the fans’ needs and made an investment to make their fans happier.
For video on the Ravens stadium upgrades announce, click here.
Upgrades for the Ravens heading into this season were not all about the brick and mortar of what’s inside the stadium. Fan experience also includes an engagement factor; and that’s where great content and digital and social media come in.
Check out a Q&A below with Garrett Downing (which was done at the beginning of the season now provides an insightful look back at the Ravens’ digital initiatives), Digital Media Staff Writer, and Dave Lang, Senior Manager of Digital Media, to learn more about the technological and media-based initiatives the Ravens had in the works for this season.
SportTechie: What in-stadium technology advancements did the Ravens make for this season?
Ravens: We’re actually in the second year of a two-year, $35 million renovation project for M&T Bank Stadium. Last year we made improvements to the video boards, added an LED ribbon board around the entire middle seating bowl, added video boards inside two entrance gates and significantly upgraded the lower concourse. Now we’re upgrading the upper concourse level by improving the design to match the “Ravenized” theme of the lower concourse.
One new feature from a digital perspective that we’re planning to introduce this year is featuring fan photos from Twitter and Instagram on our in-stadium video boards. We tried it out during our draft party in May and at a recent training camp practice, and saw huge fan engagement at both stadium events. Now, we look to integrate this feature into the gameday experience before and during games this season.
ST: How will the Ravens utilize mobile technology for both in-stadium and at-home experiences?
Ravens: We’re always looking for ways to use mobile technology because that’s such a big part of the world today. It provides great opportunities to engage with our fans and enhance the fan experience. We have a mobile site and mobile app, which are both huge traffic drivers for us. A major project we’ve been working on this offseason is the development of a tablet app. This has been a while in the making; and we think it’s something our fans will enjoy using during games as well as throughout the week, and all year-round as a general source of information.
ST: Will there be any use of iBeacon technology?
Ravens: We’ve had a lot of discussions about beacon technology this year; and we’re definitely evaluating ways we can use it in and around our stadium on gamedays and during other events. We’re still hammering out the details with our mobile developer and trying to determine the best uses of the technology, but we’re planning to dip our toe in the water with beacons soon.
ST: What new digital and social media initiatives did the Ravens use this season?
Ravens: Social media is such a huge part of what our digital team does, and really the sports world overall. We know that our social channels are a tremendous asset to the organization and a way to reach millions of fans. We’re looking for ways to enhance and improve our social strategies, and we just recently hired a social media coordinator. This person will look for ways to integrate campaigns around our content and big events that we have. They will also look into emerging social channels to see if we should get into that space, and how we can utilize those outlets to extend our reach and build a strong relationship with an even greater number of fans.