Improving the experience at M&T Bank Stadium

[TL24x7]

As the costs to attend NFL games continue to climb while the fan experience flattens AND the "at home" experience improves league owners will be forced to improve the fan experience at stadiums.

What suggestions would you make?

Here are ours...

[JustaslowZ06]

TVs in the bathrooms. Better TVs by the concessions. And some sort of cell coverage would be nice. Like the stadium is a dead zone lol. I've had both AT&T and Verizon and neither get service in there.

[stevez51]

Last years new parking policy. Making everyone pull forward. I understand the reason to fill the lots but when you tailgate with people for years and then get told sorry you have to park where we tell you. Also the lot security when at 9 am they come by make people break up a corn hole game because they are using parking spots. Thing was those spots were still open at 11 am.

[BcRaven]

Cannot confirm, but have heard from unreliable sources :
M&T Bank will be giving toasters (2 slice) to the first 1,000 fans who enter... Bc

[stevez51]

Would rather at each game they deposit $50. in my checking acct. If they can do it for new accts. why not for long time accts.....

[Brtnder81]

Ive had psls in section 542 for 15 years and have figured out a pretty reliable system to get in the stadium without a problem and use the restrooms without missing any game action.

I take the light rail in and usually arrive at the stadium 45 mins before kickoff. I enter the stadium at the 1st gate by the lt rail and usually have no more than 10 people in line in front of me. I then walk around the lower concourse and take the stairs to the upper lvl. I then use the restroom, buy a soda with a refill for $7.50 then head to my seat. im usually in my seat 20-25 mins before kickoff. in the 2nd quarter I get a refill on my soda then at halftime I eat a sub which I bring from home while watching the horrible march band. In the halfway through the 3rd quarter I use the restroom then return to my seat to finish the game. After the clock hits 0:00 and never before I wait until the section clears out and I begin my walk out down the ramp at a casual pace and head to the lt rail. The lines are usually long but usually move pretty quick and I wait less than 20 mins. once in a while it will be closer to 30 mins but thats rare.

when using the restrooms or going to the concessions I wait until after a 3rd down stop and get up as soon as the play is over then start walking down the steps and i watch the punt from the bottom of the steps then quickly get in and get out of the restrooms or concessions line and im usually heading back up the steps when play resumes so ill stop and squat down so i dont block anyones view and i can watch the play then get back in my seat without missing any action.

So I spend $7.50 at a normal game and if its cold ill just get a small soda for $5 because i wont drink as much. So I spend very little money beyond my ticket price and I eat, drink and use the bathroom without missing any game action.

escalators for the upper lvl and better wifi are my only complaints

[wickedsolo]

TVs in the bathrooms. Better TVs by the concessions. And some sort of cell coverage would be nice. Like the stadium is a dead zone lol. I've had both AT&T and Verizon and neither get service in there.

That has more to do with the number of people in one area than anything. That many cell phones all pinging the same cell tower is going to cause congestion. That's why during an emergency or something the rule of thumb is text, don't call because texting operates on a different frequency band.

M&T would have to get the city of Baltimore to up cell coverage capabilities in the area, which is also cell service providers would have to agree to do.

[HoustonRaven]

Wasn't there a story a while back how the league employs inverse wave generators, blocking GSM signals? Meaning, they blocking data with anyone with a GSM phone but folks with CDMA (Verizon) could?

[Tucker: M&T Sec 527]

Wasn't there a story a while back how the league employs inverse wave generators, blocking GSM signals? Meaning, they blocking data with anyone with a GSM phone but folks with CDMA (Verizon) could?

Those weren't inverse wave generators. Rather just the 2013 Ravens' offensive line.

How about marijuana dispensaries? Don't let the Broncos and the Seahawks have all the fun!

[ed from Bel Air]

I can live with the prices, I can live with the bathroom situation. I rarely drink beer in the stadium, and I always go down to the bathrooms at the 2 minute warning. I rarely see fights anymore as most of us at the stadium (even in the upper deck) do behave ourselves. I do not call people from the stadium, I only care about the Ravens so as long as they post the losing scores of Pittsburgh and Cincy ( I still don't care about Cleveland), I do not care about texting, cell coverage or phone reception.


The three things that will eventually force me to sell my season tickets and watch the game at home are:

1. The lack of escalators. Climbing up those stairs and ramps as I get older will be the death of me. I know I can take an elevator with all the well-to-do skybox and club level types, but the waits are extremely long at game time, and I should not have to leave my tailgate early to get to an empty stadium early. I shouldn't have to pay extra to get an escalator, which stores, airports, hotels, and other service providers routinely provide for free.

Don't tell me they cannot do it. Houston has one that goes from outside the stadium all the way up to the top of the stadium. Looks great, worked great. The reason I hear most for not adding escalators in the beginning was the accident in the 60's at Memorial stadium. I am pretty sure the safety technology is better now then it was back then.

2. If I do leave my tailgate early to get into the stadium early so I can take an elevator, or climb up the steps at a leisurely pace, then I get to listen and watch the exact same year-after-year pregame routine that has grown more than stale. After climbing up all those stairs I barely have the energy to stand and listen to some lame recording of a redneck anthem.

I love my country.

I love and respect our military.

I hate that song.

Now that Mr. Miller is no longer singing our beautiful National Anthem, they should find someone great to replace him, and replace that other awful song. If we must ( and I think one is enough) sing two songs before the game, they should play Ray Charles classic version of "America the Beautiful".

3. The third thing will be having to wait hours to get out of our parking lot on Sharp to Ostend to Hanover St or Fort Ave. I cannot understand how the Baltimore City police ( who I think otherwise do a terrific job in the City) cannot figure out a way to keep traffic flowing on the East side of the stadium. I guess they only put enough officers around the club level and suite holders' A and B parking lots to get them home at a reasonable hour. The Ravens should somehow invest in a little more police overtime to get us off the lots a little quicker.

I know the Ravens do not have to do these things, but as technology gets better and the stadium experience more expensive and time-consuming, I find myself contemplating something that was unthinkable to me several years ago----giving up my seats for watching the game from the comfort of my couch.

[camdenyard]

Two things must be considered when thinking about this question. First, the Ravens are a for-profit business and second, limitation of liability has obviously become a focus for this business over the last few years.

As a business, growing revenue streams and profit is important. We don't see that side of the organization much as fans, but it exists. For example, it wasn't that long ago that the team made a big deal out of an extension with M&T over naming rights. Most of use shrugged out shoulders and said "so what?", but it was big to them.

The point is that the Ravens are going to make improvements based on the value and competitive advantage (as compared to other local options) that it provides. As long as they can pack 70K people into the stadium, I think you can forget about large capital projects such as a dome and escalators. Liability issues would kill escalators on its own. The $35 million in improvements they are finishing up is mostly cosmetic. The new video boards for example have been used more for ads than improving the fan experience. And don't forget that was the first real work done (aside from adding a few urinals) since the place opened in 1998. They probably have not felt the need to do any more.

So I really don't expect much in the near future. Not unless attendance falls.

[middleriverterp]

Got to agree with Ed about "Proud to be an American" Please get rid of this song as the colors are brought onto the field.