Raven's PR

**DonNMass** · 01-31-2018, 12:07 PM

I defend athletes and celebrities that shun the public a lot. I'm sure being hassled for autographs and such grows old as hell.

My son was in Fla last month and saw a Pro-Bowl game/practice promotion and went to it with a NE fan. He said the practice stands reminded him of Westminster, on-field close to players. Fans and players mixed it up during practice, (David Carr posed for pix and signed his phone case as a goof), but he said Suggs never even looked at the fans, and Weddle with total dick moves, walked close to the fans, ignore them and walk away. (I'm hoping if any other Raven's fans were there they offer an opposite experience)

I'll always bleed black, purple and orange, and my son has been all things Baltimore his whole life, but he's an optional fan having grown up in Western MA. He wears only Raven's gear in Boston but after hanging-in under Harbaugh, Pees, and where we differ he's no fan of Flacco, when are the Raven's going to give him a reason to justify his loyalty? They took away our August Westminster trips, the on-field product is boring and down right embarrassing with coaching and performance during the last 5 underachieving years, and star players aren't willing to throw fans a bone with even a wave in gratitude for showing up so far away. It was a chance for free PR, and a chance to show a handful of fans we're your team. It wasn't even a missed opportunity; it was a big middle finger.

It bothers me more than it does him. He wrote it off and laughed and said fuck 'em. He won't keep rooting for the Raven's by spending time and $$$ much longer and at this point and I couldn't give him a reason why he should. Mr Biscotti, I'll defer to you.

**GOTA** · 01-31-2018, 12:35 PM

Great post Don.

When I was younger the LA Kings would come to New York and there was Wayne Gretzky, the Great One himself outside the hotel they were staying in signing autographs and greeting the fans. Best player in the history of the sport but he never forgot where he came from. Times have sure changed

**Jsmoove** · 01-31-2018, 12:39 PM

I'm hearing from some folks back home that Ravens fandom is just not the same anymore, moving the practices from Westminister sure didn't help, you pair that with the bs product we been subjected to watch and mediocrity, apathy is getting real with fans. I remember when I lived there purple Fridays was so fun, there was so much buzz in the air on Fridays and everyone was doing something to get ready for Sunday. NOW, i'm hearing the city hardly does anything anymore, some spots that used to do it big on purple fridays and i'm hearing they don't even do that anymore.

**Ravenswintitle** · 01-31-2018, 12:41 PM

That's a very fair point, Don. When I was in TN, the Titans weren't very good but they would hold all kinds of events to interact with fans and encourage an active community. Now I'm in Florida and rarely wear Ravens gear, although I still have the plates on my car. We all expect ups and downs and can weather those but would be nice to feel appreciated as a $$ spending fan.

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 01-31-2018, 12:42 PM

Random story but I thought I'd add becuase it's sort of on topic.

One of my best friends is currently fighting brain cancer. He had surgery back in December and I started doing a fundraiser for him and his family. I reached out to his favorite teams for support (Ottawa Senators, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago Bears).

Given that we're in Canada i expected little response from the Bears. The Bears went all out and sent a care package to my friend. In the letter I sent the team I mentioned Leonard Floyd was his favorite player and they got Floyd to write a letter back (Well he signed it - I'm sure a PR person wrote it), signed a hat and signed a flag for him. I was amazed by them going out of there way and Floyd for doing all of that. That's only one person - I'm sure people write them often.

The Sens did a lot too (signed jersey from the whole team, tickets to a game, etc.), but that's mostly becuase I'm friends with two of the players girlfriends....who oddly enough are sisters and used them as an in.

I basically cold emailed the Bears and got all of that to help raise his spirits. Truly amazing IMO.

**Jsmoove** · 01-31-2018, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

That's a very fair point, Don. When I was in TN, the Titans weren't very good but they would hold all kinds of events to interact with fans and encourage an active community. Now I'm in Florida and rarely wear Ravens gear, although I still have the plates on my car. We all expect ups and downs and can weather those but would be nice to feel appreciated as a $$ spending fan.

i ended up selling most of my stuff a couple weeks ago to plato's closet i have a couple things left mostly stuff i wear in the gym, i'm kind of over the ravens right now. Just like talking to you guys.

**bmorecareful** · 01-31-2018, 12:50 PM

The Ravens are close to irrelevance here in Charm City. I work in a huge office with thousands of people, most of them locals and Ravens fans, and 5 years ago the place was decked out in purple. Nowadays even the week before a big game there's absolutely nothing. No one even talks about the Ravens anymore. None of my friends who have season tickets ever go to the games and there are always half a dozen or more Facebook posts of people trying to give (not sell, GIVE) their tickets away. Rarely are there takers.

Never in my life have I seen the fanbase of a team just evaporate like this. I remember It's been in the works for a few years, no doubt, but it felt like it was finally visible in a huge way this season. The anthem protests were obviously a huge factor. Fans will tolerate a few years of mediocrity IF there's still star power and community engagement to get them to hang on. The Ravens have NOTHING, no star power, no community engagement, no success, no excitement, nothing!

Ask yourself, what reason is there to be a fan of this team other than raw hometown loyalty?

**shana** · 01-31-2018, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

The Ravens are close to irrelevance here in Charm City. I work in a huge office with thousands of people, most of them locals and Ravens fans, and 5 years ago the place was decked out in purple. Nowadays even the week before a big game there's absolutely nothing. No one even talks about the Ravens anymore. None of my friends who have season tickets ever go to the games and there are always half a dozen or more Facebook posts of people trying to give (not sell, GIVE) their tickets away. Rarely are there takers.

Never in my life have I seen the fanbase of a team just evaporate like this. I remember It's been in the works for a few years, no doubt, but it felt like it was finally visible in a huge way this season. The anthem protests were obviously a huge factor. Fans will tolerate a few years of mediocrity IF there's still star power and community engagement to get them to hang on. The Ravens have NOTHING, no star power, no community engagement, no success, no excitement, nothing!

Ask yourself, what reason is there to be a fan of this team other than raw hometown loyalty?

None at all. Not a single one.

**GOTA** · 01-31-2018, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

The Ravens are close to irrelevance here in Charm City. I work in a huge office with thousands of people, most of them locals and Ravens fans, and 5 years ago the place was decked out in purple. Nowadays even the week before a big game there's absolutely nothing. No one even talks about the Ravens anymore. None of my friends who have season tickets ever go to the games and there are always half a dozen or more Facebook posts of people trying to give (not sell, GIVE) their tickets away. Rarely are there takers.

Never in my life have I seen the fanbase of a team just evaporate like this. I remember It's been in the works for a few years, no doubt, but it felt like it was finally visible in a huge way this season. The anthem protests were obviously a huge factor. Fans will tolerate a few years of mediocrity IF there's still star power and community engagement to get them to hang on. The Ravens have NOTHING, no star power, no community engagement, no success, no excitement, nothing!

Ask yourself, what reason is there to be a fan of this team other than raw hometown loyalty?

This is what Steve Bisciotti is going to be addressing on Friday. We'll all be paying attention here but will all those people that you work with? Probably not. Excuses aren't going to inspire fans.

**QuothDaRaven** · 01-31-2018, 01:48 PM

At the end of the day, when an entertainment product is no longer entertaining, and your time and money to spend are limited...

Ravens fandom makes no sense from a monetary perspective, from a “time efficiency” perspective, from an entertainment perspective, you can argue even from a health perspective (there’s a wealth of data associating increased cortisol and stress with poor long term health outcomes).

I’m a fan because I was born in Baltimore and have always supported Baltimore sports. But in truth, I’m just tired. The only thing I’m looking forward to is the draft, but even then I’m not going nuts reading every mock like I did in years past.

The opposite of love isn’t hatred... it’s indifference.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Dade** · 01-31-2018, 02:08 PM

That's sad to hear, but that's the current state of "Ravens Nation". Just indifference to the team. I've felt it myself. I still wear my Ravens gear (mostly because outside of work you'll be hard press to find me in anything but a hoodie and jeans, and I have like 10 Ravens hoodies), but I wasn't excited at all for this season. The product on the field leaves a lot to be desired. The Ravens are beyond boring to watch. Before during losing seasons, we still had star power to draw interest. But this team has no Ray, no Ed, no Heap, no Ngata...hell not even a Derrick Mason. No personality plus boring play equals an indifferent fan base.

**Jsmoove** · 01-31-2018, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

The Ravens are close to irrelevance here in Charm City. I work in a huge office with thousands of people, most of them locals and Ravens fans, and 5 years ago the place was decked out in purple. Nowadays even the week before a big game there's absolutely nothing. No one even talks about the Ravens anymore. None of my friends who have season tickets ever go to the games and there are always half a dozen or more Facebook posts of people trying to give (not sell, GIVE) their tickets away. Rarely are there takers.

Never in my life have I seen the fanbase of a team just evaporate like this. I remember It's been in the works for a few years, no doubt, but it felt like it was finally visible in a huge way this season. The anthem protests were obviously a huge factor. Fans will tolerate a few years of mediocrity IF there's still star power and community engagement to get them to hang on. The Ravens have NOTHING, no star power, no community engagement, no success, no excitement, nothing!

Ask yourself, what reason is there to be a fan of this team other than raw hometown loyalty?

the bandwagon cleared out after 2013 and then the rest of us kept holding on, other than being a native i have no other reason to watch this crap and even at that I am done until serious changes are made.