Lets Talk About The Crowd Energy

**Bhcforlife** · 11-26-2018, 12:31 PM

If LJ spiked fan enthusiasm and interest at the stadium last week, it sure didn't carry over to this week. The 55k or so, many of which were Raiders fans (though nothing like the Raiders game in Baltimore a couple years ago), that showed up yesterday must have thought they were at a funeral and not a football game. I've been to almost every home game since 2003 and I honestly don't know that I can recall a time in a competitive game when it was as quiet as it was yesterday, other than a few moments.

Probably for a different thread, and I've said this before, but the gameday production in the stadium is sooooooooo bad and cringeworthy for the most part. Real Fan Dan's cheer is basically the only cool thing they do.

I will say they did one awesome thing yesterday and that was introducing that Make a Wish kid first out of the tunnel.

**Ravenswintitle** · 11-26-2018, 12:33 PM

Whey Cyrus Jones scored that TD the place went crazy - at least from TV perspective. The camera was shaking.

**PeterB58** · 11-26-2018, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

If LJ spiked fan enthusiasm and interest at the stadium last week, it sure didn't carry over to this week. The 55k or so, many of which were Raiders fans (though nothing like the Raiders game in Baltimore a couple years ago), that showed up yesterday must have thought they were at a funeral and not a football game. I've been to almost every home game since 2003 and I honestly don't know that I can recall a time in a competitive game when it was as quiet as it was yesterday, other than a few moments.

Agreed. Typical game nowadays. Beautiful weather (no excuse there), about 15K no-shows...lots of empties in the upper deck. Fan noise was minimal until the 2 big game-changing plays (punt return and fumble return). I will say that LJ's play does bring a level of excitement missing in previous years...his TD run and the long pass down the sideline to Andrews were very exciting. If they can continue to keep making those types of plays and - here's the key - if they can start winning more consistently, the fans and energy will return. In my opinion...

Regardless, it was a great day to go to a game.

**Bhcforlife** · 11-26-2018, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Whey Cyrus Jones scored that TD the place went crazy - at least from TV perspective. The camera was shaking.

It got loud during the big plays, but it always has, even during these recent years of mediocrity and apathy. The PR TD, the Andrews play, the Suggs TD, the Judon sacks after. Real Fan Dan always gets a 1999 Stone Cold Steve Austin pop when he takes his shirt off. But the general noise level play to play wasn't there at all. It was disturbingly quiet - if an exciting young QB and being in the playoff hunt doesn't get fans to the stadium and invested in it, what will?

**PeterB58** · 11-26-2018, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

It got loud during the big plays, but it always has, even during these recent years of mediocrity and apathy. The PR TD, the Andrews play, the Suggs TD, the Judon sacks after. Real Fan Dan always gets a 1999 Stone Cold Steve Austin pop when he takes his shirt off. But the general noise level play to play wasn't there at all. It was disturbingly quiet - if an exciting young QB and being in the playoff hunt doesn't get fans to the stadium and invested in it, what will?

Playing more consistently, and winning. If they go beat Atlanta, which they should do...I believe the Ravens are the better team....and if they can make a game of it in KC and be competitive going into the 4th quarter, I think that will generate excitement.

But if the Same 'Ole Ravens show up on the road again for the next 2 weeks, you are probably back to half-empty stadiums for the final 2 games.

**Jay D83** · 11-26-2018, 01:06 PM

I wouldn't worry about yesterday too much. It was the biggest travel day of the year. A lot of people were out of town.

**ERey** · 11-26-2018, 01:33 PM

The game was never in doubt yesterday. Oakland just sucks. Plus it was a big travel day. I think the stadium enhancements are really nice and the half time show yesterday was really good. There's not much more the Ravens can do except draft some playmakers (Lamar is a good start) and win. If they somehow beat Atlanta and KC it'll be real interesting to see how many they get for the Tampa game.

**I Touchdown There** · 11-26-2018, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

If LJ spiked fan enthusiasm and interest at the stadium last week, it sure didn't carry over to this week. The 55k or so, many of which were Raiders fans (though nothing like the Raiders game in Baltimore a couple years ago), that showed up yesterday must have thought they were at a funeral and not a football game. I've been to almost every home game since 2003 and I honestly don't know that I can recall a time in a competitive game when it was as quiet as it was yesterday, other than a few moments.

Probably for a different thread, and I've said this before, but the gameday production in the stadium is sooooooooo bad and cringeworthy for the most part. Real Fan Dan's cheer is basically the only cool thing they do.

I will say they did one awesome thing yesterday and that was introducing that Make a Wish kid first out of the tunnel.

Agree, I was disappointed in the empty seats but more so the lame fans. I felt like I was sitting in an old people's home with the lack of crowd energy. Such a beautiful day for football too. Oh well, is what it is at this point.

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**John Morris** · 11-26-2018, 01:39 PM

Unfortunately this is the "new reality" for home game atmosphere moving forward. It's incredibly sad to see. Just a few short years ago we had one of the more intimidating home field advantages in the NFL. Nowadays, the team and the media try not to even talk about it so as not to bring attention to how pitiful it is. The intensity level in the stands is non-existent. Someway, somehow the whole Camden Yards "face in the cell phone, take a selfie" stupidity has bled into the football stadium. I'd say we're now in the bottom 3rd of the league for homefields now.

**PeterB58** · 11-26-2018, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by ERey

The game was never in doubt yesterday. Oakland just sucks. Plus it was a big travel day. I think the stadium enhancements are really nice and the half time show yesterday was really good. There's not much more the Ravens can do except draft some playmakers (Lamar is a good start) and win. If they somehow beat Atlanta and KC it'll be real interesting to see how many they get for the Tampa game.

One step at a time.

But let’s pretend that they beat Atlanta and then somehow win in KC. A couple of things. One, the Ravens would have control of their own playoff destiny and would be tabbed “The Team No One Wants to Play in the Postseason”. Two, depending on what Pittsburgh does against the Saints and Patriots, the division title may be back into play.

If that should happen (and I don’t think It will), i agree, it would be very interesting the level of fan support vs Tampa Bay on the 16th.

**camdenyard** · 11-26-2018, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by ERey

The game was never in doubt yesterday. Oakland just sucks. Plus it was a big travel day. I think the stadium enhancements are really nice and the half time show yesterday was really good. There's not much more the Ravens can do except draft some playmakers (Lamar is a good start) and win. If they somehow beat Atlanta and KC it'll be real interesting to see how many they get for the Tampa game.

Wow. Lots to disagree with here.

If you thought that game was "never in doubt", well then I guess you think being up 3 points at the half and after 3 quarters against one of the 2-3 worst teams in the league travelling cross country is a safe lead. Yeah, Oakland sucks. But that game should have been over at halftime.

Big travel day...I guess the games against PIT and CIN were big travel days too because there were tons of empty seats on those games too. That's moot anyway, because the 50K that were there didn't make much noise. Didn't seem to be in the game outside of the big plays. And seeing a lame country band perform and high schoolers turn tires over in an obstacle course at halftime doesn't get my juices flowing. To each his own, I guess.

And RE: the stadium enhancements - yeah escalators are nice, and the corner scoreboards are nice, but these things are not going to drive crowd energy. Only the play of the team can do that. We should have bitch-slapped CIN last week. I mean, the Browns did it to them in THEIR place yesterday. Oakland was a curb-stomping waiting to happen, and the Ravens' offense produced 3 FGs in the first 30 minutes. Against a bottom feeding defense. I saw a ton of frustrated people, I know I was one of them. Talk about an energy dampening effect.