[News] Press Release - Training Camp To Stay In Owings Mills

[Ravens in The Dena]

ccabral--- yea it def sucks man, going up to Mcdaniel and having that interaction with the players was a great thing, U know what sucks even more they just hit us with the playoff ticket invoice today.. DUE BY THE 12-12..

[Ravens in The Dena]

With the way the new CBA is, and the limited practice times that are required now, I do see why the Ravens had to make the move to have training camp at the facility.. But The Ravens will still hold free practices at the Bank and the spring football festival will be held again this year also, so not all is bad, but they sent out playoff invoices the same day they announced this thats the real bummer, and the playoff money is due the 12th. smh .. Lets at least get homefield this year. the past 3 years we all paid for playoff tickets and didnt get to have a home playoff game. Lets do it this year... SB Bound baby.

[MRO]

I'm going to wait and see how the organization treats "average Joe fan" who could bring the family out and see the team they root for up close and personal. The folk that can't afford a family outing M&T Bank Stadium. The Owings Mills facility should be opened up to all of the public just like the College was for at least for a few pratices. If not for the loyalty of the fan base but it was built and paid for by tax payers dollars. I would be crushed if this becomes an elitist event only the well to do or special interest groups.I understand the move but I will be carefully how it's handled.

[raven410]

They should do opening day of training camp at westminster, and one practice at M&T. The rest of all practices at Owings Mills. That would be cool.

[jerryp]

I agree MRO, I think Steve is struggling with this, and I think he's also thinking about ways to make things work for "Joe Fan" and family. Maybe there is a way to get re-zoning to allow people, I dont know. It makes all the sense in the world from a football standpoint, but I know what Steve means by his comments about seeing the team. Hopefully, he can work out some sort of option.

[Wormy]

One thing the Ravens need to consider is what their arch rivals do.  As we all know the Steelers have one of the largest followings in all of football.  This can be contributed to multiple reasons; Super Bowls won, long history, physical style of play, etc.

However they do not shy from what is most important -keeping true to their local fans.  For the last 45 years they have packed up their uniforms, equipment, play-books, team, etc, and driven 40 miles down the road to St. Vincent college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.  

This is not a simple process. It is expensive.  It is labor intensive.  It is time consuming.  But they do it!

Harbaugh was asked a few weeks ago if he feels as though trying to be like the Steelers has contributed to the Ravens success in sweeping them this season.  His reply was "we're not trying to be like the Steelers, We're the Ravens!"  I fully agree.  However I think this is a situation where upper management needs to take one from the Steelers playbook!

Do what's right for the fans, the community and the team!

[gammaman]

Let's hope there will be increases in the number of articles and videos on the Ravens' website during summer camp. That will help us fans stay tuned in.

[bioLarzen]

Living in Hungary, this decision does not affect me the slightest. So, from this perspective I'm an outsider. But... I'm happy that the vast majority of the comments here is understanding.

To those who are outraged: guys, the camp is for the team to prepare for the season. The team's interest comes first in this question. I son't think there should be any question about that.

bio

[FitzaFlaccoFan]

Bisc: Whatever you decide as owner is good with me. Thanks for being a great owner.

Now let's just win, babeeeee!

[The Greek]

good move

[Wormy]

One thing the Ravens need to consider is what their arch rivals do.

[Wormy]

One thing the Ravens need to consider is what their arch rivals do.

[Wormy]

One thing the Ravens need to consider is what their arch rivals do.

[Wormy]

One thing the Ravens need to consider is what their arch rivals do. %uFFFDAs we all know the Steelers have one of the largest followings in all of football. %uFFFDThis can be contributed to multiple reasons; Super Bowls won, long history, physical style of play, etc.

However they do not shy from what is most important -keeping true to their local fans. %uFFFDFor the last 45 years they have packed up their uniforms, equipment, play-books, team, etc, and driven%uFFFD40 miles down the road to St. Vincent college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. %uFFFD

This is not a simple process. It is expensive. %uFFFDIt is labor intensive. %uFFFDIt is time consuming. %uFFFDBut they do it!

Harbaugh was asked a few weeks ago if he feels as though trying to be like the Steelers has contributed to the Ravens success in sweeping them this season. %uFFFDHis reply was "we're not trying to be like the Steelers, We're the Ravens!" %uFFFDI fully agree. %uFFFDHowever I think this is a situation where upper management needs to take one from the Steelers playbook!

Do what's right for the fans, the community and the team!

[stucknthejungle]

We keep on their buts when things arent up to our specs...this really could help things with our fine tuning efforts and strength training...living in ohio im not worried about this but excited for the bump up in training conditions.

Most fans with football sense would agree.

[ATravenfan]

Folks - I can appreciate the business reasons for this move as a 52 year old businessman like our owner. That said, we need to consider how to offer more access to those that can't afford to see the team in other venues. As a fan who attends every home game and some away games, I get to enjoy(or really be disappointed as we went to Jacksonville) our team on gameday. There are so many people who don't get that oppportunity to enjoy a game day experience and get close to our team. I attended every Raven's camp at Western Maryland College since the first year. I have three boys and remember pushing my youngest in a stroller. We were able to have a great family oriented time and had a tun of fun. All three boys were at the Thanksgiving day game because they are now "fans for life". FFL>>>fans for life... Why, because they had that experience with their dad for almost 15 years. We did this every year for almost 15 years.

[ATravenfan]

I have the following suggestions so that others might have the same opportunity that was afforded of my family.
1) Consider more open practices at the Vault or other venues.
2) Offer a lottery for fans to enter to see the Castle and a practice there.
3) Remember how you created this "brand" and its diehard fanbase and offer more opportunities for families to interact with players(even unsigned rookies) to get autographs. We remember walking by a desk at camp and getting a Priest Holmes autograph when he was just starting...we still have that and love talking about how nice he was and how great he developed...

[JS24]

To me the move seems Bob Irsay like, and motivated by greed. Were the Ravens better prepared? Do we judge by the Squeelers game, or do we judge by the eggs the team laid in Nashville, Jacksonville, and Seattle. I think had training camp been at Westminster the team would have had a better sense of exactly whom they were disappointing with the aforementioned team embarrassments. A Travenfan makes a very good point about branding. I personally hope the move comes back to bite you all in the glutes'. Money isn't everything, and no it's not the only thing. I feel bad for kids everywhere. The preparation excuse just does not wash clean.

[Marc Eaton]

I moved here to Owings Mills last October, looked forward to Training camp because I am now retired and wanted to attend. Now I live about five minutes from the facility on 1 Winning Drive and can not see the training camp. I understand why but this really blows.

[ravenpic]

The truth is the best policy to follow. Everything is there at the Castle. The players will be better off. Why travel if you don't have to. I have been to McDaniel to see the Colts and the Ravens and will miss the fun too. I like the idea of a lottery for fans to win tickets to see the Ravens practice at the Castle.

[hughw]

makes sense---good call..............

[lg13]

I'm very disappointed in the ravens and for the first time not very proud of this organization. I feel upset and I hope all the fans write and let the ravens organization know that they are taking something special away from the fans. I think that if its an uncomfortable experience for ravens at the college they should suck it up for the fans. Why are fans always the ones having to give up everything and don't we deserve some consideration?

[Knowledgeable]

Anyone who this this is a good move should honestly rethink whats going on. Ive heard the reasons and they were devised in a room where the first sentence was "How do we come up with good reasons to convince the fanbase we need this?" In reality the organization is just too lazy to get this process underway. I understand it is a lot of work to move training camp to Westminster, but the fans deserve it. Steve, Ozzie, Dick, John...What happened to a blue collar attitude? Thats what westminster brings to the team. This is a Dan Snyder stuck up move. Its a bad decision and a wrong one.

[armafacts]

There are a lot of good reasons given for staying at Owings Mills, but it cannot make up for 1 reason to continue going to McDaniel. Families with their KIDs can see their heroes up close. It will create memories for a lifetime. I know. I have them of the Colts in the 60'S and I got them at Western Maryland College.

[bzaworski]

I guess I understand from a football sense the move, however, I am very discouraged and disappointed by this move. We support this team and in return the team is putting up a wall between it and its fans. I guess I'm most disappointed with the fact that now I will never be able to take my kids to practice to see, up close, the players who are almost unhuman on Sunday's. This was a tradiition my dad shared with me and I hoped one day to pass that along to my kids. Because of this decision, that will no longer be an option for me or my family. It's ashame that we have an owner who enjoyed this type of event as a child growing up, but now won't stand up for the fans, the very same type of fan that he used to be. Don't give me this practice at M&T crap, it's just not the same and never will be. I know there is nothing we can do,but again, we're just fans and to the Baltimore Ravens, that just doesn't mean anything anymore. It's a sad day.

[han]

This year the Team & Players haven't been given the Respect they have earned.
This Owings Mill -vs- McDaniel College thing is a No Respect shot to the Fans.

[Marc2k6]

Not in a good mood right now after hearing this, I'm going to sleep until Sunday and hope this is just a bad dream!

[Ravens07]

Seeing the Ravens was a great experience for me. Seeing all the kids stack up to get autographs is something special, and should be to the team. I'm honestly disappointed by this move. Especially after the previous turnout.

[JS24]

The Baltimore Ravens made one of their worst decisions since moving to Baltimore, announcing on Friday that they will hold training camp at team headquarters in Owings Mills, Md.. The Ravens had held training camp at McDaniel College, which is a half hour away from their facility, for the first 15 years of their existence.

This is a bad move in regards to tradition. Training camp at McDaniel College (nee Western Maryland College) dates back to the 1950s when the Baltimore Colts trained there. (James Hensley, ESPN, 2011)

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/37032/ravens-make-bad-choice-with-training-camp

[Ravens07]

Though, I understand the move. It still should be available to the public.