How did the Baltimore Ravens team start?

Answer 1

Though the Baltimore Ravens effectively came into existence in 1996, they really got their start in 1995. However, it's important to understand some of the history of how they came to be.

Having lost the Colts in 1984 (something that is still felt here 30 years later), Baltimore was adamant about gaining another major league football team. Eventually hosting the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL when the CFL expanded into the U.S., the city clearly showed the league that football fans were alive and well, willing to support a major team, and willing to spend money. The Stallions won the CFL championship in their second year (Grey Cup), and remain the only non-Canadian franchise to ever do so.

The biggest obstacle to gaining another team were former Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke and former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Since the Redskins play in essentially the same broadcast market area, he didn't want the competition, having gained fans and money after the Colts departed for Indianapolis. Each time an expansion came up, Baltimore was left behind.

In 1995, cities once again provided bids to the NFL for the purpose of gaining an expansion franchise. When the Maryland Stadium Authority presented a killer bid package (essentially an offer no one could refuse) to the owners and the NFL rejected it, it was clear that Cooke and NFL ally Tagliabue were actively blocking a new expansion in Baltimore to keep market competition away from the Redskins.

Enter Art Modell, NFL legend and owner of the Cleveland Browns.

At the time, Modell was sinking financially. Having promised Modell a new, modern stadium for years, the City of Cleveland gave the Indians and Cavaliers new venues, adding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, even though the Browns brought in the most revenue to the city. Modell desperately needed a modern stadium to become financially solvent again, and he had grown tired of empty promises from Cleveland politicians.

Modell of course attended Baltimore's bid presentation to the NFL, saw it rejected by the league, and pursued an opportunity that could help save his franchise. Shortly after the NFL expansion meetings ended, he secretly contacted the head of the Maryland Stadium Authority and the Governor of Maryland about moving the Browns franchise to Baltimore under the terms of their expansion bid. He knew that Baltimore's financial presentation was an offer he couldn't pass up, and wasn't about to let it go.

A meeting was set up, and the papers were signed in Modell's private jet on the tarmac at Baltimore Washington International Airport. Though he still needed to get league approval for the move from the other owners, he felt confidant that he could get it once the facts were known.

The announcement by Modell of the agreement and terms, and his intention to move the Browns franchise at the end of the 1995 season sent shockwaves throughout the NFL. The Browns were one of the oldest teams, and Cleveland has some of the most dedicated fans, even if their politicians are complete and utter morons. Even Tagliabue and the other owners were stunned that Modell would even contemplate moving such a storied franchise.

The City of Cleveland, having failed to support Modell in the past with a new venue, now vilified him in the press as a result of their own failures. Cleveland officials, embarrassed and concerned that losing their coveted Browns could likely cost them their jobs, immediately filed a lawsuit to keep the Browns name and heritage in Cleveland, which was about all they could do.

Modell eventually presented his financial situation to the other NFL team owners, as well as his history of trying to get a new venue for years and being blown off by Cleveland officials despite promises to the contrary. After his presentation, the other league owners, with only 2 voting against, voted to allow the franchise move. In addition, the NFL promised Cleveland that they would get another franchise during the next expansion round.

In reality though, there was nothing they could really do about it. Modell had already signed a binding agreement, and he was the sole owner of the Browns.

Wanting to make a clean break from Cleveland, Modell, via legal agreement, agreed to leave the Browns name and history behind to the city, knowing the league had promised them another franchise. The Browns played their last game at Paul Brown Stadium at the end of the 1995 season and packed up for the move to Baltimore.

Upon arriving in Baltimore, a fan vote was set up to determine the new name for the franchise. Several names were put forth, but 2 names kept appearing on all vote tallies; Colts and Ravens.

Modell approached Colts owner Jim Irsay (even though he's dead, the Irsay family is still vilified here in Baltimore) about buying back the rights to the Colts name and history as a token of good will to the City of Baltimore for saving his franchise. Irsay however, wanted $50 million, and Modell was in no position to front that kind of cash. In the end, Baltimore Ravens was the name the fans chose.

The name "Ravens" was chosen due to the fact that noted poet and author of the famous poem "The Raven" Edgar Allan Poe lived, wrote the poem, and is buried literally within a mile of where the Ravens now play.

There was still the problem of a new venue, and the Colts old stadium, Memorial Stadium, was where the Baltimore Stallions had been playing. Stallions owner Jim Speros was essentially forced out of his lease, and he eventually moved his team to Montreal, becoming the new incarnation of the Montreal Alouettes.

The Ravens began their start in Baltimore during the 1996 NFL season at Memorial Stadium, winning their first game against the Oakland Raiders. Earlier that year, the Ravens also drafted NFL Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden, and future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis in the first round of the 1996 draft.

Work also began in 1996 on the Ravens' new stadium (currently named M&T Bank Stadium) next to Oriole Park, where the Baltimore Orioles play (it's literally about a block away; they share the same parking lots). Ready just 2 years later, it opened for the 1998 season, and sported the most modern multimedia design in the NFL at the time, and included features allowing it to be upgraded over the years. Arguably the best feature of the stadium are its huge HDTV screens at each end of the field; each screen is 100' wide by 20' tall, giving a fantastic view of the game no matter where your seats are.

Even 17 years later it is still considered one of the finest venues in the league, and was also voted the loudest (it can hold just under 72,000). Its multimedia systems have been continually upgraded over the years, and the concourse and vending areas have just undergone a $30 million upgrade.

After the 2003 season, Modell once again ran into money problems. Even with the move to Baltimore, his time in Cleveland really sank him financially to the point where it was difficult to recover, retain full majority ownership of the franchise, and remain competitive in the league. In 2004, he eventually began a search for a minority partner, and finally found one in Steve Bisciotti, a Maryland native and highly successful businessman in his own right. Bisciotti agreed to take a minority role with the agreement that he could purchase the majority stake in the Ravens at a later time. The NFL owners agreed to let him buy a 49% share of the Ravens, with the option of buying the other 51% later, which he eventually did several years later after Art Modell retired. His investment helped give the Ravens the cash they needed to rebuild the team after the 2000 Super Bowl win, and remain competitive.

Art Modell passed away in September 2012, just days before the regular season opener, and just shy of a year after his longtime wife Pat Modell died. However, his move to Baltimore has still had major repercussions in the NFL as well as other Major League sports years later.

NFL franchises bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue to their host cities and states, as well as millions in business revenue to local businesses. Using Modell's example, NFL owners of those franchises have more than once leveraged concessions from their host cities for new venues, threatening to move their teams if not accommodated. Modell's willingness to move his franchise despite the deep rooted history of his team and its host city serves as notice to other host cities that threats by NFL owners to move their teams if they don't get support aren't just chest thumping. Cities which host NFL franchises are now clearly aware that the potential loss of a major team, its revenue, and the political fallout from angry fans is a real possibility they have to contend with if they fail to support their teams financially and politically.

A recent example in other ML sports is the 2008 move of the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City. The Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City after having failed to get Washington state officials to upgrade their arena. Since then, political fallout has resulted and Seattle's economy has felt the loss, and the City of Seattle has been trying desperately to get another team, most recently trying to lure the Sacramento Kings, but to no avail. As the NBA has more or less put it, Seattle had their chance and blew it.

The Ravens have since won 2 Super Bowls (XXXV and XLVII), delivering the first 4 years after the move to Baltimore, and the second the year Art Modell passed away. Cleveland, having no other choice, voted to build a new stadium to host their new Browns franchise (which began in 1999). However, in contrast, Cleveland is still searching for any semblance of a winning team, having reached the playoffs only once since their reformation. The Ravens have been perennial playoff contenders for most of their existence.