(Omar Whistle playing)………………………………………………………………………………
Narrator: I’m going to ask you a question and there’s no wrong answer. What do you think is the greatest atmosphere in the National Football League? Plenty of people would say Arrowhead Stadium, others would say the 12th Man of Seattle. Some would say the Superdome. And there would be a few takes for Buffalo and Green Bay. To me, as a diehard Marylander nothing compares to The World’s Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum that is M&T Bank Stadium. It may not be as daunting to some teams as the old Memorial Stadium was but there’s always one home game every year in that building that makes the experience that much special. THE BLACKOUT! Marylander: Are you surprised by what it has become? Edgar/Allan/Poe: Whistling (NO!) “HERE WE ARE DON’T TURN AWAY NOW! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! WE ARE THE WARRIORS THAT BUILT! THIS!! TOWN!!!” Marylander: It is a very difficult place to play if you are playing for another team. “The Blackout, it’s on a whole nother level.” Allan: Whistling (It only seats 71,000 compared to larger stadiums across the NFL, but the Blackout takes the experience of being a Ravens fan to new heights) “130 decibels in this stadium right now!” Poe: Whistling (This is what I call a Fresh Wind from Football Heaven) “Exit Light! Enter NIGHT!” Edgar: Whistling (There is no place I’d rather be in than that game in front of that raucous crowd.) “And now Ladies and Gentlemen, HERE COME THE RAVENS!” (Flares going skyward)
Narrator: 18 years ago, Steve Bisciotti in his 1st season as majority owner of the Baltimore Ravens decided that the team needed an alternate uniform. The Ravens had worn purple with white pants for home games, and all white on the road. (They wore White Striped Socks too) A more classic look thanks to the old school mentality of previous owner and NFL Pioneer Art Modell. Bisciotti claimed that they had never really used black despite it being their secondary color. So by the Spring of 2004, Bisciotti announced that the Ravens would be dawning a new uniform. Black Jerseys, with Black Pants, and Black Socks. (The Black Socks would eventually be added to their main unis too) They used the new uniform as a marketing idea to make them more intimidating to the NFL than they already were. Marylander: At this point, the Ravens defense was one of the best in the NFL, they had 5 future Hall of Famers on defense. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Deion Sanders, Terrell Suggs, and Peter Boulware, plus Pro Bowlers Chris McAlister, and Kelly Gregg, along with young playmakers in Adalius Thomas and Gary Baxter. The addition of the all black uniforms pumped up the defense. They couldn’t wait to wear them for the 1st time. Bruce Cunningham (Former PA Announcer): The atmosphere inside M&T Bank Stadium was already one of the best in the NFL especially during the previous 4 years which featured the Super Bowl XXXV team, but the Ravens wanted to make themselves known to the NFL for having a great home field advantage like the Colts did when they were the toast of town in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. This was their way to do it. Narrator: The 1st ever Blackout Game in Ravens History came in Week 9 of the 2004 season. It was a Sunday Night game against the division rival Cleveland Browns. Gerry Sandusky (Ravens Current Play by Play Announcer): The only time I’ve ever seen the stands at M&T Bank Stadium shake was during a Blackout. The 1st time it happened was the Sunday Night game against Cleveland in 2004. Narrator: That was pretty much a boring defensive battle for 3 Quarters, but in the 4th the Ravens took a 20-13 lead. But then the Browns, led by former 49ers QB Jeff Garcia, drove the Browns deep into Baltimore territory. Allan: Whistling (I was so nervous when they got down to the goal line, but then Ed Reed saved us.) “Garcia…….. Ed Reed, Interception! And Ed Reed takes it out of the endzone……….. 106 yards. Holy Cow!” Edgar: Whistling (I was told by a Ravens PSL owner. He had been going to Ravens and Colts games since the 1960s. He said that this was the greatest atmosphere that he had ever seen in Baltimore. I said we got something going)
Narrator (Where the Streets Have No Name playing): The Blackout was an instant hit. Even if the Ravens record in those games under Brian Billick was only 3-3, it did feature a 48-3 blowout of the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 of 2005. (The largest blowout in Monday Night Football History) Even though they lost to the Patriots in the 2007 Blackout, the Ravens gave the highest scoring team ever at the time all they could handle. The Blackout was put on hold for 2 years thanks to newly hired head coach John Harbaugh not being in love with the combination. Poe: Whistling (Although they still would wear the Black Jersey, but with White Pants. It just didn’t feel the same for the players and fans. We wanted that back but I did enjoy trying a new experiment) Narrator: The mini-Blackout was a success in 2008 and 2009, as the Ravens beat the Washington Redskins, and Chicago Bears in 2 bitter cold games that had playoff aspirations on the line. Luckily in 2010, the Blackout Uniforms returned. And once again they made an impact. The Ravens were facing the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints in the 2010 Blackout. With the Ravens leading 27-24 with under 2 minutes left. The mystique of the all Black uniforms returned. “And it’s intercepted by Cory Redding.” Defensive End Cory Reddings interception off of Drew Brees sealed a 30-24 win for the Ravens over the defending champs. The long term implications of this game cost the Saints the NFC South Title.
The next year, 2011, the Blackout would be taken to new heights. The Ravens were playing the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football in both Rex Ryan and Derrick Mason’s return to Baltimore. The Jets coming in were 2-1 and looking like solid Super Bowl Contenders like they were the past 2 years. 5 touchdowns were scored in the game on defense or special teams. 3 of those were defensive TDs in favor of the Ravens. “Sanchez off play action, HAS THAT ONE INTERCEPTED! Picked off by LarDarius Webb, and they give it right back to the Ravens!” Marylander: When Webb picked off that pass and ran it 75 yards the other way, you could feel the energy throughout the stadium. The ground was shaking! Narrator: The 34-17 win in the 2011 Blackout game in many Ravens fans minds, was the game that made teams be scared of playing them in Baltimore while dealing with their all black uniforms. The arch rival Pittsburgh Steelers felt the same way on Thanksgiving Night 2013. Little did they know that the Blackout also has its share of turkeys. Poe: Whistling (Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin stepped in front of Jacoby Jones and prevented a 105 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.) Narrator: At the time it was heinous, but in the long run it didn’t matter. The Ravens still held on to win by a slim 22-20 margin thanks to a stop on a game tying 2 point conversion attempt. Poe: Whistling (I’m glad that we won that game. Tomlin didn’t get to eat any turkey that weekend with his boneheaded move.) Narrator: The next season, the Blackout featured a revenge match between the Ravens and Carolina Panthers. Longtime Panthers WR Steve Smith signed with Baltimore in the offseason thanks to Carolina saying he was washed. In that Week 4 game, Smith had over 100 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns in a blowout win. At the end of the 2018 season, the Ravens record in their All Black Alternate Uniforms was 13-5. Including 10-2 under John Harbaugh. And since Harbs arrived, the Ravens have had the best record in the NFL by a wide margin when wearing their top alternate uniform.
(For Whom the Bell Tolls playing) In the offseason of 2019, the Ravens would make their annual Blackout game which was already a daunting atmosphere, even tougher. The last part of a 3 part renovation of M&T Bank Stadium was adding LED Lights to the 8 light towers inside the stadium, which allowed the creative tech room to flick the lights on and off any time they wanted. The Ravens would also become the 1st outdoor team in the NFL to have an introduction for night games with the lights in the stadium turned out. Another marketing idea came up in the offseason. Then Ravens Team President Dick Cass, and 1st year GM Eric DeCosta came up with a plan. They saw that during the Blackout games most fans wear some kind of black colored Ravens gear to those games. They thought that with the renovations and LED Lights, every Ravens fan that goes to a Blackout game must wear black Ravens gear. The comparison they had was the Whiteout at Penn State since one of DeCosta’s kids at the time was interested in attending PSU. (which she eventually did) The Ravens inspired by the idea of having their fans show up in one color decided to do a test-run of convincing all their fans to wear black to a game. They wouldn’t be wearing the All Black Uniforms for that game, but they wanted to try it out to see if it worked. This was a huge game. Baltimore was hosting the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, who were off to an 8-0 start and at the time were on pace to break records for the fewest points, and total yards allowed in a 16 game season. Sandusky: People were nervous during the week leading up, would everyone do it? “YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Poe: Whistling (I couldn’t bear to see it, so I told my agent Jordyn to go out there when the Marching Ravens were on the field during pregame to see what it was like. And she said, All Black.) (7 Nation Army playing) Sandusky: “This place is playoff caliber electric tonight. It is rocking here at M&T Bank Stadium.” Greg Davis (Current PA Announcer): I mean with the way we do it, with the 7 Nation Army song playing after big plays, and the chant of O-O-O-O-O-O-O! Crowd: “O-O-O-O-O-O-O!” Davis: In that game, the fans felt the impact was stronger than in years past, and we blew the Patriots right out of the Bank.
Narrator (Thunderstruck playing): The test-run worked. This made it easier for the fans to repeat the same drill for the real Blackout game that season. The 2019 Blackout game would come in Week 15 on Thursday Night Football against the Jets, that night Lamar Jackson threw 5 TD passes, as the Ravens clinched their 2nd straight AFC North Title. After COVID19 prevented fans from showing up to the 2020 Blackout which the Ravens won against the Dallas Cowboys, the next year, the Ravens front office came up with another clever idea to make the Blackout even cooler. This time, to go along with the LED Lighting system inside M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens introduced LED Glow Bands, which light up during player introductions, scoring plays, and big moments throughout the game. Those Glow Bands would debut in the 2021 Blackout game against the Browns. Even if the game was an ugly 16-10 Ravens win, the newest addition to the atmosphere was an instant success. Many players and coaches were in awe of the LED Light Shows both before the game and during key moments of the contest. Marylander: A game like this elevates the way our guys play especially if the stakes are high. “LET’S DO THIS THING! THIS IS OUR HOUSE!” (I had to pull a Ray Lewis clip) Cunningham: There are plenty of times over the years where the crowd has really taken over at a key time especially whenever the Ravens are on defense in a big spot at the end of the game. “BALTIMORE! …… IT’S 3RD DOWN!” Crowd: “OOOOOOOOOOOOO! YEAAAAAAAAAH!” Davis: Out of all the games I call for the Ravens and Navy Football, this is probably the loudest one that I get to call every year. “Jackson’s pass complete to Mark Andrews in the Endzone! TOUCHDOOOOWN! RAVENS!”
Narrator (Enter Sandman playing): Blackout Week is always a big deal around the city. Everywhere you go in Baltimore during that weekend, you can expect to see many people wearing black colored Ravens gear. It is not only a unity between the players and fans, it’s the identity of what it’s like being a Ravens fan. Marylander: Every year we are doubted by the media, and we use it as motivation. And wearing black for games like this tells them that we are the bad guys to all their darlings. And we like it that way. Even if the refs are always against us. Fans: “boom, boom. (CENSORED!) boom, boom. (CENSORED!) boom, boom. (CENSORED!) boom, boom. (CENSORED!)” Marylander: I feel like it still bonds our fanbase, it makes us come together to help our team win. That’s why I love the Blackout, because it’s not only a great home field advantage, it shows you what being a Ravens fan is all about. Crowd: R-A-V-E-N-S RAVENS!
Bragging Rights Sports 