Ravens making major upgrades to M&T Bank Stadium under new lease
Upgrades to Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium focus on 'proximity to action'
The Ravens plan to "construct field-level suites near one of M&T Bank Stadium's end zones, develop fan-friendly plazas outside their gates, move the press box upstairs, add shops and a garage, and dig out the rest of the stadium's operations level so it rings the oval," according to Jeff Barker of the BALTIMORE SUN. The upgrades are part of the stadium's new 15-year lease with the Maryland Stadium Authority. Here are some upgrades in detail:
Relocating the press box to near the top of the stadium. The media area, which currently overlooks the field from a sideline above the lower stands, provides some of the best vantage points to game action. Taking its place would be more suites.
Adding the fan hospitality areas and retail stores to the north and south plazas and "fan experience elements" to the north plaza that faces Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Digging out the service level -- the lowest level, which houses operations equipment and team locker rooms -- so it rings the stadium instead of stopping partway around.
Team President Sashi Brown said that part of the renovations' aim is to "fulfill spectators' desire to see and hear a game from the players' perspective, rather than from suites high above the field." New field-level suites would "help do that." Brown said that the expansion of the service level -- which "connects to the field -- could open up additional, unspecified opportunities for fan access" (BALTIMORE SUN, 1/13).
COME ONE, COME ALL: In Baltimore, Barker & Ho note Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks will "perform at M&T Bank Stadium," part of a push to "bring more big concert acts to the downtown Baltimore." Under the Ravens' new stadium lease, they will "retain all revenue from non-NFL events, such as concerts, college football games and exhibition soccer matches," and the state "collects a 10% admissions and amusement tax." The tax is "applied to the base price of each event ticket," with 80% "going to the stadium authority and the rest to the city." That is a "change" from the previous lease, under which the team "didn't maintain rights to all the revenues and the authority gave a negotiated portion -- varying from event to event -- of the tax to the club to subsidize losses in case the event lost money" (BALTIMORE SUN, 1/12).
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https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/01/13/Facilities/mt-bank-stadium-renovation-plans.aspx