How to Root for the Baltimore Ravens Like a Local

Step 1:  Get to know the team

The Baltimore Ravens NFL football team was formed in 1996 after Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore. The team name was changed to the Ravens to honor the acclaimed poet Edgar Allan Poe who wrote his famous poem “The Raven” while living here in the 1830s.

The team has since won two Super Bowl championships in 2001 and 2013 and has qualified for the playoffs almost every season. Hall of Fame players include middle linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed.

In recent years, Ravens players have also repeatedly made NFL history. In 2021, Kicker Justin Tucker broke the record for the longest field goal ever when he made a 66-yard game-winning goal. Also that year, Quarterback Lamar Jackson became the first player in NFL history to reach 3,000+ passing yards and 1,000+ rushing yards in a single season.

Step 2: Get tickets to a game

The Ravens play at the downtown M&T Bank Stadium, right next door to the home of the Orioles, Camden Yards and just a few blocks from the Inner Harbor. Purchase tickets to a Ravens game on the Baltimore Ravens website. Be sure to check the schedule to see when the Ravens are playing your favorite team.

Step 3: Gear up

If you are planning to see a game, why not dress like a fan? There are a few local apparel stores that can outfit you in the team’s colors of purple, black, gold and white. The Raven’s Store is the clearinghouse for all official fan gear and also offers collectibles to commemorate the experience.

If you’d like a local experience, check out Raven Zone in Towson, which boasts one of the largest selection of gear around.

Wild Bill’s also sells all the official team apparel, along with some fun ways to show your spirit, such as purple flashing lights for the car. You can check out their storefront on Belair Road or shop online.

Be prepared to see some seriously decked out fans.

Step 4: Join the pre-game festivities

If you want to party like a local, join the tailgate parties inside the M&T Bank Stadium parking lot, which opens four hours before the game starts. (Insider tip: Some season ticket holders are known for their spread and are often willing to share—even with a rival fan.) You can also head to RavensWalk, the walkway in between lots B and C leading into the stadium, to enjoy live music, bars and food stations set up three hours before kickoff.

For options outside of the stadium area, you have your pick of game day specials and viewing experiences. Here are some of our favorites:

• Mother’s Federal Hill – The Purple Patio at Mother’s in Federal Hill is a legendary pregame spot with a DJ booth and an all you can drink special. The parking lot outside the bar is painted green to look like a football field, but on game days it’s so packed with people you probably won’t even notice.
• Pratt Street Ale House – Just a few blocks from the stadium, this bar serves its own brew made by Oliver Brewing Co., the oldest craft brewery in the city. Specials on drinks and wings last all day.
• Pickles Pub – Located among a cluster of rowhomes across from Camden Yards, just a few blocks from M&T Bank Stadium, the classic sports bar offers great happy hour specials and plenty of TVs to watch the game. True to its name, Pickles serves beer-battered pickles served over tortilla chips. Or try the honey Old Bay wings.
• Hammerjacks – Across the street from the stadium is the new Hammerjacks, a longtime Baltimore music venue that’s hosted Iron Maiden, Blondie and Nine Inch Nails. While it’s inside concert space undergoes renovations, its outside lot is open on game days and features larger-than-life flatscreens and multiple bars.

Step 5:  Save your appetite

The stadium features a ton of amazing food and drink options, including local specialties like crab cakes, crab dip and pit beef, and there is even a self-serve beer market called Walk Thru Bru.