M&T Bank and the Baltimore Ravens announced a 10-year, $60 million extension of their partnership, which includes the continuation of naming rights to M&T Bank Stadium and an array of community-focused programs, including a new initiative focused on helping at-risk children in Baltimore.
The partnership, which began as a 15-year agreement in 2003 and is now extended through 2027, has proven to reach far beyond the stadium and into the community through a range of joint initiatives.
"M&T Bank's partnership with the Ravens isn't about a name on a building—it's about combining the strengths of our two teams to build a better, stronger Baltimore," said M&T Bank President Mark Czarnecki.
"Our partnership with M&T is based on shared values and has produced impact on both companies and this community," said Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti. "This new agreement is a natural extension of our strong relationship and mutual commitment to pursuing excellence and strengthening this region. We look forward to continuing to work with M&T and helping those in need."
A new component of the partnership will be an initiative to establish a Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Family Education Center (Judy Center), which provides comprehensive services to increase school readiness for at-risk children under age five and their families. The Judy Center will be located at an elementary school in the Cherry Hill section of Baltimore City and is being organized through the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF). The Ravens and M&T will provide a total of $600,000 in funding for the project.
"We are thrilled that the Ravens and M&T are joining BCF in its goal to have 90 percent of Baltimore's children ready for school by 2017," said Tom Wilcox, president of the Baltimore Community Foundation. "M&T and the Ravens' financial commitment to our program will have a dramatic impact on these children and our school system, leveling the playing field for our children as they enter school."
Other community initiatives include the following:
M&T Bank Touchdown for Teachers
The Touchdown for Teachers program recognizes local teachers for their outstanding service to their schools and communities. Five finalists are chosen based on their involvement in the school or community, degree of positive impact and their demonstrated commitment to education. The grand prizewinner this year was Jasmine Blanks, a music teacher who received a $1,000 grant for her school and a classroom visit by a Ravens player or official.
"The impact this program has for students is huge because it shows them that education is being affirmed in the broader community and that their teachers are being recognized by the Ravens and by M&T Bank," said Blanks, a music teacher at Magnolia Middle School in Harford County, who was selected from more than 500 teachers that were nominated.
M&T Bank Honor Rows
Since 2003, M&T Bank and the Ravens have honored more than 8,000 young people from a range of organizations, including Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, recognizing their outstanding volunteer work. For each Ravens home game, 100 young people receive tickets, Honor Rows t-shirts, a pre-game on-field visit and official in-game recognition on the RavensVision screens.
"We are so thankful to the Baltimore Ravens and M&T Bank for their tireless support of youth mentoring through the Honor Rows program," said Terry Hickey, President and CEO of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake. "Honor Rows inspires our youth to be more engaged with their community and to develop leadership and personal skills."
Ravens Foundation Partner
- Since the inception of the partnership in 2003, a total of $1 million has been allocated from M&T to the Ravens Foundation to support a range of community groups.
- Each year, M&T employees volunteer to work at Ravens community events including food drives, Habitat for Humanity builds, Play 60 events and Earth Day clean-ups. In 2013, M&T employees volunteered 587 hours at Ravens community events.
M&T Bank will continue to receive extensive corporate branding exposure combined with promotions related to being the Ravens' official bank, such as offering the exclusive Ravens debit card. On game days, M&T Bank is featured on an array of interior and exterior stadium signage and branding, seen by 70,000 fans and millions more on television. M&T Bank also provides banking services through nine ATMs located throughout the stadium and an M&T booth on Ravens Walk. There is also hospitality and special event access for M&T at the stadium, the Ravens' training facility and other Ravens-sponsored events.
About M&T Bank Stadium:
The stadium is widely seen as a leading venue in the National Football League, both for its recent LEED "gold" certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and for consistently ranking among the highest in the league for its outstanding fan experience.
About M&T Bank:
Founded in 1856, M&T Bank Corp. (www.mtb.com) is one of the 20 largest U.S. commercial bank holding companies, with more than 700 branch offices and 1,500 ATMs in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
