FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Baltimore Ravens are encouraging ticket holders at M&T Bank Stadium to stay after the Ravens vs. Vikings game on Saturday, August 16, 2008, and salute hometown hero Michael Phelps. NBC has allowed the Ravens to air Phelps' final race of the Beijing Olympics on the stadium SmartVision boards.
Throughout the Ravens game, ticket holders will be encouraged to stay for the post-game and watch Phelps swim live on the SmartVision boards. At the conclusion of the football game, fans will be directed to Section 140, located in the West end zone of the lower seating bowl. Ravens staff will be stationed near Section 140 to assist fans in picking up copies of b, Baltimore's new free daily newspaper, which will contain a poster with words of encouragement for Phelps. Fans will be asked to hold up this salute to Phelps prior to his swim.
Phelps potentially could be swimming for his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games, which would break the 36-year-old record of seven golds in a single Olympics, set by Mark Spitz. Phelps will swim for the record-tying seventh gold Friday night.
"All of us are excited about what Michael is accomplishing, and it will be fun to salute him in this way," Gabrielle Dow, the Ravens' vice president of marketing, said.
Before Saturday night's game, fans can also visit the BaltimoreRavens.com area on RavensWalk outside M&T Bank Stadium and record a video message to Michael Phelps. The well-wishes will appear on BaltimoreRavens.com before kickoff.
WHAT: Ravens Salute Michael Phelps Post Game
WHEN:Saturday, August 16, 2008 - Post-game
WHERE: M&T Bank Stadium - 1101 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
