Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti and team President Dick Cass know that fans pay a premium to attend NFL games each year. With the cost of tickets, parking and food, attending a game at M&T Bank Stadium can be an expensive venture.
That's why the Ravens have been aggressively reinvesting money from ticket sales revenue into the gameday experience.
"We are very much aware of how expensive it is to go to an NFL game, and we're trying to take that into account," Cass said. "The money we generate from our increased ticket sales, we've plowed right back into the stadium to try to make the gameday experience better."
The Ravens have increased ticket prices just once in the last four years, compared to many teams that increase prices every two seasons. The organization has also committed $35 million to a significant stadium improvement project.
M&T Bank Stadium went through the first phase of upgrades last season, which included extensive improvements to the lower concourse, concession stands and video boards. The second phase of the project will take place this offseason and focus on the stadium's upper concourse.
"We're aware we have to keep doing that," Cass said. "We're aware we've got to keep the gameday experience a good one in our stadium – not only on the field, but off the field – and we're committed to doing that."
The Ravens have expanded their fan base in recent years by being one of the most successful teams in the NFL. They are one of just four teams to have won multiple Super Bowls since 2000, and made the playoffs for five straight seasons before missing out this year.
"They are buying a good product," Bisciotti said. "And our metro area is growing in population, and we're converting fans by having a good team. So, I certainly would be concerned if we miss the playoffs for six-straight years. I bet you'd see a softness in our demand.
"I really like working with these guys, and I believe that we're going to continue to produce that kind of product. Dick and I have talked a lot about slowing down the tradition of raising the prices every two years, because we know that it gets very expensive. But, so does gas, and it doesn't stop people from driving."
The Ravens are considered one of the most stable and consistent organizations on and off the field in professional sports. They have sold out every game in team history and made the playoffs in six out of the 10 seasons since Bisciotti bought the franchise in 2004.
M&T Bank Stadium has also been one of the toughest places for opponents to play. The Ravens have a 93-55 overall record at M&T Bank Stadium, and the team has lost just nine games in Baltimore in Head Coach John Harbaugh's six seasons.
Continuing that kind of success is the focus heading into future seasons, as Bisciotti sees strong performance as the best way to keep the fans coming back each year.
"I can't worry about [fans] not buying; I can only worry about creating a product that makes them want to buy," Bisciotti said. "I'm building pride in our organization, stability in our organization, success, and then I believe that demand will stay up. So, I'm sensitive to it, but there is only one way I can attack it."
