When Did the Baltimore Ravens Start Playing?

The Baltimore Ravens began play in 1996, making them one of the NFL's newer franchises. The team was established after the previous Baltimore Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984, leaving the city without an NFL team for 12 seasons. The Ravens played their first season at Memorial Stadium before moving to M&T Bank Stadium in 1998, where they remain today.

The Relocation and Franchise History

Baltimore's path back to the NFL involved negotiation between city leadership and the league. In 1995, the city and Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell reached an agreement that brought an NFL team back to Baltimore. Rather than reactivating the Colts name (which Indianapolis retained), the franchise became the Ravens, drawing the name from Edgar Allan Poe's 1845 poem "The Raven." Poe lived in Baltimore and is buried at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground on Fayette Street.

The Ravens' inaugural 1996 roster was constructed through an expansion draft where other NFL teams left players available for Baltimore to select. The team finished 4-12 in that first season, but the excitement of professional football's return to the city generated strong fan engagement. More than 60,000 season ticket deposits were placed before the first game.

Early Success and Super Bowl Victory

The Ravens' improvement trajectory was unusually steep. By 1997, their second season, the team won the AFC Central division. In 2000, just five years after beginning play, Baltimore won Super Bowl XXXV, defeating the New York Giants 34-7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. This made the Ravens one of the fastest-expanding franchises to win a championship in modern NFL history.

The 2000 Super Bowl team was built around a dominant defense coordinated by Rex Ryan and led by linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Ed Reed, and defensive tackle Sam Adams. That defense allowed just 10.3 points per game during the regular season. The Ravens' quick ascent created deep fan loyalty that persists today and drew consistent crowds to Memorial Stadium and later to M&T Bank Stadium.

Stadium and Current Operations

The Ravens moved to M&T Bank Stadium in 1998, their third season. Located at 1101 Russell Street in downtown Baltimore near the Inner Harbor, the stadium holds 71,008 fans. M&T Bank Stadium hosted Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013, when the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. That game is referred to locally as the Harbaugh Bowl because brothers John Harbaugh (Ravens head coach) and Jim Harbaugh (49ers head coach) faced each other as opposing coaches, the only time two brothers have started a Super Bowl as head coaches.

The Ravens are part of the AFC North division alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals. They play eight home games annually at M&T Bank Stadium during the regular NFL season, which runs September through December with playoffs in January. Season ticket holders can purchase tickets directly through the Ravens' official website, while single-game tickets become available through Ticketmaster typically in July for the upcoming season.

Ownership and Leadership

The franchise has been owned by Steve Bisciotti since 2004, when he and Jeff Royer purchased the team from Art Modell. Bisciotti is based in the Phoenix area but retains active involvement in Ravens operations. The team maintains its front office in Baltimore, with executive leadership headquartered at M&T Bank Stadium.

John Harbaugh has served as the Ravens' head coach since 2008, making him the longest-tenured coach in the franchise's history. Under Harbaugh's tenure, the team won Super Bowl XLVII in the 2012 season and has made multiple playoff appearances. Harbaugh's brother, Jim Harbaugh, was the Ravens' offensive coordinator during the 2000 Super Bowl season before beginning a college football coaching career.

Fan Culture and Game Day

The Ravens draw strong attendance at M&T Bank Stadium, consistently ranking among the NFL's higher attendance figures. The team's fans, called the "Flock," are known for displays involving the team's purple color scheme, which dominates the stadium on game days. Parking at M&T Bank Stadium costs between $25 and $40 depending on proximity and event timing, with some spaces managed by the stadium authority and others by private lots on adjacent streets.

Regular season games typically begin at 1 p.m. or 4:25 p.m. on Sundays, with occasional Thursday or Monday night games. Public transportation to the stadium is available via the Light Rail's Camden Station stop, which is within walking distance of M&T Bank Stadium.