RAVENS EXPLORING THE USE OF SMART CARDS AT NEW STADIUM

          The Ravens are looking into accepting "smart" cards,
     possibly as early as August '98 when their 68,400-seat new
     stadium opens, according to Charles Wolpoff of the BALTIMORE
     BUSINESS JOURNAL.  The Ravens' front office "is researching
     the advantages of using the device, which looks like a
     credit card but is embedded with a microchip that stores
     information -- and money credits -- like a computer disk." 
     The Ravens are eyeing a card "to which value can be added
     throughout the season."  The team may introduce the smart
     card technology slowly, "perhaps providing it first only to
     the 9,900 premium seat ticket holders."  The Panthers and
     Jaguars are the only two NFL teams using "simple versions"
     of the smart card currently (BALT. BUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/9).