Ravens Officials Say Future Super Bowl Celebrations Will Require Free Tickets

Ravens officials on Thursday said that they “won't extend an open invitation to fans again without first passing out free tickets," as Tuesday's Super Bowl celebration at M&T Bank Stadium drew "larger-than-expected crowds ... and an 11-year-old boy was trampled,” according to a front-page piece by Justin Fenton of the Baltimore SUN. An estimated 200,000 people “packed downtown for a parade that began at City Hall and ended at the stadium" to celebrate the Super Bowl XLVII winners. Ravens President Dick Cass said that neither the team nor police “anticipated a crowd that large.” Cass: "They would be free tickets, but we would hand out tickets so people would know they could get into the stadium. If you didn't have a ticket, you couldn't go. I think that was probably the major potential safety issue. Next time we do this, we'll know better.” Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti at the rally said that team officials “had expected 30,000 fans and thought they might have to open the stadium's upper deck to accommodate the crowd.” Ravens fans “actually filled all stadium seats and much of the field.” Cass: "I don't think any NFL team had had a celebration quite like that, with that type of crowd, as large as it was, both on the streets and in the stadium” (Baltimore SUN, 2/8). Ravens coach John Harbaugh appeared on CBS’ “Late Show” Thursday last night, and host David Letterman asked, “The parade go well in Baltimore?” Harbaugh: “The parade was good. We had people trying to climb into the stadium after we locked the gates. That's Baltimore. It’s fantastic” ("Late Show," CBS, 2/7). 

WIN WILL NOT LEAD TO PROFITS INCREASE: Bisciotti on Thursday said that the Ravens' Super Bowl victory “will not lead to an increase in profits next season." In Baltimore, Jack Lambert noted while the Super Bowl “will help build the team’s brand nationally and in Maryland, it won’t significantly add to the Ravens’ bottom line.” Bisciotti said, “When so much of our money comes from the national level, it doesn’t make that much of a difference. We won’t see a spike in revenue because we’ve won a Super Bowl.” Meanwhile, the Ravens are “set to begin off-season team training on April 10.” Bisciotti said that the team will “look to continue its state tour during training camp.” The team last year “held open practices at M&T Bank Stadium, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and Stevenson University Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills before the start of the season.” While the team has not confirmed any dates, Bisciotti said that he would “like to continue the pre-season tour” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/7).

STILL FLYING HIGH: Members of the Ravens continue to make the late-night talk-show rounds. WR Jacoby Jones appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Thursday night wearing dark sunglasses. Jones said, “People, forgive my shades. I’m not being Hollywood and all uptight. In the excitement, I busted a blood vessel in my eyes so they’re bloodshot red.” Kimmel noted Jones is “known for your touchdown dances” and is that “something you plan out beforehand?” Jones:”I have my dances, I make them up and during the week of practice I do them … and see what teammates think of them.” Kimmel asked whether he would consider competing on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and Jones replied, “Let me ask you this: Do polar bears pooh on ice?” Kimmel: “I think people would like to see you doing that” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 2/7). Meanwhile, Harbaugh said on "Late Show" of the Super Bowl, “I like the way it turned out. That was good. It started well, it finished well. There was that little thing in the middle that was a little distracting.” The broadcast showed video of Harbaugh visibly upset and yelling at an NFL official during the blackout, with Letterman asking, “What is the issue?” Harbaugh: “There was a concern about the restaurants after the game. New Orleans has got a lot of great restaurants, Dave. We weren't sure about where to go" (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/7).