Convenience store chain Wawa earlier this week became the "official hoagie" of the Ravens, beginning a "partnership that Ravens' fans didn't even know they needed," according to Tyler Byrum of NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON. The Wawa-Ravens deal is "clearly a top-tier partnership between two of the biggest brands in the Baltimore Metro area." However, fans in Philadelphia are "not enthused" by the arrangement between the Pennsylvania-based chain and the Baltimore football team (NBCSPORTSWASHINGTON.com, 7/23). In Philadelphia, Patricia Madej wrote Wawa's decision to become the Ravens' official hoagie is an "interesting choice," as Marylanders do not eat Philadelphia's "beloved hoagies." Madej: "They eat subs. Whatever those are." One Twitter user "called the cult chain 'traitors,' while another asks why Wawa is being 'Anti-Eagles.'" Wawa PR Manager Lori Bruce said the chain is "excited to officially have two birds as part of our flock in the Eagles and the Ravens" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/23).
THOUGHT WE WERE EXCLUSIVE: NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA wrote: "Apparently, our favorite corner sandwich shop/convenience store/gas station ... is cheating on us. With the freakin’ Baltimore Ravens." This is "like if your girlfriend cheated on you and then bragged about it on social media" (NBCSPORTSPHILADELPHIA.com, 7/23). In Philadelphia, Adam Hermann wrote the partnership "feels a little bit like betrayal" (PHILLYVOICE.com, 7/23).
CROSSING STATE LINES: In Pittsburgh, Joshua Axelrod writes one of the "only things Pittsburghers get as passionate about as their sports teams is the Sheetz-Wawa debate, which usually ends up being a western Pennsylvania versus eastern Pennsylvania battle." Baltimore "dipping its beak into this rivalry is a strange move, especially given that the major gas-station chain in that region is Royal Farms, not Wawa." The Ravens "probably didn’t partner with Wawa specifically to trigger Steelers fans, but there’s a good chance that will be the end result regardless" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 7/24).
