Ravens labor but keep 32 suites occupied

The Baltimore Ravens renewed or replaced the 32 suites the club had up for renewal this year, but not without a struggle and with no increase in the price for the exclusive seats.

The sluggish economy took its toll, forcing the Ravens to negotiate each suite individually, said Dennis Mannion, the team's director of marketing and business development. Of the 32 suites, six were purchased by new buyers.

Normally, suite renewals include automatic increases in price, Mannion said. But these are not normal economic times, so the Ravens expect suite revenue to be flat at $12 million. Next year there are no suites up for renewal, but in 2005, 43 of the 100 suites will be up for renewal.

The team expects a better performance from sponsorship revenue this year, and not just because of the new naming-rights sponsorship agreement with M&T Bank. Not including that deal, sponsorship money should rise 7 percent or 8 percent from $9 million last year, Mannion said.

New sponsors include McDonald's, Giant Food Supermarkets and NeighborCare, a pharmaceutical supplier. "We have got an enormous amount of new sponsorship interest pending," Mannion said.

Like other teams, however, the Ravens are seeing sponsors demand more for their money. Not just signs, but advertising across every medium, from Internet to publications, is now a prerequisite of any deal.