1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: I liked him a lot, and I trusted him as 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: a person. I knew he's a good person, easy to 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: work for, smart, you know, hard working. I wanted to win. 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,159 Speaker 1: What's interesting about the Ravens, and it's true of all 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: NFL teams, it's how much more complex we have become 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 1: over the years. It's fun and it's interesting and it's challenging, 7 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: but it's also canna be tense. Welcome into the lounge. 8 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: It's a little different lounge today. Ryan Mack is not 9 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: here and so we have j O'Brien, our vice president 10 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: of broadcasting, filling in for Make. How what do you 11 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: think of the lounge? The new lounge is nice. It's nice, right, 12 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: The new lounge is nice. Although I miss Make. It's 13 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: gonna be a much a little less loud laughed lounge, 14 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: I know. I mean, there's always an element you know 15 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: that make rings. But we're gonna have to just kind 16 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: of power on without. And one of the reasons that um, 17 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 1: you know, I wanted to have Jay joined us today 18 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: is we're looking ahead to training camp and the preseason. 19 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: Um and Jay is a person who oversees all of 20 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: our broadcasting, so that includes our preseason broadcasts and also 21 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: the entertainment you see in our games uh every single Sunday. UM. 22 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,559 Speaker 1: So we'll talk about that. But before we get into 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: talking preseason, UH, we have Ravens team president Dick Cass 24 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: joining us today UH to talk big picture uh content 25 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,119 Speaker 1: about what's happening with the Ravens and then also get 26 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: into his background. If you want to be a team 27 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: president one day, this is a man who knows how 28 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: to do it. So no further Ado, Let's go ahead 29 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: and welcome in our team president, Dick Cass. But we 30 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: have the pleasure of being joined by team president Dick Cass. 31 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,639 Speaker 1: And Dick before we get into some of the questions 32 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: about the team in the business side, one of the 33 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: things that we always like to do on the podcast 34 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: to talk about the great food that we have in 35 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: the building. And it's fantastic food. And you are one 36 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: of the people who is kind of a a sore 37 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: of a soft serve. What is your you know, what 38 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: is your personal favorit? Because I've got a clear favorite. 39 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: I like the vanilla. Oh, I like the plain old vanilla. Okay, 40 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: I'm peanut butter all the way, peanut butter. And I've 41 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: always wondered why why we have peanut butter. Oh, it's 42 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: from people. I think the scouts started it. I think 43 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: that that Steve is also a peanut butter fan. Somebody 44 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: probably started a rumor who wanted to have Peter I 45 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,399 Speaker 1: don't think. I don't think he's a peanut butter fan 46 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: at all. So Dick Training Campus right around the corner. 47 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: This is kind of the last little break before that 48 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: takes place. But when you look ahead to training camp 49 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 1: in the entire season, what do you kind of see 50 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: as you know the big picture objectives of the team 51 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: right now, I say to myself, why not the Ravens. 52 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: Why not the Ravens. I think we have a I mean, 53 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: our objectives are going to be a winner division, win 54 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: the a f C Championship, and then go on and 55 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: win the Super Bowl. I think those are realistic objectives. 56 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: Doesn't mean we're gonna do it, of course, but those 57 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 1: are realistic goals for the team, at least as I 58 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: sit here today. So with training camp, a big thing 59 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: this year is obviously fans are going to be back. 60 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: So there's been a massive renovation project at this building, 61 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: which of course we'll talk about how exide are you 62 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: to have fans back this year. It's gonna be fun. 63 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: I mean when when fans are at summer training camp, 64 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: there's excitement, there's some cheering, there's laughing. It's just much 65 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: more lively. It helps. I think it really helps the 66 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: players and the coaches get through the daily grind of 67 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: training camp. So I'm looking forward to it. Yeah, do you, 68 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: I mean you are out there watching practice every day, 69 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: can you feel a difference in the atmosphere. I mean, 70 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: there's can be two thousand fans out there every day, 71 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: and you know, just just even at mini camp in 72 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: O t As we had a smaller group of fans. Here, 73 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: there's like excitement. I feel like players players play in 74 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: front of fans on Sundays, and I feel like having 75 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: them at practice kind of simulates that atmosphere. It really, 76 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: it really does. I mean it just it just makes 77 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: practice go more quickly. I think the players really appreciate it. 78 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: I mean they love to have be cheered, uh, you know, 79 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: and uh when you see someone catch along pass, the 80 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: fans cheer and have a have a good time. Our 81 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: fans always cheer for the offense, and players got to 82 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: get a little salty about what they do because the 83 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: d everyone expects the defense to be good, so shows 84 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: a good play, everyone cheers and gets crazy. So Garrett 85 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: brought up the renovation and having training camp out here. 86 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: I know that that was a major part of the renovation, 87 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: was being able to host fans. Can you update fans 88 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: on where we are with the renovation and what they're 89 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,239 Speaker 1: going to see if they come out here to training camp, 90 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 1: and how how the renovation is impacting the football side. 91 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 1: You know, the renovation will be almost totally complete by 92 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: the time we open training camp. Then maybe some a 93 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: few finishing touches, but most of the things that will 94 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: be will really be totally done. UM. And it's really 95 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: it really was motivated by the football side of the business. 96 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: We wanted to have UM. We wanted really to have 97 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: the best practice facility in the NFL, and I think 98 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: we did when we opened this building in two thousand 99 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 1: and four. But over the years we just fell behind 100 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: a little bit. Uh and I think we had to 101 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: make some changes. So the locker room was not big enough, 102 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: so we've dramatically increased the size of the locker room. 103 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: The dining room wasn't a big enough We could not 104 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: really feed everyone at the same time, So we've increased 105 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: the size of the dining room and increase the capacity 106 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: to serve food more quickly. The meeting rooms where the 107 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: players meet we did not have. We would have team 108 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: meetings in the auditorium, which really wasn't quite big enough, 109 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: but we could it would work. But then when the 110 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: offensive defense would break up, the offense let's say, would 111 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: stay in the auditorium, the defense where there's not a 112 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: room available that was large enough to accommodate all of 113 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: the defensive players and the coaches during training camp when 114 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 1: we have ninety players on the roster, so we had 115 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: to build meeting rooms were big enough to accommodate offense 116 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: and defense. Some of the position meeting rooms were not 117 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: big enough, so we've really increased the capacity of all 118 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: the meeting rooms. We've also dramatically increase the size of 119 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: the draft room. We probably had the smallest draft room 120 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: in the league, and now we'll have a very large 121 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: sized draft room which will have a lot of modern 122 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: equipment in it, which will also facilitate UM some of 123 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: the analytics were trying to do UM. All of the 124 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: meeting spaces, including the auditorament, have brand new audio visual equipment, 125 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: which is state of the art, high resolution, really dramatic 126 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: improvement over where we were. We mentioned the draft room. 127 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: We have already started the process of lobbying Eric the 128 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: Costa to let us in the draft room. It's gonna 129 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: be bigger now, you know. So it's gonna be larger. 130 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: There's plenty of seats in there, so I'm working on 131 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: them already. There are Ravens traditions and is to keep 132 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: the media out of our draft room because we believe 133 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: that when the media is present in the draft room 134 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: during the deliberations and everything, even though there's no audio, 135 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: people behave differently. I'll still keep lobbying now you have to, Yeah, 136 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 1: it's totally expected. Would be very disappointed if you did 137 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: exactly so. The other in addition to the renovations here, 138 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: there's obviously the renovation is taking place at the stadium. 139 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: I mean this is basically the past few years. There's 140 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: just been massive projects, building projects at both of these 141 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: these places. Where do things stand at the stadium? Well, 142 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: the stadium, you know, last year, of course we opened 143 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: uh we introduced the large video boards in the end 144 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: zones in the in the high tech control room, he 145 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: likes the high tech control and I understand that it 146 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: is so high tech. I'm not sure Jay understand, but 147 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: we'll see about half about half. UM. But now this year, 148 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: what what what the fans will see is we will 149 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: have four new video boards and each of the four 150 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: notches of the stadium, and those will again be high 151 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: resolution video boards, state of the art. They are large. 152 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: Two of them together will equal approximately the square footage 153 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: of a single end zone board before we introduced the 154 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: new end zone so when we you know, so those 155 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 1: are going to be impactful. They'll carry a lot of 156 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: football content, both out of town scores, fantasy stats as 157 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: well as in game statistics for our own game and 158 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: other information about the Ravens. Also, our fans will see 159 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: a new audio system. We hadn't replaced the audio system 160 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: since the stadium opened in so that should improve the 161 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: game to experience for our fans as well. UM. We've 162 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: increased WiFi capacity again. UM. Last year we had a 163 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: a gigabyte one gigabyte a capacity and there were times 164 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: when that was not adequate. So this year we will 165 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: start out with ten gigabytes of capacity UM, but we'll 166 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: have the ability during the season if ten's not enough 167 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: to go to twenty gigabytes, so I think that will 168 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: also help the fans. The work is continuing on bringing 169 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: elevators and escalators to the Upper Bowl. We hope to 170 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: have the southeast elevators and escalators available by the end 171 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: of October, so ready for the Pittsburgh Steelers game of 172 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: November four. We hope get more crazies up in the um, 173 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: and then the northwest corner will be available at the 174 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: beginning of the nineteen season, and we have other work 175 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: we'll be doing before than eighteen season as well. Overall, 176 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,359 Speaker 1: we will we will spend we will have spent approximate 177 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: a hundred and twenty million dollars on these improvements beginning 178 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: really after the two thousand sixteen season. That's on top 179 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: of the forty five million we've been spending out here. 180 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: So I think it's a I think it's a commitment 181 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: that Ravens are making to the city of Baltimore, into 182 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: the County of Baltimore in the state of Maryland, to 183 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: have spent a hundred and sixty five million dollars over 184 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 1: a two and a half year period when you guys 185 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: were making the decisions if you go back three years, 186 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: four years and year deciding okay, let's invest this into 187 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: the stadium. Can you kind of take us through those 188 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 1: discussions and what was the decision making process to say, 189 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,199 Speaker 1: you know what, we want this to be our stadium. 190 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: We want to upgrade this and continue to make it 191 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: a great place on Sundays. Well, I think you know 192 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 1: you have to continue to invest in your stadiums if 193 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: you want fans to keep coming. And our stadium opened 194 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: in so we've been in that, we've played twenty seasons 195 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: in the stadium, or at least we have ten more 196 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: to go. I fully expect that at some point that 197 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: lease will be we will renew the lease with the 198 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: Maryland Stadium authoritium will go another ten years at least 199 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,439 Speaker 1: after that. So if you're going to be in a 200 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: stadium for forty years, you have to make major innovations 201 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: over time. And there are most of the renovations we 202 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: are making and have made even before this most recent one, 203 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: relate to technology in one form or another. The fans 204 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: expected and our our stadium had to be brought up 205 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: to the state of the art, and now we are. 206 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: The bones of the stadium are still were quite good. 207 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: I mean, I think we have great site lines, it's 208 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: a good size stadium. It's in the city, so there's 209 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: a lot of advantages to where our stadium is and 210 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: and how it was originally built. But you have to 211 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 1: keep improving it. We never had escalators and elevators to 212 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: the upper bowl, and that was a major complaint from 213 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,199 Speaker 1: our fans in the upper bowl. If you can imagine 214 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: if you were forty five years old and became a 215 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: season ticket holder at PSL holder I was twenty years ago, 216 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,199 Speaker 1: you're now sixty five, and walking up those ramps in 217 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: the stairs to the upper bowl is a long hike. 218 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 1: So we really needed to do that, and I think 219 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: we're one of the very few NFL stadiums that did 220 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 1: not have escalators and elevators to the upper bowl. And 221 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: we have to stay competitive with teams around the NFL. 222 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: I mean, you know the their state. The metal Lands 223 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: Stadium across one point six billion ours, was built for 224 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: two hundred and twenty million. When we finished this most 225 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: recent hundred and twenty million dollar renovation, we will have 226 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: put another two million into our stadium, so we've got 227 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: four hundred forty million dollars invested in our stadium roughly 228 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: we in the state of Maryland, but we're going against 229 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: you know, the Cowboys have a billion the the l 230 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: A stadium that's under construction is you know, you're hearing 231 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: stories three to four billion UM. The Atlanta Stadium. I'm 232 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: not sure how much that costs, but it's I think 233 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: it's closer to two billion than it is to one billion. 234 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,599 Speaker 1: Minnesota is an impressive thing, but again, well over a 235 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: billion dollars, so a beast. We're still starting with them. Yeah, 236 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: there with the best um switching gears a little bit dick. 237 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: A couple of weeks ago, we just finished our signature 238 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: project of a playground building. You and I are on 239 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:19,439 Speaker 1: the Ravens Foundation together, and you just give fans a 240 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: little bit of an insight into our foundation work. We 241 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: also made a one and a half million dollar investment 242 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: with up to US Sports this offseason, just um, not 243 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: just the team's commitment to to the city and to 244 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:34,839 Speaker 1: the state, but just kind of the nuts and bolts 245 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,199 Speaker 1: of how that gets decided, how how how the progress 246 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: project like that comes to fruition. Well, on the on 247 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: the nonprofit side for the Ravens, we have two pools 248 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: of money. One pool is the Ravens Foundation. The other 249 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: pool is directly from the Baltimore Ravens. The reality is 250 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: that the money that goes to the Ravens Foundation comes 251 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: from the Baltimore Ravens. So in effect, the money we're spending, 252 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:01,199 Speaker 1: it's all Baltimore Ravens money. But what we decide when 253 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: Steve and I talked about this many years ago, we 254 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: wanted the Ravens Foundation to be funded and to involve 255 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 1: our own employees on the board of the foundation, so 256 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: our employees would be directly involved in charitable giving. And 257 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: so the foundation itself gives away, you know, roughly four 258 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: thousand dollars a year and various programs that we've been 259 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: supporting for many years. We have a scholarship program where 260 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 1: we give out college scholarships to high school students in 261 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: the area. That's about a hundred thousand a year. We 262 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: have another hundred thousand dollars the foundation gives to essentially 263 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 1: after school programs that do have something to do with 264 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: sports or physical activity, and we have we'll give away 265 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: a hundred thousand and that program to twenty organizations grants 266 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: of five thousand apiece. And that program has been ongoing 267 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: for you know, ten years now, so we were really 268 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: that aggregate number keeps going up and up, and we select. 269 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: We try to select program where we think that our 270 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: money will make a difference and that the presence presence 271 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 1: of Ravens money will encourage other organizations to give and 272 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: that's proven to be true. Then we always have a 273 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: signature project. You know, this year we did the playground 274 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: build at the Douglas Homes and in East Baltimore, and 275 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: that was a great day. We had a lot of 276 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: players out there. I was getting my hands this year. 277 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: Usually when we do because I'm on the on the 278 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: definition the embodiment of an unskilled labor, so I have 279 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: to find a project that requires no skill and moving 280 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: mulch is one of the things that I can do. 281 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: Um So, we've done playgrounds, We've done we've donated uniforms 282 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: to high school and basketball teams in the city. Um 283 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: we renovated to school last year. One year we we 284 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: bought a truck for the Bookmobile and then the Maryland 285 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: Book Bank. Um So, we've done a variety of projects 286 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 1: and those those projects tend to be anywhere from a 287 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: hundred hundred and fifty dollar projects and those are all 288 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: foundation projects. Then through the Ravens, you know, we've are 289 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: aggregate giving through the Ravens and seventeen was in the 290 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: range of four million dollars. And there was a variety 291 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: of projects and some of them large, like our our 292 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: renovation Renaissance Academy a high school in downtown Baltimore that 293 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: enabled the high school to stay open. That was about 294 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: a million and a half dollar project. Generally, the money 295 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: we spend is is is directed at improving the lies 296 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: of the young people of Baltimore, and that's what that's 297 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: what we do on the playground build. What was fun 298 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: was seeing our partners and just people from the community 299 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: getting involved. I think that was that was the most 300 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: fun aspect of it. And I mean other partners like 301 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: you know, you get there and Duncan donnas is just 302 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: set up with coffee and then meeting other people that 303 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: are going to be affected by this project and a 304 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: lot of the residents of the Douglas Homes are they're 305 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: working on the project. Then the kids were there playing, 306 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: It was it was it was a fun day. And 307 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: I know our players really we had I think we 308 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: had like thirty five players. Even more, I don't remember 309 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: the exactly. But they had a good time as well. 310 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: It was a great It was a great project. And 311 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: the school project the year before UM that we did 312 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: in a public elementary school in Baltimore, which which we renovated. UM, 313 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 1: that was a great project as well. And all those 314 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: types of projects. Of course, we don't have enough skilled 315 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: workers here, so we partner with a good nonprofit. In 316 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 1: the case of the playgrounds that it was Kaboom and 317 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: it was they're a great partner of ours. Well, and 318 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: Garrett give us a rundown. I know you were building 319 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: playground pieces for with Marlon Humphrey. Yeah, what is break 320 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: breakdown the table? Yeah, exactly, Mary, I'll tell you this. 321 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: Marlon was focused. There was attention to detail basically what 322 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: we were doing. It was kind of like building an 323 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: i kea piece of furniture. You know, it's like all 324 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: these little pieces you've got to figure out, like is 325 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: this was this the right bolt? And he was right 326 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: there in the middle of it. So I give him credit. 327 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: He was there early, first one there and he stayed late. 328 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: He worked hard, he did he put it, he put 329 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: him time. So one of the things whenever we have 330 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: guests on the podcast, we kind of like to talk 331 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: about your personal path to where you have got and 332 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: I'm sure there's plenty of you know, we have a 333 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: lot of young people who listen to the podcast and 334 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: they probably say, I would love to be a team 335 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,959 Speaker 1: president one day. And so can you take it just 336 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: as a quick, you know, synopsis of your background, your 337 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,879 Speaker 1: background as a law He went to Princeton, then he 338 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: went to Yale Law School. Um, how did you get 339 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: involved in the sports world from the law world I 340 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: was in. I was at one law firm my entire career. Um. 341 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: I went there in nineteen seventy two and I left 342 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: there to come to the Ravens in two thousand and four. 343 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: So I was there for almost thirty two years. And 344 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: I got it early on. I became involved in what's 345 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: known as transactions, were buying and selling companies and in 346 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: night the late sometime in the nineteen eighties, I got 347 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: to meet Jerry Jones. And Jerry called me up one 348 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: day and said he'd like to buy a football team, 349 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: and I said, okay, let's talk about it. So we 350 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: had a meeting and then about three weeks later he 351 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: called me said, you gotta come down to Dallas. I 352 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: think I'm going to buy the Dallas Cowboys. So that 353 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: turned into my representing him in buying the Dallas Cowboys, 354 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: and that was in the late nineteen eighties, and then 355 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: I was his outside lawyer. I never left the law firm, 356 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: but I spent a lot of time in Dallas working 357 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys and all their legal issues. 358 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: And Jerry was challenging the NFL all the time, so 359 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 1: I used to go to I went to many many 360 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: of the owners meetings with Jerry because he wanted a 361 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 1: lawyer there in case someone was going to try to 362 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: do something to him, so reforcements. So I got to 363 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: know a lot about the NFL business. In the NFL, 364 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: and it was a very different kind of organization that 365 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: it was much less sophisticated, many many fewer employees. The 366 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: teams were different too, I mean there were very few 367 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: employees at the teams other than players and coaches and scouts. 368 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 1: And a lot of teams didn't have scouts. They use 369 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 1: a combine scouting service that a number of teams would 370 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: sign up for. Much smaller organizations, much less sophisticated. Teams 371 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: didn't control their stadiums. They typically owned by a city 372 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: or state or municipality that didn't control any of the 373 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: advertising that goes on into the stadium. So everything was 374 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: sort of getting hearted. And because I worked so closely 375 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: with Jerry, I got to know a lot about the 376 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: NFL and the business of a team. And so I 377 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: learned a lot that way. And as time went on, 378 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: um I met other people interested in buying a team 379 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,360 Speaker 1: or in selling a team. So I represented a number 380 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: of people who bought who tried to buy a team, 381 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: some people actually bought a team. And then I represented 382 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: uh the estate of Jack Kent Cook and selling the 383 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: Redskins back, and that was what eight or ninety nine, 384 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: and then I met I met Steve when he was 385 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: thinking of buying into the Ravens. Bank of America was 386 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 1: his bank at that point, and he they recommended that 387 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 1: that Steve hired me to be his lawyer for the transaction. 388 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: So I met him and we got along and I 389 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: represented him in the transaction, and that was he bought 390 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: of the team in two thousand and then he had 391 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 1: we negotiated the option to buy the rest of the 392 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: team at that point, but we gave the model's head 393 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: four years, four seasons, two to continue as controlling owners, 394 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: and then Steve would have the right to buy the 395 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: rest of the team, and so some he bought the 396 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 1: rest of the team in two thousand four, and at 397 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: some point two thousand two or something, he asked me 398 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: to when he had control, to come over as the president. 399 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: That's so that's how I got the job. Really, was 400 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: sports something that you were always interested in, or like 401 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: when you went to when you went to law school 402 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: and you're starting your career, you kind of start dabbling 403 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 1: in the sports world a little bit with with Jerry, 404 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: were you thinking maybe I could really kind of focus 405 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: in the sports world or did that just sort of 406 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: evolve over the course of years. I always, you know, 407 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 1: as a high school kid, I played a lot of sports, 408 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: and I was expected to play in college and that 409 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: I had a lot of in knee injuries and what 410 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: so I didn't um, but I always was a great 411 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 1: fan of teams and whatnot, and so I always hoped 412 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: to be there, But I never you know, it's not 413 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 1: it wasn't something you could really plan on. You couldn't 414 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: unless you sort of left the practice the law and 415 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: went to work for a team. Even at that point, 416 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: NFL teams. They're almost all just family people for the 417 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: most part, and a couple of you know, a couple 418 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: of people. But they didn't have they did not have 419 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: large organizations really at that point, so it wasn't really 420 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 1: something I thought about. I had a friend who, um, 421 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: Larry Lakino, who was at a law firm in Washington, 422 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: who's whose law partner bought the Baltimore Orioles, Edward Bennett 423 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: Williams and before that had been the controlling owner of 424 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,120 Speaker 1: the Redskin. So I talked to Larry a lot. Larry 425 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:34,399 Speaker 1: quite a bit about it, um, but he but he 426 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: still always stated at his law firm until ever been 427 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 1: at Williams bought the Orioles and finally he went over 428 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: to become president of the Oils at one point. So 429 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 1: I knew about that how that could happen. But I 430 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: didn't have anyone in my law firm who owned a 431 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: football team, so, um, you know, I just we met. 432 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:52,920 Speaker 1: I met Jerry Jones through other work my law firm 433 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: was doing for him that had nothing to do with sports. 434 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: Had it was an oil He was an oil and 435 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: gas guy, so we're doing oil and gas work for him. 436 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 1: So I met that way So it was really by 437 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: just by pure luck that I got involved in it, 438 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 1: and being with the same law firm for thirty two years, 439 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: I mean, leaving that that type of position, you know, 440 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 1: you're kind of taking a leap of faith. What what 441 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: about your relationship with Steve made you feel like this 442 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: was the right move? Well, I liked him a lot, 443 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 1: and I trusted him as a person. I knew he's 444 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: a good person, easy to work for, smart, you know, 445 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: hard working, I wanted to win, but also has hes humble. 446 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: I mean, there's a lot of people aren't don't share 447 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: some of those qualities and um, so I knew he 448 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 1: would be easy to There's a lot of NFL owners 449 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: I would not want to work for, honestly, not because 450 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: they're not good people, just because I think they'd be 451 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,439 Speaker 1: very difficult to work for. So I knew i'd like 452 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: to work for him, But I didn't really think about 453 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 1: it at all when I was representing him. I thought 454 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: I would represent him and I'd be available as an 455 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 1: advisor to him, but that he would think about maybe 456 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,479 Speaker 1: he would do it himself, um, or maybe he had 457 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: a close end or someone in business who would do it. Um. 458 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: But I think he talked around to people and decided 459 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: that I would be a good person to do it. 460 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: So he surprised me when I came over. I was 461 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: working on some salary cap issues for him in probably 462 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: two thousand two, I think it was maybe early two 463 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,440 Speaker 1: thousand three, and talking to the models and some people 464 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: here about the salary cap situation, and he said, once 465 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,920 Speaker 1: you have lunch. So we had lunch together and that's 466 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: when he asked me to come over. There was a surprise. 467 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: And now you're in a position where on a daily 468 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 1: basis you could be in a draft meeting in the 469 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 1: morning and then in a meeting with Garrett and I 470 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 1: talking about digital content in the afternoon. When you started, 471 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:41,400 Speaker 1: did you think that position would be, that you would 472 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: be so involved in both the football side and the 473 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: business side. I was hoping that would be the case, 474 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,200 Speaker 1: but you don't know because I you know, I came 475 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: over here and I was the only new hire. So 476 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: when I came I replaced David Modell and Art was gone. 477 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: But we didn't make any other changes, at least not initially, 478 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: and we were read that would be a mistake. We 479 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,239 Speaker 1: had a lot of good people. It would be uh 480 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,719 Speaker 1: would be no reason to start changing people out. So 481 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 1: we did not do that, and we we took it slowly, 482 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 1: and you had to. You know, when I came to 483 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: work here, Steve said, you know you're is My advice 484 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:20,479 Speaker 1: to you is make sure people like you, because if 485 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 1: they like you, you're gonna it's gonna be very easy 486 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: to get involved and it'll it'll feel very natural. And 487 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: and that's the case. So I really worked hard at that. 488 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: Didn't always succeed, undoubtedly, but what else could you say, 489 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 1: but I but I tried and and that was sort 490 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,640 Speaker 1: of how he got it, got into it. But what's 491 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: interesting about the Ravens, and it's true of all NFL teams, 492 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 1: it's how much more complex we have become over the years. 493 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: We had no digital media group started. We had one guy, 494 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: Um who was doing spending one and half of his 495 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 1: time on it. And it wasn't None of our sponsors 496 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: wanted anything to do with digital media. I mean, you just, 497 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,160 Speaker 1: I mean, the level of sophistication has changed so dramatic. 498 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: We had no analytics group and scouting or in coaching 499 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 1: or in the business side, and we just you know, 500 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 1: it was a much simpler time in many ways. Um 501 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: and that's true of a lot of teams, but it's 502 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: particularly true I think of the Ravens. One of the 503 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 1: things that you do every year that is kind of 504 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:20,120 Speaker 1: an event that I think a lot of people would 505 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 1: love to be a fly on the wall at is 506 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: when you go to Steve's house after the season and 507 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: have that meeting with Steve and Ozzie and Eric John 508 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: Pat basically map out the entire season. You know, this 509 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: is an example of what Jay is talking about in 510 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: terms of being, you know, both sides of the coin um. 511 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 1: What happens behind closed doors of that meeting. We have 512 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: a few drinks, we have a good dinner, we have 513 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:45,920 Speaker 1: a lot of good we have a lot of fun. 514 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,200 Speaker 1: But over the years, it's it's it's there's a lot 515 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 1: of tension because we're making tough decisions. Obviously, there's there's 516 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: some implicit criticism and some of the decisions we're making. 517 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,919 Speaker 1: I think people are a little uptight, you know about 518 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: sort of how the meeting is going to evolve, what's 519 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 1: going to happen. We're having discussions about which players we 520 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 1: want to keep, which players we're gonna let hit the 521 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: free agent market, what types of free agents are we 522 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: looking for and what particularly free agents might we try 523 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: to Yeah, we've always talked about coaching staff a little bit. 524 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: So it's you know, it's uh, you know, it's it's uh, 525 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: it's fun and it's interesting and it's challenging, but it's 526 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 1: also canna be tense. So a couple more questions. Game 527 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: day for you? What is your game day? You know, 528 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,959 Speaker 1: I know Ja and I both know it. At home games, 529 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 1: you know, you kind of have your routine where you 530 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: stop by the control room and then in the press 531 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: box and then you settle in. What does a game 532 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: day with home in a way look like for you? 533 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:44,680 Speaker 1: And are you able to enjoy it? Are you? Are 534 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: you looking at everything from both the football product and 535 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: also the business side of saying is everything you know 536 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 1: going well? I enjoy the away games much more in 537 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: a strange way because I you know, I get on 538 00:26:58,000 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 1: the bus with everyone else and I go over to 539 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:01,400 Speaker 1: the stag a m. Two and a half. We get there, 540 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 1: you know, at least two hours before the game, and 541 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 1: I don't have any responsibilities. Really, I don't have to 542 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: worry about are people getting to the gates. Do we 543 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: have any security issues? I mean, uh, you know, all 544 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: the other issues you worry about when we're home. I 545 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: don't have to anything. I don't have to worry about that. 546 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 1: I just have to worry about the game, and I don't. 547 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: But I don't really enjoy watching the games. I mean, 548 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:26,120 Speaker 1: it's hard to watch the games. It's tense. You want 549 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: to win so badly. You know how much, how hard 550 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 1: everyone has worked to win a football game. And it 551 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:33,439 Speaker 1: is very hard to win a game in the NFL, 552 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 1: very hard. So many things can go wrong, and so 553 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: it's UM, it's not an enjoyable experience. But I've learned 554 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: to there's nothing I can do. I'm sitting there, I'm watching, 555 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,719 Speaker 1: and but there's nothing I can do. But I'm not 556 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 1: I'm Susie. On the away games, I sit in the 557 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: visiting owner's box. If Steve's on the trip, I sit 558 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: with Steve. If he's not there, I sit with a 559 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 1: lot of members of our staff. Um. I'm generally pretty quiet. 560 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: I just watch. UM. There's only a couple of times 561 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:11,120 Speaker 1: I'm like Eric. It's rare that I'm like Eric. UM, 562 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: but I feel the way Eric and Ozzie do. I 563 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: feel intensely about it. UM, So you just but you can't. 564 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: There's not a lot you can do. When I'm if 565 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,239 Speaker 1: Steve is there, I'm really quiet because I don't the 566 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: camera might come on us, So you don't want to 567 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,120 Speaker 1: show a real emotion in case the camera they put 568 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:32,760 Speaker 1: the camera on you. Um So, But on homes when 569 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: I'm home, I you know, I get there probably three 570 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 1: hours before the game, maybe three and a half hours 571 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: before the game, and I wander around. I say a 572 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: load to a lot of people. Um. I spend some 573 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: time with safe management people. Typically I try to talk 574 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: to a lot of the people who are Game Toy employees, 575 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: at least a group of them. Every time I give 576 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: out a President's Award to someone who's done something exceptionally 577 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: good at a prior home game, I've is it J 578 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 1: In the control room, I go to the press box, 579 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: I say a load of visiting team people that we know. 580 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: Whether it's a former scout you might work for the team, 581 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: or a former coach. There's always seems to be an 582 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 1: assistant coach or a coordinator with the team that used 583 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: to be with the Ravens. Um Sometimes the head coach 584 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 1: like Hugh Jackson or Marvin Lewis. So you say a 585 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: load of those people. Um. And then I, you know, 586 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: I wander around some more. I go out to Ravens 587 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: Walk and see what's going on out there, and um, 588 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: then I go I always look and see what the 589 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: security lines are like at Gaya at twelve thirty or 590 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: twelve forty. I see how we're what kind of job 591 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: we're doing out there. And then I go up to 592 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: the suite where I sit on game days, and it's 593 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, it's about fifteen minutes for kickoff. So last question. 594 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: After the game, I always went home and away I 595 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: go down to the bench, so I'm on the bench 596 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,719 Speaker 1: for the last two minutes of the game in the 597 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: bench area, and then I go into the locker room 598 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: right after the game. If it's a win, it's a 599 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: it's an exciting place to be, Yeah, And it's always 600 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: it's always interesting, you know, when you step back a 601 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: little bit, whether win or lose, it's always an interesting 602 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: locker room. It is you never quite know what the 603 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: moon is going to be. Yeah. The last one for 604 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 1: if someone's interested in that, they say, I want to 605 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: work in the sports world, you know, I want to 606 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: basically for young people that are this listening, what would 607 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: your advice be to people that want to work in 608 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: this business. It just depends so much what you want 609 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 1: to do. I mean, there's such a different track if 610 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: you're if you want to be a trainer, or if 611 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 1: you want to be in a work in the equipment area, 612 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: or if you want to work in retail or ticketing. 613 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: Those are different tracks you can get on UM. And 614 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: those are tend to be jobs you do right out 615 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: of college or right out of graduate school. If you're 616 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,719 Speaker 1: a trainer, you got to get extra training UM on 617 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 1: the business side and on the media, well, the media 618 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: is the same way. You can get a job with 619 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 1: the team right out of school, although it's getting harder 620 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 1: and harder to do that. I think there's no way, 621 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: there's no way I would I would have gotten this 622 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: job right now because that's because we come become so 623 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: specialized and everyone has to have a skill now, and 624 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: so a lot of people who work here, and a 625 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: lot of people who came here and came right out 626 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: of school would not get jobs right now here because 627 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 1: they don't have us. They don't have a a refined 628 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: skill that can be immediately put to use. UM. You 629 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: know the sales guys again, you could we can hire. 630 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: We hire salespeople, you know, a couple of years out 631 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: of college. But typically we like to get someone who's 632 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: worked for another another team, whether it's a minor league 633 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: team or a hockey or basketball or even another NFL team. 634 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: We like to get someone a little experience. Um, if 635 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 1: you if you want to become a president of a team, 636 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 1: the easiest thing is to be a son or a 637 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 1: daughter of the owner, because at bottom, the NFL is 638 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: still a family business. You have to have one owner 639 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: who owns at least of the equity of the team 640 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 1: and as a percent voting control, percent voting control, so 641 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: and those tend to be the families and so a 642 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 1: lot of a lot of the teams are still built 643 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: on a family structure, where you know, the control the 644 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 1: owner today is is it might be a little bit old, 645 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: but he's got a son or a daughter who's working 646 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: their way up. And some of the teams have already 647 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: transitioned over to the son or a daughter. I mean, 648 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: if you look at the Bears and the Steelers and 649 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: the Giants, Um, those are all teams that are that 650 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: are built strictly. The Bengals are the same way. So. UM, 651 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 1: but if you're not a family member, then you you 652 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 1: just it's a it's a matter of luck. Really. You know, 653 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 1: you've worked your way up perhaps or maybe you're like 654 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 1: a lawyer like I am, and you've either worked at 655 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 1: the legal office for many years or you've represented a 656 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: team or multiple teams, and you know a lot about 657 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 1: the business of the league. So there's no there's no 658 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: easy way of doing it. I mean, it's just and 659 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 1: a lot of It's amazing how many resumes we get. 660 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:56,479 Speaker 1: Um how many people who are in their forties and 661 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 1: fifties will call up and say, I'd really like to 662 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: come work for you. How I do it? And I 663 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 1: always say, I'm sorry, but we don't have any opening 664 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 1: right now. I mean, it's so it's hard. It's hard. 665 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: I'm much like here at the Ravens. I like to 666 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 1: promote people who have been with us for a while 667 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: because I think you build a much more professional staff 668 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: when you can promote from within. So people who are 669 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:19,960 Speaker 1: here know that if they do a good job, there's 670 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: a they can keep going up. The problem with a 671 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 1: sports organization is there's not that many senior level jobs, 672 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: and so there's not enough senior level jobs for everyone. 673 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: Who's working their way up. So then I tell those people, well, 674 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: what you need to do is go to another team, 675 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: you know, go you know, take a higher, higher level 676 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: job and another team, maybe not in the NFL, and 677 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: then if you really want to be in the if 678 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 1: I would work your way back. Um. So there's a 679 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: lot of different ways of doing it. You have to 680 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: be flexible, and you have to be a risk taker. 681 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 1: You have to be willing to jump off into the 682 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: unknown a little bit and and just say, Okay, this 683 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: is something I really want to do. I'm probably gonna 684 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: take a pay cut, um, but I'd like to do 685 00:33:57,480 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: it anyway, and if it all works out, you'll be fine. 686 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: M h Wait, thank you very much, Day for joining us. 687 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: Thank you for having me. Absolutely appreciate it. Well, thanks 688 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: to Dick for joining us, and Jay, thank you. That 689 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: was fun. Yeah, yeah, it was fun. So before we 690 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,920 Speaker 1: before we go, I want to get your perspective. Um. 691 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 1: You know, I mentioned the fact that we have training 692 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,840 Speaker 1: camp coming up, preseason preseason games that we produce. So 693 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:23,840 Speaker 1: what are you most excited about as we look ahead 694 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 1: to the next couple of months. Well, Dick mentioned it 695 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:28,800 Speaker 1: in the interview. The new video boards in the upper deck. UM. 696 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 1: To see them in renders for a couple of years 697 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: is one thing. And when we were able to put 698 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:37,319 Speaker 1: content up on the first one, it was a wow moment. Oh, 699 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: they're going to be so impactful. And it seems simple, 700 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: but when you go to a baseball game and there's 701 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 1: an out of town scoreboard, UM, as a fan, you 702 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 1: just it's reliable. You know, you can look there and 703 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 1: always see scores and you don't necessarily have to grab 704 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 1: your phone at all game to to check on another 705 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: team or another player. And so that's what these boards 706 00:34:57,719 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: are gonna allow us to do, is we can flowed 707 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 1: some of the content out of town scores, UH, fantasy stats, 708 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 1: in game stats that we had on the main video 709 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:10,360 Speaker 1: board Ravens Vision last year. We have to move that 710 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,360 Speaker 1: content up to the upper deck boards, which are gigantic, 711 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 1: as Dick said, and it allows us to fill more 712 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: of the video board with game. So last year the 713 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 1: video boards, the Ravens Vision boards are two feet wide 714 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,360 Speaker 1: and last year we had game coverage on a hundred 715 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:30,360 Speaker 1: and forty feet of it and the other sixty with 716 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 1: stats and information. Now we're able to add another thirty 717 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: feet of game coverage because we're moving that information upstairs, 718 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,399 Speaker 1: so it's gonna make the game just even more fun 719 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 1: to watch. Nice. And then preseason TV, so for folks 720 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: who don't know, we produce our preseason broadcasts in house. 721 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:49,759 Speaker 1: Although oddly enough, we have five preseason games this year 722 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 1: and we are only producing three because of the Hall 723 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 1: of Fame game and the Monday night football game. Right, 724 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 1: so if it's a nationally televised game, which the one 725 00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:58,239 Speaker 1: I guess the Colts, that's the Monday and football game, 726 00:35:58,239 --> 00:35:59,800 Speaker 1: and then of course the Hall of Fame games in 727 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 1: both national televised games, so we don't produce this, so 728 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: we'll be producing three. So who is on the call 729 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 1: this year? Last year was Brian Billeck, So Jerry Sandusky 730 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:09,959 Speaker 1: and Brian Billick are back in the booth and Evan 731 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:13,279 Speaker 1: Washburn from CBS Sports is back on the sideline. So 732 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 1: we are very excited um to have to have that 733 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 1: group back. Brian's insight, being a former coach, being in 734 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: the being in the being in the draft room with 735 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:27,719 Speaker 1: Azzy over the years UM and and working for this organization, 736 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 1: his insights are just outstanding. Uh, and especially this year 737 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 1: with with Ray going into the Hall of Fame. I 738 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: think Brian's insight throughout the preseason about about Ray will 739 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:40,839 Speaker 1: be will be pretty interesting. And then uh, you know, 740 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:43,600 Speaker 1: Evan of course has done you know, sideline for Super Bowls, 741 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:46,879 Speaker 1: and so his insight in our pregame show, postgame show, 742 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 1: during the game I will be great. And then of 743 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:50,879 Speaker 1: course you can't you can't do it better than Jerry 744 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 1: on play by play. So uh, their chemistry last year 745 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,799 Speaker 1: was great, and uh, and we're really we're really excited. Nice, 746 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 1: We've got some cool stuff planning for the Ray Lewis 747 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:01,760 Speaker 1: All of Fame. We're we're really pumped about that. And 748 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: you know, I think just our preseason games this year, 749 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:06,319 Speaker 1: and you know, I think Sarah wrote about it in 750 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,000 Speaker 1: Late for Work last week, but our preseason games this 751 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:12,839 Speaker 1: year are musty TV brands. Well, and I would tell 752 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 1: you that every year because we produced the broadcast, but 753 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,320 Speaker 1: with twelve draft picks this year, with with obviously with 754 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: Lamar and Hayden R three even yeah, r G three, 755 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: You're gonna want to see how how he does and 756 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,040 Speaker 1: you want to see Orlando where he lines up and 757 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:30,160 Speaker 1: how he performs. And I just think there's so many 758 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:33,839 Speaker 1: storylines with our with our young players, and that's been 759 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 1: the knock in the past on on preseason games as well, 760 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 1: the starters don't play enough and in some of the games. 761 00:37:39,239 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 1: But um, you know, we all know what the starters 762 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:45,760 Speaker 1: can do. So this is real. This will be really fun. 763 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:50,080 Speaker 1: So we're we're very excited. Yeah, the second and third 764 00:37:50,120 --> 00:37:52,359 Speaker 1: fourth quarters of these pieces of games, that's gonna be 765 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 1: I mean when when Lamar Jackson goes in for the 766 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 1: first time, I think everyone's gonna be fired up about that. 767 00:37:56,760 --> 00:37:59,600 Speaker 1: Who doesn't want to watch that? It's gonna be fun. 768 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:03,839 Speaker 1: It's gonna be fine. So, Um, the reason we did 769 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:06,560 Speaker 1: the podcast this way this week is Make is out 770 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 1: this week. Next week I am out of town, uh 771 00:38:10,239 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 1: for a conference, and then the week of the fourth 772 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 1: of July, our offices are closed. So basically we've got 773 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:16,239 Speaker 1: like a two and a half week gap where Make 774 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,640 Speaker 1: and I are not going to be in the same room. Um, 775 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:21,239 Speaker 1: and which is good. After Mink beat you in the 776 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 1: Traveling Ground, I think you guys need to come a 777 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:28,879 Speaker 1: shading move on my part, A shading move. But that 778 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 1: move or not, I mean, that wasn't the that wasn't 779 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:35,000 Speaker 1: the point. I mean, Minx Minx top picks were We're 780 00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: pretty impressive. He did all right, I'll give it to 781 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:39,399 Speaker 1: I'll give him the win on that. Other drafts have 782 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:44,040 Speaker 1: been atrocious coming from somebody who can who acknowledges that 783 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 1: he has never won a draft, I'll go ahead and 784 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 1: give him the win this time. It's it is a 785 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:51,200 Speaker 1: team with that that uh, the equivalent of a team 786 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:56,160 Speaker 1: with very poor drafting history, like drafting Jonathan ont He 787 00:38:56,239 --> 00:38:58,359 Speaker 1: pulled a Hall of Famer out of his hat. He did, 788 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:01,320 Speaker 1: he did, um, so make it. I'll be back together 789 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:04,000 Speaker 1: at some point with the next couple of weeks um. 790 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:06,080 Speaker 1: But until then, you guys can always email us at 791 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 1: the lounge at Ravens on NFL dot net. Jay, thanks 792 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:10,920 Speaker 1: for joining us. That was fun today and uh we'll 793 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:12,759 Speaker 1: be back with you guys again soon. Have a great week. 794 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:13,279 Speaker 1: Thanks guys,