April 7, 2025 • 26 mins
UK Ravens leader Ben Mortimer joins team insiders Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing to talk about how the Ravens' entrance into the NFL's Global Markets Program was received abroad, how fandom is growing overseas, what he expects from the partnership and more!
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome into the Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink
here with Garrett Downing, and we are thrilled to be
joined by one of the founding fathers of UK Ravens,
Ben Mortimer, and the Ravens are coming over to the
UK as part of the NFL's Global Markets initiative, and
so really excited about this, Ben, as I'm sure you are.
(00:27):
And tell listeners, first of all, you go way back
with the Ravens, way back you've been associated with us.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I'm so old. Yeah, I feel good when I look
back at when I started watching the Ravens, but I
go kind of back, not all the way to the beginning,
not sort of to ninety six. But I moved to
Baltimore when I was a much younger man in two
thousand and one, so I just missed Super Bowl thirty five,
and I had no idea really about American football at
(00:55):
that point. But because I moved to Baltimore because I
like sports and if I wanted the social life, I
had to kind of try and at least feign an
interest in the Ravens on a Sunday, and that became
a passion after about a week. So I kind of
ended up getting going to my first game I think
the following year, and then ended up getting PSLs and
I moved back in twenty eleven from the UK already
(01:17):
kind of completely addicted to the Ravens and I've been
to a ton of road games as well and stuff
like that. But yeah, even when I lived in Baltimore,
I used to sort of host UK fans of my house.
It was then I was on this. It was before
social media, but there used to be some message boards
and I'd get frustrated after a loss and my girlfriend
(01:37):
didn't want to hear it. So I thought, Okay, I'll
go and find a message board and convent on there.
And through the wonders of the Internet, some people in
Britain said, hey, you're English, but you're in Baltimore. Yeah, yeah,
it's you know, I'll go to the games, and so
they once or twice a year would come over. I'd
say to my girlfriend of the time, now, my wife,
do you mind if so and so stays over and
we'll get my ticket and we'll go Tailgate.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Great. Well, just just so listeners have a good understanding
of this Global markets program, because it is, you know,
to the average fan, it's like, what does this mean?
What is the significance of this. Basically, this was voted
on last week and announced at the NFL owners meetings,
And what this allows is it gives the Ravens, along
(02:20):
with other teams who are in the UK market, the
ability to market in the UK, so we could do
events there, We could have we've we've already started social
accounts there which everyone should go follow, especially our UK fans.
Those accounts are Ravens in UK. We've got a on Instagram, x,
Twitter and Facebook, so go ahead make sure you follow those.
(02:40):
And so we're just gonna make more of an overall
organizational focus to grow the game and grow our fan
base in that market, which is already is ben you know,
certainly a robust group of fans that we've had the
chances to Ryan and I to get over there twice
and do live episodes of the Lounge podcast over there
when we've played there, which is which is honest, some
(03:00):
of my favorite memories of working for the Ravens is
being there and doing those live podcasts and meeting fans
from all over the world. It's been really fun to
have a chance to do that. When you found out
the news that the Ravens were granted UK marketing rights.
How was this received over there?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I think initially with some excitement mixed with confusion because
nobody quite knew what it meant. It was like, okay,
well they've come over already. But but I think anything
that's you know, Ravens related and involves more involvement in
the UK is to be welcomed. And was everyone was
really excited. They weren't quite sure why. Let's let's find
(03:38):
out what this means. Yeah, but no, I think you know,
it's it's been We're really lucky and not just saying
this because I'm on your show that the we're fans
of an organization have always been really really engaged with
their international fans, and so it obviously makes a lot
of sense from my side anyway, for the Ravens to
express interest in this market, because it's always been such
(04:00):
an amazing time. You know, it's not just that we
enjoy welcoming you over and being hosts to you and
hopefully making you, you know, feel really welcome, but also
we really appreciate what the team have always done for
us as a fan base, and you know, from the
early years of the UK Ravens being in place, They've
always had open communication with us and they've you know,
(04:21):
sent over swag before the season starts with you know,
kind of the flags and the you know, the koozies
and stuff like that. You know, we've had meetups, they've
they've done virtual zoom stuff, so that stuff before the
Ravens even got these rights. So for me, it's just
to have even more engagement and actually have the ability
to you know, to put more stuff on for their
(04:44):
UK fans is just a great opportunity for the existing
fan base and also for the Ravens just to sort
of grow grow a fan base over here as well.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Now there's there's a number of teams NFL teams to
have the rights to market in the UK. Now by
this point, you know, the Jags have been going on
over there for a number of years. You know, the
Ravens have gone over twice now, and it feels like
even the second time when we came over in twenty
twenty three, that they were just there was even more
excitement than the first time, you know, And I'm curious
(05:14):
for your perspective, how much more is there, Like, are
there a lot more fans that you can see the
Ravens really gaining in the UK.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I think if they approach it the right way then absolutely.
I think that the NFL is just getting more and
more popular year on year in the UK, the more
exposure people have to it. It's been two thousand and
seven is when the first game of the International Series
started at Wembley, and you've kind of got now a
generation since it doesn't happen. It's now eighteen years, so
(05:46):
you've kind of got a generation of fans that have
grown up as kids watching the game are now in
part in that onto their kids. And you know, there
are now three or four games depending on what year
it is in the UK. You've got the purpose built
field and locker rooms at Tottenham, so it's definitely not
going anywhere. If anything, is getting more and more exposed
(06:08):
as the International Games grow. So I think, yeah, you're
talking about moving from a real niche sport to a
I wouldn't say mainstream, but it's it's it's getting on
the fringes of that. So you have you have you
have fans that are growing up there most of a
lot of the fans that support that the Raims in the
UK don't really have a connection with Baltimore. They maybe
(06:29):
played the Ravens are Madden, or they like The Wire
is a popular one, which is always a depressing but
but accurate. You know, it's like they love The Wire,
the TV show. So I think if you make the
right impression, and I think the Ravens are just a
perfect franchise for doing that because they're always so sort
of forward thinking and and uh and and and and
(06:53):
they're always interacting with their fans as far as making
sure that they're sort of reaching them on a personal level.
And I don't want to name particular names of franchises
that may not have done that as well, but they haven't,
I think. So I think I think it's all to
play for as far as sort of either wooing new
fans to to Baltimore and you see that. I think
(07:14):
we do attract fans that really kind of go all
in on the Ravens Ethos and they like the pub.
The first pub we had in twenty seventeen for that
first game, which we won't mention the game, but the
whole weekend was against that team from Jacksonville. But the
whole weekend, apart from the actual game was was amazing,
and the and the Admiralty was the bar and without
(07:35):
the square and the guy I remember speaking to the
owner and he said, I've never seen a fan base
like this. We've never been full like this before. And
it was like on a Friday afternoon, it was before,
it was like two days before the game.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
It was insane. There were so many other people spilling
out into the square. I'll never forget that seed. It
was incredible.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, So it's just I think we do have one
of the you know, I'm not just biased too, I
think we have one of the We think once people
adopt the Ravens, they it kind of attracts people that
like the hard and those stuff, They like the underdog
and then and and they get quite romantic about it.
So I think once they become a Ravens fanue we
don't really attract their weathers. We keep them for life.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
And why do you think that is? Like, why do
you think you know we're flattered that you talk about
what the what we've done as an organization to help
with that. But you know there's also other reasons, like
is it part of the It seems like there's a
symmetry with like the Gothic, the Ravens, the Tower of London,
you know, all that stuff. And then also you know
(08:36):
what you have done and UK Ravens and what you've established,
and you've helped us tremendously in building up that fan base.
So like, why do you why do you think there's
been this natural just fit.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, I think that it does. This the way that
the Ravens have evolved over the years, and certainly when
football came over here or came back over here after
it's come of hiatus since the eighties, the way they
played appeal to a lot of English fans that you
know kind of maybe do they appreciate defense and they
(09:09):
appreciate hard hits and they and we kind of watch
rugby and stuff like that over here as well, so
that style of football, you know, probably appeals to fans.
And yeah, we've tried our best to you know, sort
of have meetups and things like that, and that's become
more and more year on year. In last year we
(09:30):
had one for not nearly, not every game, but there
was ten or twelve meetups last year I think across
the country where you know, obviously the Brits like socializing,
so we find that if we do that and say
you know, there's a pints included, they will come like
Field of Dreams. So it's I think I think that
that whole ethos just just appeals and you have to
(09:50):
as a fan base, you have to just you know,
sort of do your best to root for the team.
And I think they are a very relatable team in
that they are you know, they're not they're not flash
and I mean that in the best possible way, but
then you know, they're not kind of the they have
that sort of cowboys outlook. It's it's kind of you know,
it's it's it's a team that people can relate to.
So you know, we just kind of propel that and
(10:14):
to fans, and we don't really want people that fly
by nights anyway. We want people that are going to
be in it for the long haul. So I think
that appeals to the British mentality too.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Yeah, that's cool. I've always said, and I may have
sent this to you before, Ben, but I think that
something that stands out to me for fans who and
it's grown, but fans like yourself and fans who are
who are abroad. You have to make a commitment to
really being invested in the team. The games aren't on
at like the most convenient times. It's not you don't
(10:45):
open up the newspaper, return on the TV, or get online,
and it's like right in your face the way it
is here. And so you have to do a little
bit more work to be a fan. And so I've
always admired that about our international fans. It's just that
there's more, there's more work that goes along with it.
Can you just describe if pick, take a big game
that's happening, you know, a big Ravens game that that
(11:07):
you guys for the UK Ravens are doing some sort
of meetup, like what is the scene, what is the
atmosphere like, you know for a Ravens Steelers game for example,
that you're trying to do a big watch party for.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
It's it's fantastic and we try and pick you know,
games that but the problem we've got is that, you know,
with the kickoff time being you know, one pm Eastern
at best, then you're looking at six pm on a Sunday,
so arranging that even though things have got better, there
are still licensing laws and there are still closing time
so to find establishments that will be willing to certainly
(11:39):
a primetime game unless you're in London at a casino,
that's kind of out of the question. So we can't
do because they kick off at one twenty in the morning,
they won't half four, but we have to. But we
do like to try and get you know, some some
some real juicy matchups, so well, you know for a
typical sort of six pm kickoff here and you know,
(12:00):
people will start getting excited about it as soon as announced.
We tend to, if not sell out, then get pretty
much up to capacity with whichever bar that we are
showing it at. We're trying and show up a couple
of hours earlier to get some drinks in and sort
of talk about, you know, the game. And then just
like in the US, it's you know, the coverage is
so good now that we get you know, the if
it's not on the regular Sky TV, we've got this
(12:22):
game pass, which is it's on like the Zone. I
don't I think you have the Zone in the US
and it shows the American commercials and everything. So yeah,
I mean, but it's like the I think I find
the UK fans actually a bit more nervous than I mean,
having lived in Baltimore, I used to go to Maxis
and Fell's Point to watch all the road games and
(12:43):
it was far more convivial and people were having their
wings but kind of talking. The UK fans kind of
go quieter in the game, they kind of they get
really nervous it maybe it's been three thousand miles away.
It's even more nerve wracking, but we get the highs
and lights, and because we're all invested in that team,
you got a US bar. Maybe some people are there
that are just there for the social aspect or even
don't like football, whereas the only reason people are in
(13:04):
one of our meetups is because they're raven fanatics. So
it is you know certain times, I mean, the best,
the best one I've been to that we kind of
hosted up north because I'm in York, and we had
one in Leeds a few years ago, and it was
the Detroit game where we were losing till the last second.
Then it was the last second sixty six yard and
(13:24):
someone filmed it and you know it had that angle
from behind the goalposts where I think everyone took about
two seconds to realize it's actually gone through because it
hit the crossbile then came over and in that place
went insane and it was that's when you think, yeah,
this was this is definitely worth doing.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
That's very cool. So are you seeing You kind of
mentioned it and I hadn't really thought about this that
it's now a generational thing, like are you seeing young
like kids now in the UK that are becoming Ravens fith.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
That's one of the nicest things. I'm I've always been
kind of the Facebook guy, and obviously that's not as
popular as it once was, but I was you and
me both then yeah, yeah, I'm not going to get
into the whole Twitter and next thing, but that's that's
Shane and Ian's job, so I'll leave them with that.
But but on Facebook, yes, seeing some people that have
been part of the group for you know, ten, fifteen
years whatever it is now having babies and children. And
(14:18):
the first picture of the post is in a Ravens
wansa or baby grow and this is like, this is
the next this is the first born here generation. It's
like going back three hundred years to allis Island and
like you know with his first generation immigrants. Now this
is first generation of Ravens fans in the UK. So
and the good thing is, you know, I had obviously,
all of my three daughters were forced to wear Ravens
(14:38):
ones as well, and they're all grown up to be
stable human beings and everything as well now. But I
could pass that on to you know, other fans that
were having the first child, and we had a bunch
of you know, girl Ravens WANs is so it is
cool to see you, you know, mums and dads bring
their sons and daughters to these international games wearing Lamager's
(14:59):
and stuff like that. So that's nice to see.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
How special was that twenty twenty three win? As you mentioned,
we don't talk about the game from twenty seventeen, but
twenty twenty three against the Titans that was a fun one. Yeah,
So like, how did that game being over there and
getting a win and all that and the experience around it, Like,
how much do you feel like that boosted the connection
between the Ravens and UK fans?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I think massive. I mean, there's nothing like seeing your
own team live and it was only the second time
the Romans have made it, and twenty seventeen have been
such as I keep going back to accept the game,
but until you know the game. Then the weather was
perfect that day. It was a great weekend everyone, you know.
I think the team connected so well with the fans
in the Admiralty and things like that, so it was
(15:43):
kind of like a case of unfinished business for us,
and so the fact that we were able to welcome
you again again. We got this this brewery for the tailgate,
which was top ten minutes walk from Tottenham Stadium, and
the weather turned out perfect that day. We had beer
on They call it Titans tiers for us, so we thought, okay,
(16:04):
if we're drinking pints of Titans tears, this better not
go wrong for us because we could look bad. But
luckily we won the game. But yeah, just to be
in that stadium and see the Ravens finish the job
was such a relief. It was I think that was
the biggest thing for me. It was like after a
weekend when we had the Saturday thing, cheerleaders came over
and Poe and everything like that, it just felt like,
(16:25):
we need to finish the job now with a with
a win on Sunday. So to actually be there and
I think that day probably converted a few neutrals to
Ravens fans as well, but it felt like a Raven's
home game as well. It was like even though it's
meant to be a Titan's home game, it was definitely
I'd say, you know, over half that stadium was was
was Ravens, purely Ravens. Probably a quarter we're neutrals, and
(16:47):
then maybe a quarter with Titans. But that was that
was allowed. That was allowed.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Oh it was.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
And to your point, the unfinished business piece, like when
you win the game and it just makes you look
back on the trip with a whole different perspective. Like
a twenty seventeen you lose the game and it's just like,
oh that game. But and so that kind of puts
a sour note of the entire trip. This one. The
team was over there for a full week, and I
think that, like, you know, the team really enjoyed it,
(17:15):
not not even the fan events were great, and but
even separate from that, I think the team really enjoyed
that experience. It was a good time for them. And
then to win the game and come back from there
it actually I still think that game was kind of
a turning point for the team that season. So it
just changes the whole perspective of that trip and and everything.
So as we it kind of as we look forward,
(17:38):
like what has you most excited about this, this opportunity,
you know, this this global markets program and just the
ability for the Ravens to have more of a presence
in the UK.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
I think that that's it. It's having more potential you know,
access and and and con not conversations with the team,
but just you know, kind of having more opportunities to
interact with with with the organization. You know, the fact
that we're we're here and you know that might you know,
(18:13):
who knows this really really early days as to what
you know, the Ravens decided to do, but you know,
if they have any events over here, it's it's stuff
that you know, our fans can travel easily too and
maybe interact with you know, from people with people from
the organization, so you know, and we're here to support
them too as UK Ravens fans. So I think it's
(18:33):
just a natural a natural fit. And you have to
have the ability of interacting more with with you know,
your the team that you root for every Sunday and
have that connection. It's invaluable. It's it's kind of I think, Yeah,
I don't want to keep harping on about how good
the Ravens are doing it, but believe me, there's a
lot of teams that don't, you know, focus on on
(18:54):
building the fan relationship with the team, and I think
there's already a connection there through both what you do
and what we've done. So I think just to have
the opportunity for the team to actually be more involved
in the in the English or the British Psyche and
market directly to the fans over here is a great opportunity.
But I think it's it will be taken in the
way that it should be as well as far as
(19:15):
building that that love and that and that fan support.
So I can't wait to see what they, you know,
what they decide to do well.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
The Ravens aren't aren't scheduled to host any international games
this upcoming season. But Ben, you know, I know you
have the inside scoop now because you know now you're
part of the program, so you get you get the
advance advanced schedule all the way out to twenty thirty.
When when are the Ravens coming back to the UK?
You let us know, Ben, I'll tell you.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I don't know. I mean, I don't even know when
another year, when the actual this year's schedule is going
to come out. It's like the NFL tell you about
two days beforehand. So yeah, I think they're getting they're
getting even more stingy with with actually letting teams know
when they're going to come over. And I think, you know,
even like in twenty twenty three, the Ravens didn't find
out till I think two months after the last time
(20:03):
they've been told twenty seventeen, they told them like in February,
and I think I think that it was like May
or something, wasn't it. So it kind of leads. So honestly,
we're here to help as much as we can. I know,
loads and loads of pubs, so that will be there then.
But yeah, when you come over, even if it's you know,
you might be an away team in somewhere like Germany
or Spain first, but I'm hoping that you know, sooner
(20:24):
rather than later, come over. Let's make it. I think John
Harvard doesn't mind coming as much now after winning.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
So like I said, after you win the game, it's
it's great. Everyone feels it totally changes the outlook on
the trip. So I think everyone's got good, good memories.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Now, yeah, I think coming out earlier was definitely the
way to do it. I think they learned the lesson
from Jet twenty seventeen and it's like, you know, have
get into a routine, have a proper resk, get onto
the time zone. So you know, we're we're happy to
help with tips on stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Awesome, Well, thank you so much for joining us, Ben,
and to all our listeners check out the UK Ravens podcast.
All do a great job over there, and thank you
so much for joining us. We can't wait to meet
up in person. Then awesome, you know the way to
our heart.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
You're listening to the Lounge podcast. We're coming to you
from the Sea Geek studio. We also want to mention
our partners to Trafficking Sportsbook. They are an official sports
betting partner. Oh the Baltimore Ravens Trafficking sports Book. The
Crown is yours so big. Thanks to Ben again part
of the UK Ravens and certainly organizationally, we're excited about this,
uh about this opportunity in this program. Again, we have
new social accounts, so make sure you're following those especially
(21:37):
if you are already in the UK. Those accounts are
Ravens in UK, so go ahead and follow those accounts.
So we're gonna have content directly specifically for our fans
over there over the next coming weeks and months, and
we're excited about that. So, I know, I know, make
You're just you're just looking to get back over there
and have another live podcast and get a free pint
(21:59):
on Ben right.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Oh, of course, yeah, it's I mean, I think you
hit the nail on the head, Garrett with the memories,
you know. I mean, those are some of my favorite
memories for my time working with the Ravens, and the
trips are fun. I mean, I love it over there.
I think London is a really cool city and I
(22:21):
can't wait to I can't wait to go over more,
quite honestly. And so I was really excited about that.
And I'm just really excited that, you know, the Ravens
brand is growing more globally. You know, it's a great
time to be a Ravens fan. As we've talked about,
got the best player in the world on our team
and obviously winning a lot of games, and this is
(22:42):
this feels like the right time you know. I mean,
the Ravens were one of the late adopters to the
Global Markets program, but now it feels right. You know,
I think it would have been a little harder to
jump in after twenty seventeen and you have, you know
that was it kind of left a little bit of
a sour taste the way that that game went, and
it just didn't feel as right then. But now I
(23:05):
feel like the team, with Lamar and everything that the
Ravens have going on, it just it made a lot
of sense to do it.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Yeah. Year, Yeah, I just think that the game continues
to grow, like not just for the Ravens but the
NFL game we've seen it. Even in comparing those two
trips there just seemed to be I mean, there was
a ton of excitement in twenty seventeen as well over
the course of that week, but it just it just
felt even bigger the second time around. And I think
(23:34):
if we go back whenever, the next time happens to
be like, it's just going to grow and grow and
grow and having the chance to like a lot of fans.
You if you're in the UK and you're looking for
a team, it's like the Ravens are a great team
to pick. They've got a super exciting player. Even like
proximity wise, it's it's not that hard to get back
and forth from London to Baltimore, and so like, if
(23:56):
you're if you're in Baltimore, you want to go to
a game in London if the Ravens are playing there,
it's pretty easy to do that. Same the reverse is
true as well, And so like for all those reasons,
I think it makes a lot of sense. It's exciting,
and you know, I know that there's definitely some some
fun stuff that's playing in the future, and as those
plans get finalized and ironed out, we will be sure
(24:16):
to share those as well. But we're definitely organizationally excited
about this opportunity and what it can mean for us.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
And I also think it bears mentioning that it spreads
beyond the UK, right, I mean, we've we had fans
from Germany, right that, we had fans from around the
globe that we're at that game that I remember meeting
at the pub in twenty twenty three, you know, we
had our friends from Germany come over and come on
the lounge here with us. And I think we've you
(24:43):
and I have realized what kind of international following the
Ravens have in part because of this podcast. Like some
of our most avid listeners are international fans, and it's
just we hear from you all in the emails and
we absolutely love it. And now to see that continue
to row in this way. And and even though you know,
the Ravens we chose to go to the UK, hey,
(25:05):
it makes us that much closer to other European countries
and and easier for those fans to see us and
connect with us, you know, more often. So I'm just
I'm just really pumped about it. And uh yeah, get
your passports ready, Ravens fancy so you know you can
go over there and meet the whole club over there,
and uh, it's it's just an exciting partnership.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Awesome. Well again, thanks to Ben. You can check out
a UK Ravens podcast and thank you for his time.
And we're excited about what's to come on this front.
So it's gonna be there's a lot of stuff that's
going on here outside of the UK piece. Ryan, the
draft is right around the corner, and we're gonna have
a number of podcasts between now and the draft. We're
gonna we're really diving deep into the draft talk. We're
(25:49):
gon be talking with some some of the draft experts
out there over the course of the next couple of weeks,
and we're excited about that. So stay tuned. We got
a lot of fun podcasts coming your way. Thank you
for listening. As always, you can email us of the
Lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net and we will
talk with you again soon
Welcome into the Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink
here with Garrett Downing, and we are thrilled to be
joined by one of the founding fathers of UK Ravens,
Ben Mortimer, and the Ravens are coming over to the
UK as part of the NFL's Global Markets initiative, and
so really excited about this, Ben, as I'm sure you are.
(00:27):
And tell listeners, first of all, you go way back
with the Ravens, way back you've been associated with us.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I'm so old. Yeah, I feel good when I look
back at when I started watching the Ravens, but I
go kind of back, not all the way to the beginning,
not sort of to ninety six. But I moved to
Baltimore when I was a much younger man in two
thousand and one, so I just missed Super Bowl thirty five,
and I had no idea really about American football at
(00:55):
that point. But because I moved to Baltimore because I
like sports and if I wanted the social life, I
had to kind of try and at least feign an
interest in the Ravens on a Sunday, and that became
a passion after about a week. So I kind of
ended up getting going to my first game I think
the following year, and then ended up getting PSLs and
I moved back in twenty eleven from the UK already
(01:17):
kind of completely addicted to the Ravens and I've been
to a ton of road games as well and stuff
like that. But yeah, even when I lived in Baltimore,
I used to sort of host UK fans of my house.
It was then I was on this. It was before
social media, but there used to be some message boards
and I'd get frustrated after a loss and my girlfriend
(01:37):
didn't want to hear it. So I thought, Okay, I'll
go and find a message board and convent on there.
And through the wonders of the Internet, some people in
Britain said, hey, you're English, but you're in Baltimore. Yeah, yeah,
it's you know, I'll go to the games, and so
they once or twice a year would come over. I'd
say to my girlfriend of the time, now, my wife,
do you mind if so and so stays over and
we'll get my ticket and we'll go Tailgate.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Great. Well, just just so listeners have a good understanding
of this Global markets program, because it is, you know,
to the average fan, it's like, what does this mean?
What is the significance of this. Basically, this was voted
on last week and announced at the NFL owners meetings,
And what this allows is it gives the Ravens, along
(02:20):
with other teams who are in the UK market, the
ability to market in the UK, so we could do
events there, We could have we've we've already started social
accounts there which everyone should go follow, especially our UK fans.
Those accounts are Ravens in UK. We've got a on Instagram, x,
Twitter and Facebook, so go ahead make sure you follow those.
(02:40):
And so we're just gonna make more of an overall
organizational focus to grow the game and grow our fan
base in that market, which is already is ben you know,
certainly a robust group of fans that we've had the
chances to Ryan and I to get over there twice
and do live episodes of the Lounge podcast over there
when we've played there, which is which is honest, some
(03:00):
of my favorite memories of working for the Ravens is
being there and doing those live podcasts and meeting fans
from all over the world. It's been really fun to
have a chance to do that. When you found out
the news that the Ravens were granted UK marketing rights.
How was this received over there?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I think initially with some excitement mixed with confusion because
nobody quite knew what it meant. It was like, okay,
well they've come over already. But but I think anything
that's you know, Ravens related and involves more involvement in
the UK is to be welcomed. And was everyone was
really excited. They weren't quite sure why. Let's let's find
(03:38):
out what this means. Yeah, but no, I think you know,
it's it's been We're really lucky and not just saying
this because I'm on your show that the we're fans
of an organization have always been really really engaged with
their international fans, and so it obviously makes a lot
of sense from my side anyway, for the Ravens to
express interest in this market, because it's always been such
(04:00):
an amazing time. You know, it's not just that we
enjoy welcoming you over and being hosts to you and
hopefully making you, you know, feel really welcome, but also
we really appreciate what the team have always done for
us as a fan base, and you know, from the
early years of the UK Ravens being in place, They've
always had open communication with us and they've you know,
(04:21):
sent over swag before the season starts with you know,
kind of the flags and the you know, the koozies
and stuff like that. You know, we've had meetups, they've
they've done virtual zoom stuff, so that stuff before the
Ravens even got these rights. So for me, it's just
to have even more engagement and actually have the ability
to you know, to put more stuff on for their
(04:44):
UK fans is just a great opportunity for the existing
fan base and also for the Ravens just to sort
of grow grow a fan base over here as well.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Now there's there's a number of teams NFL teams to
have the rights to market in the UK. Now by
this point, you know, the Jags have been going on
over there for a number of years. You know, the
Ravens have gone over twice now, and it feels like
even the second time when we came over in twenty
twenty three, that they were just there was even more
excitement than the first time, you know, And I'm curious
(05:14):
for your perspective, how much more is there, Like, are
there a lot more fans that you can see the
Ravens really gaining in the UK.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I think if they approach it the right way then absolutely.
I think that the NFL is just getting more and
more popular year on year in the UK, the more
exposure people have to it. It's been two thousand and
seven is when the first game of the International Series
started at Wembley, and you've kind of got now a
generation since it doesn't happen. It's now eighteen years, so
(05:46):
you've kind of got a generation of fans that have
grown up as kids watching the game are now in
part in that onto their kids. And you know, there
are now three or four games depending on what year
it is in the UK. You've got the purpose built
field and locker rooms at Tottenham, so it's definitely not
going anywhere. If anything, is getting more and more exposed
(06:08):
as the International Games grow. So I think, yeah, you're
talking about moving from a real niche sport to a
I wouldn't say mainstream, but it's it's it's getting on
the fringes of that. So you have you have you
have fans that are growing up there most of a
lot of the fans that support that the Raims in the
UK don't really have a connection with Baltimore. They maybe
(06:29):
played the Ravens are Madden, or they like The Wire
is a popular one, which is always a depressing but
but accurate. You know, it's like they love The Wire,
the TV show. So I think if you make the
right impression, and I think the Ravens are just a
perfect franchise for doing that because they're always so sort
of forward thinking and and uh and and and and
(06:53):
they're always interacting with their fans as far as making
sure that they're sort of reaching them on a personal level.
And I don't want to name particular names of franchises
that may not have done that as well, but they haven't,
I think. So I think I think it's all to
play for as far as sort of either wooing new
fans to to Baltimore and you see that. I think
(07:14):
we do attract fans that really kind of go all
in on the Ravens Ethos and they like the pub.
The first pub we had in twenty seventeen for that
first game, which we won't mention the game, but the
whole weekend was against that team from Jacksonville. But the
whole weekend, apart from the actual game was was amazing,
and the and the Admiralty was the bar and without
(07:35):
the square and the guy I remember speaking to the
owner and he said, I've never seen a fan base
like this. We've never been full like this before. And
it was like on a Friday afternoon, it was before,
it was like two days before the game.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
It was insane. There were so many other people spilling
out into the square. I'll never forget that seed. It
was incredible.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, So it's just I think we do have one
of the you know, I'm not just biased too, I
think we have one of the We think once people
adopt the Ravens, they it kind of attracts people that
like the hard and those stuff, They like the underdog
and then and and they get quite romantic about it.
So I think once they become a Ravens fanue we
don't really attract their weathers. We keep them for life.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
And why do you think that is? Like, why do
you think you know we're flattered that you talk about
what the what we've done as an organization to help
with that. But you know there's also other reasons, like
is it part of the It seems like there's a
symmetry with like the Gothic, the Ravens, the Tower of London,
you know, all that stuff. And then also you know
(08:36):
what you have done and UK Ravens and what you've established,
and you've helped us tremendously in building up that fan base.
So like, why do you why do you think there's
been this natural just fit.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, I think that it does. This the way that
the Ravens have evolved over the years, and certainly when
football came over here or came back over here after
it's come of hiatus since the eighties, the way they
played appeal to a lot of English fans that you
know kind of maybe do they appreciate defense and they
(09:09):
appreciate hard hits and they and we kind of watch
rugby and stuff like that over here as well, so
that style of football, you know, probably appeals to fans.
And yeah, we've tried our best to you know, sort
of have meetups and things like that, and that's become
more and more year on year. In last year we
(09:30):
had one for not nearly, not every game, but there
was ten or twelve meetups last year I think across
the country where you know, obviously the Brits like socializing,
so we find that if we do that and say
you know, there's a pints included, they will come like
Field of Dreams. So it's I think I think that
that whole ethos just just appeals and you have to
(09:50):
as a fan base, you have to just you know,
sort of do your best to root for the team.
And I think they are a very relatable team in
that they are you know, they're not they're not flash
and I mean that in the best possible way, but
then you know, they're not kind of the they have
that sort of cowboys outlook. It's it's kind of you know,
it's it's it's a team that people can relate to.
So you know, we just kind of propel that and
(10:14):
to fans, and we don't really want people that fly
by nights anyway. We want people that are going to
be in it for the long haul. So I think
that appeals to the British mentality too.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Yeah, that's cool. I've always said, and I may have
sent this to you before, Ben, but I think that
something that stands out to me for fans who and
it's grown, but fans like yourself and fans who are
who are abroad. You have to make a commitment to
really being invested in the team. The games aren't on
at like the most convenient times. It's not you don't
(10:45):
open up the newspaper, return on the TV, or get online,
and it's like right in your face the way it
is here. And so you have to do a little
bit more work to be a fan. And so I've
always admired that about our international fans. It's just that
there's more, there's more work that goes along with it.
Can you just describe if pick, take a big game
that's happening, you know, a big Ravens game that that
(11:07):
you guys for the UK Ravens are doing some sort
of meetup, like what is the scene, what is the
atmosphere like, you know for a Ravens Steelers game for example,
that you're trying to do a big watch party for.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
It's it's fantastic and we try and pick you know,
games that but the problem we've got is that, you know,
with the kickoff time being you know, one pm Eastern
at best, then you're looking at six pm on a Sunday,
so arranging that even though things have got better, there
are still licensing laws and there are still closing time
so to find establishments that will be willing to certainly
(11:39):
a primetime game unless you're in London at a casino,
that's kind of out of the question. So we can't
do because they kick off at one twenty in the morning,
they won't half four, but we have to. But we
do like to try and get you know, some some
some real juicy matchups, so well, you know for a
typical sort of six pm kickoff here and you know,
(12:00):
people will start getting excited about it as soon as announced.
We tend to, if not sell out, then get pretty
much up to capacity with whichever bar that we are
showing it at. We're trying and show up a couple
of hours earlier to get some drinks in and sort
of talk about, you know, the game. And then just
like in the US, it's you know, the coverage is
so good now that we get you know, the if
it's not on the regular Sky TV, we've got this
(12:22):
game pass, which is it's on like the Zone. I
don't I think you have the Zone in the US
and it shows the American commercials and everything. So yeah,
I mean, but it's like the I think I find
the UK fans actually a bit more nervous than I mean,
having lived in Baltimore, I used to go to Maxis
and Fell's Point to watch all the road games and
(12:43):
it was far more convivial and people were having their
wings but kind of talking. The UK fans kind of
go quieter in the game, they kind of they get
really nervous it maybe it's been three thousand miles away.
It's even more nerve wracking, but we get the highs
and lights, and because we're all invested in that team,
you got a US bar. Maybe some people are there
that are just there for the social aspect or even
don't like football, whereas the only reason people are in
(13:04):
one of our meetups is because they're raven fanatics. So
it is you know certain times, I mean, the best,
the best one I've been to that we kind of
hosted up north because I'm in York, and we had
one in Leeds a few years ago, and it was
the Detroit game where we were losing till the last second.
Then it was the last second sixty six yard and
(13:24):
someone filmed it and you know it had that angle
from behind the goalposts where I think everyone took about
two seconds to realize it's actually gone through because it
hit the crossbile then came over and in that place
went insane and it was that's when you think, yeah,
this was this is definitely worth doing.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
That's very cool. So are you seeing You kind of
mentioned it and I hadn't really thought about this that
it's now a generational thing, like are you seeing young
like kids now in the UK that are becoming Ravens fith.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
That's one of the nicest things. I'm I've always been
kind of the Facebook guy, and obviously that's not as
popular as it once was, but I was you and
me both then yeah, yeah, I'm not going to get
into the whole Twitter and next thing, but that's that's
Shane and Ian's job, so I'll leave them with that.
But but on Facebook, yes, seeing some people that have
been part of the group for you know, ten, fifteen
years whatever it is now having babies and children. And
(14:18):
the first picture of the post is in a Ravens
wansa or baby grow and this is like, this is
the next this is the first born here generation. It's
like going back three hundred years to allis Island and
like you know with his first generation immigrants. Now this
is first generation of Ravens fans in the UK. So
and the good thing is, you know, I had obviously,
all of my three daughters were forced to wear Ravens
(14:38):
ones as well, and they're all grown up to be
stable human beings and everything as well now. But I
could pass that on to you know, other fans that
were having the first child, and we had a bunch
of you know, girl Ravens WANs is so it is
cool to see you, you know, mums and dads bring
their sons and daughters to these international games wearing Lamager's
(14:59):
and stuff like that. So that's nice to see.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
How special was that twenty twenty three win? As you mentioned,
we don't talk about the game from twenty seventeen, but
twenty twenty three against the Titans that was a fun one. Yeah,
So like, how did that game being over there and
getting a win and all that and the experience around it, Like,
how much do you feel like that boosted the connection
between the Ravens and UK fans?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I think massive. I mean, there's nothing like seeing your
own team live and it was only the second time
the Romans have made it, and twenty seventeen have been
such as I keep going back to accept the game,
but until you know the game. Then the weather was
perfect that day. It was a great weekend everyone, you know.
I think the team connected so well with the fans
in the Admiralty and things like that, so it was
(15:43):
kind of like a case of unfinished business for us,
and so the fact that we were able to welcome
you again again. We got this this brewery for the tailgate,
which was top ten minutes walk from Tottenham Stadium, and
the weather turned out perfect that day. We had beer
on They call it Titans tiers for us, so we thought, okay,
(16:04):
if we're drinking pints of Titans tears, this better not
go wrong for us because we could look bad. But
luckily we won the game. But yeah, just to be
in that stadium and see the Ravens finish the job
was such a relief. It was I think that was
the biggest thing for me. It was like after a
weekend when we had the Saturday thing, cheerleaders came over
and Poe and everything like that, it just felt like,
(16:25):
we need to finish the job now with a with
a win on Sunday. So to actually be there and
I think that day probably converted a few neutrals to
Ravens fans as well, but it felt like a Raven's
home game as well. It was like even though it's
meant to be a Titan's home game, it was definitely
I'd say, you know, over half that stadium was was
was Ravens, purely Ravens. Probably a quarter we're neutrals, and
(16:47):
then maybe a quarter with Titans. But that was that
was allowed. That was allowed.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Oh it was.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
And to your point, the unfinished business piece, like when
you win the game and it just makes you look
back on the trip with a whole different perspective. Like
a twenty seventeen you lose the game and it's just like,
oh that game. But and so that kind of puts
a sour note of the entire trip. This one. The
team was over there for a full week, and I
think that, like, you know, the team really enjoyed it,
(17:15):
not not even the fan events were great, and but
even separate from that, I think the team really enjoyed
that experience. It was a good time for them. And
then to win the game and come back from there
it actually I still think that game was kind of
a turning point for the team that season. So it
just changes the whole perspective of that trip and and everything.
So as we it kind of as we look forward,
(17:38):
like what has you most excited about this, this opportunity,
you know, this this global markets program and just the
ability for the Ravens to have more of a presence
in the UK.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
I think that that's it. It's having more potential you know,
access and and and con not conversations with the team,
but just you know, kind of having more opportunities to
interact with with with the organization. You know, the fact
that we're we're here and you know that might you know,
(18:13):
who knows this really really early days as to what
you know, the Ravens decided to do, but you know,
if they have any events over here, it's it's stuff
that you know, our fans can travel easily too and
maybe interact with you know, from people with people from
the organization, so you know, and we're here to support
them too as UK Ravens fans. So I think it's
(18:33):
just a natural a natural fit. And you have to
have the ability of interacting more with with you know,
your the team that you root for every Sunday and
have that connection. It's invaluable. It's it's kind of I think, Yeah,
I don't want to keep harping on about how good
the Ravens are doing it, but believe me, there's a
lot of teams that don't, you know, focus on on
(18:54):
building the fan relationship with the team, and I think
there's already a connection there through both what you do
and what we've done. So I think just to have
the opportunity for the team to actually be more involved
in the in the English or the British Psyche and
market directly to the fans over here is a great opportunity.
But I think it's it will be taken in the
way that it should be as well as far as
(19:15):
building that that love and that and that fan support.
So I can't wait to see what they, you know,
what they decide to do well.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
The Ravens aren't aren't scheduled to host any international games
this upcoming season. But Ben, you know, I know you
have the inside scoop now because you know now you're
part of the program, so you get you get the
advance advanced schedule all the way out to twenty thirty.
When when are the Ravens coming back to the UK?
You let us know, Ben, I'll tell you.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I don't know. I mean, I don't even know when
another year, when the actual this year's schedule is going
to come out. It's like the NFL tell you about
two days beforehand. So yeah, I think they're getting they're
getting even more stingy with with actually letting teams know
when they're going to come over. And I think, you know,
even like in twenty twenty three, the Ravens didn't find
out till I think two months after the last time
(20:03):
they've been told twenty seventeen, they told them like in February,
and I think I think that it was like May
or something, wasn't it. So it kind of leads. So honestly,
we're here to help as much as we can. I know,
loads and loads of pubs, so that will be there then.
But yeah, when you come over, even if it's you know,
you might be an away team in somewhere like Germany
or Spain first, but I'm hoping that you know, sooner
(20:24):
rather than later, come over. Let's make it. I think John
Harvard doesn't mind coming as much now after winning.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
So like I said, after you win the game, it's
it's great. Everyone feels it totally changes the outlook on
the trip. So I think everyone's got good, good memories.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Now, yeah, I think coming out earlier was definitely the
way to do it. I think they learned the lesson
from Jet twenty seventeen and it's like, you know, have
get into a routine, have a proper resk, get onto
the time zone. So you know, we're we're happy to
help with tips on stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Awesome, Well, thank you so much for joining us, Ben,
and to all our listeners check out the UK Ravens podcast.
All do a great job over there, and thank you
so much for joining us. We can't wait to meet
up in person. Then awesome, you know the way to
our heart.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
You're listening to the Lounge podcast. We're coming to you
from the Sea Geek studio. We also want to mention
our partners to Trafficking Sportsbook. They are an official sports
betting partner. Oh the Baltimore Ravens Trafficking sports Book. The
Crown is yours so big. Thanks to Ben again part
of the UK Ravens and certainly organizationally, we're excited about this,
uh about this opportunity in this program. Again, we have
new social accounts, so make sure you're following those especially
(21:37):
if you are already in the UK. Those accounts are
Ravens in UK, so go ahead and follow those accounts.
So we're gonna have content directly specifically for our fans
over there over the next coming weeks and months, and
we're excited about that. So, I know, I know, make
You're just you're just looking to get back over there
and have another live podcast and get a free pint
(21:59):
on Ben right.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Oh, of course, yeah, it's I mean, I think you
hit the nail on the head, Garrett with the memories,
you know. I mean, those are some of my favorite
memories for my time working with the Ravens, and the
trips are fun. I mean, I love it over there.
I think London is a really cool city and I
(22:21):
can't wait to I can't wait to go over more,
quite honestly. And so I was really excited about that.
And I'm just really excited that, you know, the Ravens
brand is growing more globally. You know, it's a great
time to be a Ravens fan. As we've talked about,
got the best player in the world on our team
and obviously winning a lot of games, and this is
(22:42):
this feels like the right time you know. I mean,
the Ravens were one of the late adopters to the
Global Markets program, but now it feels right. You know,
I think it would have been a little harder to
jump in after twenty seventeen and you have, you know
that was it kind of left a little bit of
a sour taste the way that that game went, and
it just didn't feel as right then. But now I
(23:05):
feel like the team, with Lamar and everything that the
Ravens have going on, it just it made a lot
of sense to do it.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Yeah. Year, Yeah, I just think that the game continues
to grow, like not just for the Ravens but the
NFL game we've seen it. Even in comparing those two
trips there just seemed to be I mean, there was
a ton of excitement in twenty seventeen as well over
the course of that week, but it just it just
felt even bigger the second time around. And I think
(23:34):
if we go back whenever, the next time happens to
be like, it's just going to grow and grow and
grow and having the chance to like a lot of fans.
You if you're in the UK and you're looking for
a team, it's like the Ravens are a great team
to pick. They've got a super exciting player. Even like
proximity wise, it's it's not that hard to get back
and forth from London to Baltimore, and so like, if
(23:56):
you're if you're in Baltimore, you want to go to
a game in London if the Ravens are playing there,
it's pretty easy to do that. Same the reverse is
true as well, And so like for all those reasons,
I think it makes a lot of sense. It's exciting,
and you know, I know that there's definitely some some
fun stuff that's playing in the future, and as those
plans get finalized and ironed out, we will be sure
(24:16):
to share those as well. But we're definitely organizationally excited
about this opportunity and what it can mean for us.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
And I also think it bears mentioning that it spreads
beyond the UK, right, I mean, we've we had fans
from Germany, right that, we had fans from around the
globe that we're at that game that I remember meeting
at the pub in twenty twenty three, you know, we
had our friends from Germany come over and come on
the lounge here with us. And I think we've you
(24:43):
and I have realized what kind of international following the
Ravens have in part because of this podcast. Like some
of our most avid listeners are international fans, and it's
just we hear from you all in the emails and
we absolutely love it. And now to see that continue
to row in this way. And and even though you know,
the Ravens we chose to go to the UK, hey,
(25:05):
it makes us that much closer to other European countries
and and easier for those fans to see us and
connect with us, you know, more often. So I'm just
I'm just really pumped about it. And uh yeah, get
your passports ready, Ravens fancy so you know you can
go over there and meet the whole club over there,
and uh, it's it's just an exciting partnership.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Awesome. Well again, thanks to Ben. You can check out
a UK Ravens podcast and thank you for his time.
And we're excited about what's to come on this front.
So it's gonna be there's a lot of stuff that's
going on here outside of the UK piece. Ryan, the
draft is right around the corner, and we're gonna have
a number of podcasts between now and the draft. We're
gonna we're really diving deep into the draft talk. We're
(25:49):
gon be talking with some some of the draft experts
out there over the course of the next couple of weeks,
and we're excited about that. So stay tuned. We got
a lot of fun podcasts coming your way. Thank you
for listening. As always, you can email us of the
Lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net and we will
talk with you again soon
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