M&T Bank Stadium facts for kids

M&T Bank Stadium

The Bank
The stadium in 2025
M&T Bank Stadium Location in Baltimore Show map of Baltimore M&T Bank Stadium Location in Maryland Show map of Maryland M&T Bank Stadium Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Former names	Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards (1998–1999) PSINet Stadium (1999–2002) Ravens Stadium (2002–2003)
Address	1101 Russell Street
Location	Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Coordinates	39°16′41″N 76°37′22″W / 39.27806°N 76.62278°W / 39.27806; -76.62278
Public transit	Camden Station Stadium/Federal Hill MTA Maryland bus: 69, 70, 73, 75
Owner	Maryland Stadium Authority
Operator	Baltimore Ravens
Capacity	70,745 (2021–present) Former capacity: List 71,008 (2007–2020) 70,107 (2005–2006) 69,084 (1999–2004) 68,400 (1998)
Surface	GN-1 Bermuda Grass (1998–2002) Shaw Sports Turf Momentum (2003–2009) Shaw Sports Turf Momentum 51 (2010–2015) Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass (2016–present)
Construction
Broke ground	July 23, 1996
Opened	August 8, 1998; 27 years ago (August 8, 1998)
Construction cost	US$220 million ($395 million in 2022 dollars )
Architect	HOK Sport (now Populous)
Project manager	Getz Ventures
Structural engineer	Bliss and Nyitray, Inc.
Services engineer	RMF Engineering, Inc.
General contractor	The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and Barton Malow JV
Tenants
Baltimore Ravens (NFL) (1998–present) Baltimore Bayhawks (MLL) (2002)

M&T Bank Stadium is a large sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens football team since it opened in 1998. The stadium is right next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, where the Baltimore Orioles baseball team plays.

People often call it "Ravens Stadium" or "The Bank." It can hold 70,745 fans. The stadium is known for being easy to get to and having great facilities for visitors.

When it first opened, the stadium was called Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards. In 1999, a company called PSINet bought the rights to name the stadium, so it became PSINet Stadium. But in 2002, PSINet went out of business, and the stadium's name changed back to Ravens Stadium. In 2003, M&T Bank bought the naming rights. They signed a deal that was renewed in 2023, so the stadium will keep the M&T Bank Stadium name until 2037.

History of M&T Bank Stadium

Ground was broken for the new stadium in mid-1996. This happened shortly after the Ravens football team arrived in Baltimore. The team played its first two years at Memorial Stadium. Many people in Baltimore wanted the Ravens to stay there. However, Memorial Stadium was too old for an NFL team. The Orioles baseball team had already moved from Memorial Stadium in 1991.

The land where the stadium now stands was once home to a piano factory. This factory, called Wm. Knabe & Co., closed during the Great Depression. Today, a special sidewalk keyboard mosaic outside the stadium honors this history.

Stadium Naming and Tributes

In 2003, M&T Bank bought the rights to name the stadium. They had just started doing business in Baltimore. Other companies were also interested in naming the stadium. After the death of Johnny Unitas in 2002, some people wanted to name the stadium after him. Unitas was a famous quarterback for the Baltimore Colts.

The Ravens and the Maryland Stadium Authority decided to keep the naming rights deal. Instead, the area in front of the stadium's main entrance was named "Unitas Plaza." It features a bronze statue of the Hall of Famer. Many Ravens fans touch Unitas's statue for good luck when they enter.

In 2014, the Ravens added another statue next to Unitas'. This one honors Ray Lewis, a long-time Ravens player. The bronze statue shows Lewis doing his famous "squirrel dance." He performed this dance before every home game. Since 2020, the letters "MO" in "Baltimore Ravens" in the stadium's endzone are sometimes gold or white. This is a tribute to Baltimore sports fan Mo Gaba.

Stadium Design and Features

M&T Bank Stadium lit up to celebrate the 2022 Winter Olympics

The stadium has five main levels for fans. These include the lower bowl, club level, two levels of suites, and the upper bowl. The lower bowl has 42 rows of seats. The club level has padded seats that are a bit wider.

The stadium is easy to reach by public transport. The Baltimore Light Rail has a stop right at the Stadium/Federal Hill station.

Playing Field Surface

The stadium first had a natural grass field. In 2003, an artificial turf was installed. This turf was updated in 2010. In 2016, the Ravens decided to go back to natural grass. The field now uses Tifway 419 Bermudagrass.

Who Plays at M&T Bank Stadium?

The Baltimore Ravens are the main team that plays at the stadium. On December 7, 2008, a record 71,438 fans watched the Ravens win a game. This record was broken the next week with 71,502 fans. On January 15, 2012, an even bigger crowd of 71,547 watched the Ravens win a playoff game.

Exciting Events at the Stadium

College Football Games

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (left), Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (center), and Becky Gates (right) watching a Navy vs. Notre Dame football game in 2008.

The first college football game here was in 1998. Morgan State beat Delaware State in a homecoming game. The stadium has hosted the famous Army–Navy Game several times. These games happened in 2000, 2007, 2014, and 2016.

In 2005, the stadium hosted the "Crab Bowl Classic" between Maryland and Navy. This was the first time they played each other in 40 years. They played again in 2010, with Maryland winning. Other college teams like Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Penn State have also played here.

High School Football Games

The stadium used to host the state football championships for Maryland's public high schools. It also hosts two big high school rivalry games in Baltimore. Baltimore City College plays Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in one of the oldest high school rivalries. Also, Loyola Blakefield and Calvert Hall College play each other every Thanksgiving. This game is called the Turkey Bowl and draws thousands of fans.

Soccer Matches

A view of the stadium from Russell Street.

M&T Bank Stadium has hosted many international soccer games. In 2009, English team Chelsea played against Italian team AC Milan. In 2012, Liverpool played Tottenham Hotspur.

The stadium was also a venue for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. These tournaments feature national teams from North and Central America.

Date	Winning Team	Result	Losing Team	Tournament	Spectators
July 24, 2009	Chelsea	2–1	Milan	World Football Challenge	71,203
July 31, 2010	Inter Milan	3–0	Manchester City	Club Friendly	36,569
July 28, 2012	Liverpool	0–0	Tottenham Hotspur	Club Friendly	42,723
July 21, 2013	United States	5–1	El Salvador	2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarter-finals	70,540
	Honduras	1–0	Costa Rica
July 18, 2015	United States	6–0	Cuba	2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarter-finals	37,994
	Jamaica	1–0	Haiti
July 16, 2022	Arsenal	2–0	Everton	Club Friendly	39,245
August 6, 2024	Milan	2–2 (4–3 p)	Barcelona	Club Friendly	51,337

M&T Bank Stadium on October 24, 2021

Lacrosse Championships

The stadium is sometimes used by the Johns Hopkins University men's lacrosse team. It has also hosted the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship several times. The Baltimore Bayhawks lacrosse team also played their home games here in 2002.

Music Concerts and Entertainment

M&T Bank Stadium at night during a Monday Night Football game on October 11, 2021

The popular music festival HFStival was held at the stadium in 1999 and 2005. Many famous bands like Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Coldplay have played there.

Monster Jam, a show with huge monster trucks, has also been held at the stadium several times.

M&T Bank Stadium in Movies and TV

The stadium was used in the 2000 movie The Replacements. It was called Nextel Stadium in the film. It was also featured in a 2013 TV ad for recycling. The ad showed that the stadium is partly made from recycled aluminum.

COVID-19 Vaccination Site

In 2021, M&T Bank Stadium helped the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was used as a large vaccination site for people in Maryland.

See also

In Spanish: M&T Bank Stadium para niños

• List of American football stadiums by capacity
• Lists of stadiums