COLUMBIA, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens drew over 6,000 season-ticket holders to a local concert venue Thursday night to unveil the biggest changes to their uniform in 27 years.
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The detail that headlined the night was a new alternate black helmet, which will be worn when the team dons its black jerseys and pants. The matte black helmet features black talon stripes and a two-toned front facing Ravens logo, accentuating the red eyes also seen above the tunnel during stadium player introductions.
“We wanted that one kind of wow factor that’s really turned out to be that black helmet for the darkness uniform,” stated Brad Downs, the Ravens senior vice president of marketing. “That’s really turned out to be a hero for the people who really wanted to see us make a more drastic change.”
The other changes included a pattern on the collar of the three primary jersey colors depicting a raven’s wings spread wide, which alludes to feather features included in the team’s original 1996 logo set. “Baltimore” is now on the front of its white jerseys (typically worn on the road), and the back collar of the purple, black and Purple Rising jerseys also includes the “Baltimore” name.
A new alternate purple helmet was also introduced and features the primary Ravens logo, which allows for interchangeability with additional uniform combinations.
The process to complete the new uniform collection — called “the Next Flight” — took three years.
“We wanted it to still feel like the Ravens,” Downs stated. “We looked at it as an evolution. We didn’t look at it as a total refresh, brand-new uniform.”
The 2½-hour event at Merriweather Post Pavilion included interviews with new head coach Jesse Minter and his coordinators, team president Sashi Brown and members of the team’s Ring of Honor. It ended with current players walking out on stage in the new threads.
New Ravens defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who in March signed a four-year, $112 million contract with the Ravens after spending five seasons with the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals, sported the new black helmet and uniform combination.
“What an incredible honor to continue to play in the AFC North — on the right side of the ball,” Hendrickson stated. “Obviously, the uniforms are gorgeous. You get fired up for that.”
