Though it has been upgraded periodically over the years, M&T Bank Stadium is in line for more renovations, according to a Baltimore Ravens official.
This offseason brought another round of upgrades to M&T Bank Stadium, with perhaps the most notable being the installation of a natural grass playing surface. (The photo above is from the 2015 season.) In previous offseasons, the Ravens have worked with the Maryland Stadium Authority to complete modifications such as a new WI-FI system, improved concourse signage, and the installation of LED boards and screens throughout the stadium.
That partnership has resulted in a fairly diligent maintenance process, but it has been known that the Ravens want to continue sprucing up M&T Bank Stadium. In 2015, the Ravens collaborated with Populous to begin working on a master plan for the facility. According to Ravens president Dick Cass, some potential renovations will be unveiled later this year, though both he and the Stadium Authority are quiet on the issue for now. More from the Baltimore Sun:
The club is planning a renovation of the 18-year-old, 71,000-seat stadium, and hopes to announce details this fall, Cass said.
“We know we have to keep our stadium up to date and fresh,” he said. “I don’t want to share the plans because we’re working through it all with the Maryland Stadium Authority.”
Michael J. Frenz, the authority’s executive director, was unavailable for comment, a spokeswoman said.
M&T Bank Stadium first opened in 1998 and has aged fairly well. However, many of the NFL facilities that opened in the 1990’s are being significantly renovated, including Jacksonville’s EverBank Field and Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium, the latter of which opened in the same year as M&T Bank Stadium. With so many teams upping the ante, it is not surprising to see the Ravens attempting to get in on the action.