In 1996, Art Modell, who owned the Cleveland Browns, relocated his franchise after making a deal with the city of Baltimore. Part of this “deal” meant that Cleveland would retain the name, colors, and history of the Cleveland Browns, which meant that the newly renamed Baltimore Ravens was actually an expansion team. The first draft selection for the Baltimore Ravens’ franchise was Ray Lewis, a linebacker who helped establish the Ravens’ reputation and very quickly established himself as one of the AFL’s more dominant players. 
Today, the Ravens have their base in Baltimore, in Maryland. They compete in the NFL as a member club of the North Division of the American Football Conference. They are headquartered in Owings Mills and their home games are played at M&T Bank Stadium.
Since their inception the Baltimore Ravens have been a very successful franchise, qualifying 10 times for the NFL playoffs since 2000. The Ravens are currently the only NFL team to achieve a perfect record in multiple Thanksgiving Day and Super Bowl appearances. They achieved Super Bowl victories in 2001 and 2013, AFC championship titles in 2000 and 2012, 15 play-off victories, AFC Championship game appearances in 2000, 2008, 2011, and 2012, and four AFC North division titles.
Ozzie Newsome has been General Manager of the Baltimore Ravens since their relocation in ‘96, with Ted Marchibroda, Brian Billick, and John Harbaugh being the Ravens’ three head coaches.
So where did the name “Raven” come from? The Ravens were actually named after a famous poem called “The Raven”, written by former Baltimore resident Edgar Allan Poe. Over 33,000 fans voted in a contest to name the new team. The team originally had three costumed mascots –raven brothers Edgar, Alan, and Poe. Edgar Allan Poe lived in Baltimore for some time and is now buried there.
The Baltimore Ravens played for four years without a winning record but finally broke through in the year 2000. The team very quickly established a reputation for their strong defensive play, depending on players like Ray Lewis, a middle linebacker often referred to as ‘the face of the Baltimore Ravens’ franchise’.
For their first two seasons in Baltimore, the Ravens’ home stadium was Memorial Stadium, moving in 1998 to their own stadium next to Camden Yards. Their uniform has stayed basically the same since their inaugural season in 1996. In fact, their colors were inspired by the Wildcats’ dream season in 1995. Players typically wear white jerseys on the road and purple jerseys at home. Their helmets are black with purple stripes reaching from the facemask through to the crown. Back in 1996, their pants for all games were black with one large white stripe. The Baltimore Ravens, with their combination of purple jersey and black pants, were the first team to completely dress in dark colors; however, several other teams have since followed suit. In 2015, a jersey promotion was announced by the NFL was known as the Colour Rush, whereby during certain prime-time games teams would wear head-to-toe one-color uniforms.
Since its introduction, the rally towel tradition has spread like wildfire throughout the league and to other professional sports across the country. Rally towels are generally considered good luck charms by football fans as well, and they can even bring bad luck down on any team or individual who disrespects or defaces them. Just what is it about rally towels that makes them so popular among NFL fans? What better way to gets your fans excited for a big game than by giving out rally towels? It’s a tangible reminder of their part in the game, a focal point for all their enthusiasm, and a great souvenir after the game ends.
NFL Rally towels hold a special place in our hearts here at Rally Towels When an NFL team placed an order 80,000 custom screen printed towels, it changed the course of our towel manufacturing business forever, putting us on the path that would eventually make us the #1 custom rally towel producer in the United States. If you need custom football rally towels, you can’t go wrong with Rally Towels. We will fill your order with the same high caliber products that we provide to NFL teams and Fortune 500 companies. More and more NFL teams are using rally towels—don’t let your fans be left behind. Make sure they have a way to show their support during games.
