ravens stadium tour

DPOB Member Tour: M&T Bank Stadium

February 6 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am.

• This event has passed.

DPOB Members — You’re invited to an exclusive tour of M&T Bank Stadium, courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens.

Join a small group of Downtown Partnership members for a private tour of the stadium as the Ravens embark on the next evolution in their Baltimore home. The tour will last approximately two hours and offer guests behind-the-scenes access to the home of our beloved football team! During this experience we will visit the seating bowl, locker rooms, press, club and suite levels and you have sideline access to the field.

Scroll down to reserve your tickets via Eventbrite.

Stadium Improvements In December, The Ravens announced a multi-year project (2024-2026) to enhance M&T Bank Stadium using a projected $430 million of $600 million of state funds allotted for stadium improvements. The funds came with the renewal of the Ravens’ lease, which will keep them in Baltimore and at M&T Bank Stadium through at least the 2037 season. Learn more about this project.

Arrival Instructions Vehicles can park in Lot D (further instructions below). To enter, please use the southeast lobby located across from Lot E. Please leave all bags in your vehicles or they will be screened upon entry. All adults must present a valid ID upon entry.

Please note: this event is for active DPOB member businesses and their employees only. If you have questions about your membership status, please reach out to our Director of Business Development, Chrissy Schifkovitz via email at [email protected] .

Find Tickets

• Previous Event Baltimore Restaurant Week
• Next Event Lunch with DPOB and Associated Black Charities

In Downtown Baltimore, you'll find a diverse, thriving community of residents and businesses working to make this city a great place to be.

There's always something exciting happening in Downtown Baltimore. Want to be first to know what's next?

• Downtown Staff
• Announcements
• Hospitality & Safety
• Economic Development
• Memberships
• Marketing & Promotion
• Arts & Entertainment
• Initiatives
• Alley Beautification
• Capital Improvements
• Downtown BOOST Program
• Grant Programs
• Homeless Outreach
• State Center Relocation
• Resources & Reports
• Privacy Policy
• Sweepstakes
• Form 990 - 2020
• 20 S Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
• (410) 244-1030

M&T Bank Stadium Tours - Tours are only for groups of 20 or more

Ticket Prices: $5 per person Phone Number: Contact Phil Gentile at 410-986-5261 Hours: Anytime Monday - Friday   Areas Covered: Field, Suite Level, Club Level, Locker Rooms, and more.

Destination:

A Production of Madness Unwatched LLC Copyright © 2006-2015 nflfootballstadiums.com.  All Rights Reserved. nflfootballstadiums.com is not associated with the National Football League in any way. Contact Us   -  About Me  

The Ravens Tour Baltimore 2019

Welcome to the ravens tour  a trip to charm city to experience the ravens on their home field and take in all bmore has to offer, full tour itinerary.

01 Nov | Direct flight with British Airways to Baltimore | Depart 15:15 | Arrive 19:45 | Regional airport connections available

Private coach transfer for the group to downtown Baltimore hotel

3 Nights, Brookshire Suites | Located across from the Inner Harbor | Easy walk to M&T Bank Stadium

Daily hot breakfast included

02 Nov | Maryland Terrapins v Michigan Wolverines | Coach to College Park – with beer and snacks provided | Tailgate before the game | Group tickets

03 Nov | 4 hour Ravens tailgate in the M&T Bank Stadium car park | Fan favourite menu with excellent BBQ offerings | Draft beer and soft drinks included | Live entertainment

Go Ravens! | Baltimore Ravens v New England Patriots | Group upper corner seats *guaranteed first 15 rows*  | Upgrades available

04 Nov | Late morning tour of M&T Bank Stadium with photo opportunities

04 Nov | Private coach transfer for group to Baltimore Washington Airport

Direct flight with British Airways to London | Depart 20:40 | Arrive 08:35 (05 Nov) | Regional airport connections available

Single Occupancy

Double occupancy, triple occupancy, quad occupancy, we can buddy up single travelers to create a double occupancy and save on costs, additional arrangements available:  flights from regional airports | overnight airport hotel stays | long stay parking at the airport | travel insurance, interested, fill out the form to let us know you are up for this trip full of football, fun, and frivolity, touchdown trips is a member of abta and our trips are atol protected..

• M&T Bank Stadium
• Seating Chart

Baltimore Ravens Seating Chart

Interactive seating chart.

• See More...

Ravens Seating Chart

Event Schedule

2024 Baltimore Ravens Season Tickets

Thursday, August 1 at 12:55 PM

Soccer Champions Tour - FC Barcelona vs AC Milan

Tuesday, August 6 at Time TBA

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

Saturday, March 1 at Time TBA

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens

Sunday, March 2 at Time TBA

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

Monday, March 3 at Time TBA

Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens

Tuesday, March 4 at Time TBA

Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens

Wednesday, March 5 at Time TBA

Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens

Thursday, March 6 at Time TBA

Washington Commanders at Baltimore Ravens

Friday, March 7 at Time TBA

Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens

Saturday, March 8 at Time TBA

Politics | Repeat guests to Baltimore Mayor Brandon…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Baltimore Sun eNewspaper

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore City
• Baltimore County
• Carroll County
• Harford County

Politics | Repeat guests to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s Orioles, Ravens suites include Nick Mosby, labor leaders

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s guests to the city’s private suites at M&T Bank Stadium and Camden Yards last year included members of his family, local labor leaders, numerous elected officials and a few donors to his campaign, records released by the city show.

As part of lease agreements with the Maryland Stadium Authority, the Baltimore mayor, as well as the governor, are provided with skyboxes — valued at thousands of dollars per game — at the Ravens and Orioles stadiums. There are no restrictions on who the officials can invite.

Records obtained by The Baltimore Sun via a Public Information Act request show Scott was a frequent attendee at games held at both sports stadiums.

At Camden Yards, Scott occupied the city’s third base side suite Opening Day and during 12 additional games that season. He attended two late-season games against division rivals the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. In July, he sat in the suite with women’s basketball star Angel Reese . The city’s suite package includes additional tickets to each game located behind home plate. Scott’s spokesman Bryan Doherty said the mayor has used those seats for some games, while he has personally purchased tickets in that area for others. Records provided to The Sun do not indicate how those tickets were allocated.

Scott’s office typically distributes tickets for the entire suite at Camden Yards to an agency or group, while suite tickets for M&T Bank Stadium are handed out individually.

Scott’s top staffers were repeat guests in both suites in 2023. Chief of Staff Marvin James attended seven Ravens games and occupied the Orioles box for three. City Administrator Faith Leach was invited to five Ravens games and had the Orioles suite for three, records showed. State Del. Caylin Young, who works for Scott as the deputy director of the Office of Equity and Civil Rights, received two suite passes each to two Ravens games in September and December. Suite passes require the holder to have a ticket for a seat elsewhere in the stadium, but grant access to the stadium’s suite level. Calvin Young, Caylin Young’s brother and Scott’s campaign treasurer, received suite passes to four Ravens games.

Elected officials were often recipients of tickets for both the Ravens and Orioles suites. Every member of the Baltimore City Council received tickets for the Orioles box for at least one game in 2023 except for Councilman Zeke Cohen. Cohen said he has a policy of not accepting free tickets. Council President Nick Mosby was the most frequent council guest at Camden Yards. He received suite tickets for three games during the 2023 season. Baltimore County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr., Baltimore County Councilman Pat Young, state Del. Luke Clippinger and Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates also used Orioles suite tickets. All are Democrats.

Mosby was also the council’s most frequent attendee at M&T Bank Stadium. The council president received two tickets to 10 football games including one playoff game. Eight other members of the Baltimore City Council went to at least one game in 2023, but most attended more. Councilman Antonio Glover attended four games through a combination of tickets and suite passes. Five members of the council attended the divisional round playoff game on Jan. 20 as did Comptroller Bill Henry, records showed. (The Sun’s record request did not include the conference championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs.)

Other elected officials who were guests of the mayor at M&T Bank at least once last season included: Bates, state Del. Stephanie Smith, state Sen. Cory McCray, state Sen. Antonio Hayes and state Sen. Arthur Ellis, a representative of Charles County. Former Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who first hired Scott and has served as a mentor to the mayor, received suite passes to two Ravens games.

Maryland's Angel Reese (#10) celebrates victory over Florida Gulf Coast in the NCAA Tournament 2nd round game at Xfinity Center. March 20, 2022. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun Staff)

Faith Leach is the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Baltimore. Aug. 25, 2023

Del. Caylin Young listens to Governor Wes Moore, D-Md. during the State of the State Address to a joint session of the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Baltimore,MD-1/19/16 --Calvin Young speaks at the Marble Hill Community Association's mayoral forum at the New Metropolitan Baptist Church in Baltimore. Lloyd Fox/Staff #44806

Council President candidate Nick Mosby at the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB) 2024 Downtown Baltimore Candidate Forum. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski at the ribbon cutting for the new Board of Elections in Owings Mills. The Board of Elections has expanded and consolidated its offices since moving from Hunt Valley.

Jeffrey F. Bill/Baltimore Sun Media

Delegate Pat Young makes his comments about the partnership between the state and the county. County Executive Johnny Olszewski and Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones announced significant new State and County funding, $10 million from the county and $10 million from the state, for community-driven revitalization efforts. The announcement came at the location where the former iHop and Bennigan's restaurants have been razed at the Security Square Mall and surrounding area. A Chick-fil-A restaurant is to open in the fall.

Del. Luke Clippinger, a Democrat representing the 46th District in Baltimore City, listens to the floor debate in the House Chamber on Sine Die.

Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates announces the indictments of five law enforcement officers in three separate cases. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott deals with his crying newborn son Charm Jamie Scott as fiancée Hana Pugh, left, looks on while attending the Virginia State Johnson C. Smith University game during 2024 CIAA Women's basketball tournament at CFG Bank Arena. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Sun

Renter protections introduced by Baltimore City Councilman Antonio Glover took effect Monday night. The law requires landlords to provide tenants with an opportunity to renew their lease unless there is a "just cause" reason.

Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun

City Councilmen Robert Stokes Sr. of District 12 probes BGE representatives during the hearing held by the City Council's Health, Environment and Technology Committee on the installation of external gas pressure regulators. Stokes pressed the BGE officials on their claims of comparative safety of interior vs. exterior gas regulators, among other issues in dispute.

City Comptroller Bill Henry listens to a taxpayer who spoke before the Board of Estimates during Taxpayers' Night at City Hall. (Amy Davis/Staff photo)

Joshua McKerrow/Capital Gazette

Del. Stephanie Smith represents District 45 in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun

From left, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, chair of the Baltimore City Senate Delegation Sen. Cory McCray (D-45) and Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison at a news conference on Lawyers Mall in support of Senate Bill 586 (Pretrial Release).

Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun

From left, Chad Williams, Del. Marlon Amprey, Sen. Antonio Hayes, and Gov. Wes Moore laugh as Coppin State University president Anthony Jenkins delivers remarks during a news conference. Moore announced that $11.4 million in state redevelopment funds are going to the West North Avenue Development Authority.

Sen. Arthur Ellis, D-Charles.

Former Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake gives remarks during a ceremony celebrating the life of Elijah Cummings. A public viewing and community celebration for Congressman Elijah E. Cummings was held at Morgan State University on Wednesday. 10-23-2019 (Ulysses Muñoz, Baltimore Sun)

Josh Fannon, president of IAFF Local 964, endorses Mayor Brandon Scott in the race for Baltimore mayor Monday. (Emily Opilo/Staff)

Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun

Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott, who was newly elected to the position by his fellow councilmen, talks with his mother Donna Scott after conducting his first council meeting as president at City Hall.

Clyde Boatwright, president of the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police, speaks outside the State House in Annapolis on Wednesday, March 10. The FOP is opposed to provisions in a policing reform bill being debated by the House of Delegates.

Diamond Brown, president of BTA (Baltimore Teachers Union) Thu., June 6, {iptcy ear4}.

Barbara Haddock Taylor / Baltimore Sun

Michael Mancuso, president of the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, holds a press conference to talk about his organization's report, "The Mismanagement Of The Baltimore Police Department And Its Impact On Public Safety." Lt. Ken Butler is on left.

Kevin Richardson / Baltimore Sun

Former NFL player Jason Murphy and his wife Robyn attend the Black-Eyed Susan race at Pimlico Racetrack.

City employees were also regular guests, particularly at Orioles games. More than a dozen city offices were given tickets to the box during the 2023 season.

At least one city labor leader was generally in attendance at each Ravens game in 2023. Tickets went to Josh Fannon and Matthew Coster, presidents of the two city fire unions; Antoinette Ryan, president of City Union of Baltimore; Clyde Boatwright, president of the Maryland State Fraternal Order of Police; Diamonté Brown, president of the Baltimore Teachers Union; and Ricarra Jones, political director for SEIU Local 1199 United Healthcare Workers East. Mike Mancuso, president of the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, received a suite pass to one game.

SEIU Local 1199, the Baltimore Teachers Union and both fire unions have endorsed Scott during his bid for reelection. The primary is May 14.

Several donors to Scott’s campaign were among suite guests at Ravens games. Phillip Stokes, a principal with media company greiBO solutions, attended four games in the city’s Ravens suite in 2023. Stokes gave $1,500 to Scott’s campaign earlier this year. Jeffrey Hargrave, founder and president of commercial construction firm Mahogany Inc., was the recipient of two tickets to the Ravens suite in September. Hargrave gave the Scott campaign $6,000. Mahogany gave $2,500.

Brandon Wylie, co-owner of florist Fleurs D’Ave, was a guest in the Ravens suite for the divisional round playoff game as was Al Wylie, owner of Wylie Funeral Home. Wylie Funeral Home contributed $1,000 to Scott’s campaign in January 2023. Brandon Wylie contributed $10,000 to Scott’s campaign during the current election cycle, above the $6,000 individual maximum. Following a Sun story about the overage , the campaign said it has issued Wylie a refund for $4,000.

Scott’s mother, Donna Scott, attended nine football games in 2023 including the divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans. His fiancée, Hana Pugh, attended six regular season football games and one preseason game. Pugh’s son, Ceron, attended four games.

Other notable guests to Ravens games included:

• Robyn Murphy, owner of a media consulting company that founded a legal-defense fund to benefit Nick and Marilyn Mosby. Murphy received a ticket to a game in November and three tickets to a game in January;
• Brittney Verner, a then-reporter for television station WMAR. Verner attended a game in the mayor’s suite on Nov. 16. She has since left the station, but published a story about Scott in December ;
• Ike Carter, an organizer behind 300 Men March, a group co-founded by Scott. Carter received suite passes to 11 Ravens games.

In addition to the better-known guests to the Ravens suite were numerous community members who were also selected to attend. Youth from the city’s Brooklyn Homes neighborhood were invited to a preseason game in August one month after a mass shooting there killed two and injured 28, many young people.

Community groups were frequent recipients of the city’s suite at Camden Yards, too. Church groups and faith leaders received tickets as did the Fund for Educational Excellence, Uproar Care Foundation, Mt. Washington School and College Bound.

Scott said he has made a point to try to get more tickets into the hands of average city residents since he became mayor.

“If you look at my record on how we give out the city’s tickets to sporting events, and you compare them to folks that came before me, a lot more average Baltimoreans are getting those tickets, sometimes much to the chagrin of other elected officials,” he said.

Use of the city’s suites at M&T Bank Stadium and Camden Yards came under a spotlight during the administration of Rawlings-Blake after she rescinded an offer of tickets to then-City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young to a playoff game in 2012 after he publicly criticized her. Public records requests filed by The Sun at the time showed Rawlings-Blake was using the box primarily for city employees , prominent business leaders, donors to her campaign and family members.

Henry, the city’s comptroller who had suite tickets for two Orioles games in 2023, said he has seen a shift during the Scott administration to include more non-elected officials and community leaders in the suites than his predecessors.

“It’s a very, very important thing for me,” Scott said. “I try to … help those families, especially families that have been through a lot, people who quite frankly need a little bit of good in their life.”

More in Politics

Local News | Perkins Homes transforms into Perkins Square with multiple types of housing

National Politics | Analysis: What to watch during what could be Biden’s final White House correspondents’ dinner

National Politics | Trump is having a bad week. Will it matter in the election?

Health | Holdout states consider expanding Medicaid — with work requirements

• Olympic Sports
• FanNation FanNation FanNation
• SI.COM SI.COM SI.COM
• SI Swimsuit SI Swimsuit SI Swimsuit
• SI Sportsbook SI Sportsbook SI Sportsbook
• SI Tickets SI Tickets SI Tickets
• SI Showcase SI Showcase SI Showcase
• SI Resorts SI Resorts SI Resorts
• NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER

The Highs and Lows of Penn State's 2024 NFL Draft

Eight Nittany Lions were drafted, including the biggest haul of offensive linemen since 1996.

• Author: Mark Wogenrich

In this story:

Penn State produced another prolific weekend at the 2024 NFL Draft, with eight Nittany Lions getting selected during the three-day event in Detroit. Four players went on Day 3, while several others turned to the free-agent market for opportunities. It was a fascinating draft for Penn State with some unique insight into the 2023 roster. Let's take a look.

First, a recap of Penn State's eight draft picks:

Offensive tackle Olu Fashanu: Round 1 (11 overall), New York Jets

Defensive end Chop Robinson: Round 1 (21 overall), Miami Dolphins

Offensive tackle Caedan Wallace: Round 3 (68 overall), New England Patriots

Defensive end Adisa Isaac: Round 3, (93 overall), Baltimore Ravens

Tight end Theo Johnson: Round 4 (107 overall), New York Giants

Center Hunter Nourzad: Round 5 (159 overall), Kansas City Chiefs

Cornerback Daequan Hardy: Round 6 (219 overall), Buffalo Bills

Cornerback Kalen King: Round 7 (255 overall), Green Bay Packers

A few stats about Penn State's draft class

• The eight selections matched a program high during head coach James Franklin's tenure
• This marked Penn State's seventh straight year with five ore more picks
• Three programs have had at least one player drafted in the first three rounds for 19 consecutive seasons: Penn State, USC and LSU
• Penn State's historical draft count stands at 389, ranking seventh among FBS programs. Penn State has 42 first-round picks.

Penn State's year of the offensive linemen

Was Penn State's 2023 offensive line the best since 1995? It's a fair question to ask. Three linemen were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, led by consensus All-American Olu Fashanu to the New York Jets at No. 11 overall . Caedan Wallace delivered a surge season at right tackle to become a third-round pick , and center Hunter Nourzad went from Cornell to Penn State to Kansas City in Round 5 .

The last time Penn State produced three drafted linemen was 1996. That year, four members of Penn State's front were drafted, led by first-rounders Jeff Hartings and Andre Johnson. They formed Penn State's best offensive line of the Big Ten era with tackle Keith Conlin (6th round), guard Marco Rivera (6th round) and center Bucky Greeley (a free-agent signee of the Carolina Panthers). That group fronted the prolific Penn State offense of 1994 that produced the program's last unbeaten season.

If guard Sal Wormley gets drafted next season, that would be four starters from Penn State's 2023 line. Just like that 1994-95 lines. Heck, Fashanu was the first tackle drafted in the James Franklin era. Last year's offensive line might have been undervalued.

The rise of Daequan Hardy

While starting cornerbacks Kalen King and Johnny Dixon did not play in the Peach Bowl in December, Hardy made his second career start and led the team in total snaps (84). Before the game, Hardy said he wanted to play to demonstrate his worth for any potential scouts watching. That, along with his punt-return skills and his 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, got Hardy noticed by Buffalo Bills.

Meanwhile, starting cornerbacks Kalen King (seventh round) and Johnny Dixon (undrafted) never gained much draft traction. In fact, 10 cornerbacks were taken in the fifth round alone.

What about Kalen King?

The cornerback gave a raw interview to the Green Bay Packers media Saturday after being selected in the seventh round at No. 257 overall. More here from the call , but this was particularly revealing.

The experience I got the past three days, it was nothing but a humbling experience for me, and I’m going to use it as fuel to the fire," King said. "There's been a lot of doubters in my ear, there’s been a lot of doubters [about] me the last couple months. I know what I’m capable of and I’m ready to show the world."

What about Curtis Jacobs?

The linebacker made nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season, surprisingly went undrafted. Jacobs was a three-year starter who made more than 100 tackles the past two seasons. However, 15 linebackers were drafted without Jacobs hearing his name called. The Athletic's Dane Brugler rated Jacobs as the No. 10 linebacker in the draft , projecting him as a fifth-round pick. And he was the draft's 108th-rated player according to ESPN.

So what went wrong? Brugler pointed to Jacobs' "lack of physicality" as a concern. That Jacobs did not register a pass breakup last season might have caused teams to question his coverage skills. However, Jacobs might get a soft landing in free agency. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

SIGNED: Curtis Jacobs Happy Valley → Title Town #WeAre x @CurtisUpNext23 x @Chiefs pic.twitter.com/PLIuDE8pDD — Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 27, 2024

What about Johnny Dixon?

The starting cornerback sustained a hip injury before the NFL Draft Combine and did not work out there or at Penn State's Pro Day. That was a setback. Dixon said in March that he did not need surgery and expected to be "fully recovered" by the draft. However, the injury might have made teams reluctant.

"I've been through worse," Dixon said. "It's just realizing that my journey isn't over, my story isn't over. And I know that I'm going to make it through and still be everything I want to be."

In the free-agent market

In addition to Jacobs, several other Nittany Lions got NFL opportunities. Safety Keaton Ellis signed with the Tennessee Titans, and running back Trey Potts got a mini-camp invite from Kansas City.

More Penn State Draft News

James Franklin attended two draft parties on opening night

What the New York Giants are getting in Theo Johnson

Adisa Isaac gets his opportunity with the Baltimore Ravens

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.

Latest Nittany Lions News

James Franklin Says Comment Regarding Saquon Barkley Was 'Misinterpreted'

Ticket Information for the First Beer Fest at Penn State's Beaver Stadium

Matt McGloin Runs for Penn State's Board of Trustees

On Penn State's Defense, Abdul Carter's Move Is a 'Win-Win for Everybody'

What We Learned From Penn State Pro Day

... in his own words and in words of those, who knew him

Concert in Moscow 1993

Samvel Gasparov , a movie director, tells the story about MJ' show in Moscow in 1993:

'I heard about Michael Jackson for the first time back in the 70's. I even knew some of his songs, but I never was a fan. When I worked as a truck driver, I used to listen to Georgian music. Later, when I went to college, I grew to like Joe Dassin, Charles Aznavour, Tom Jones, and Engelbert Humperdinck. But I always knew about Jackson, and I knew that he was a good singer. In the early 90's my dream was to make a movie called "Run brother, run". American filmmakers expressed some interest in the script, and in 1992 I went to Romania where we rented a foundation. As it happened, Michael Jackson was giving a show in Bucharest at that time, and I was introduced to his producer Marcel Avram by one of our mutual friends. Marcel asked me to help them tape Michael's concert, and I did what I could. It was a pleasure. The performance left me stunned. Jackson impressed me very much – he was a genius, that's no question. I was personally introduced to him, and I remember shaking his cool pale hand. On the second day at dinner I told Avram about my wish to make a movie in the USA and my need for money. I already had an offer for five movies and lodging in the US by then. "I like you", Avram said. "If you want, we can bring Michael to Moscow. Then you can organize a show and make some money." I thought it would be cool, but I honestly didn't believe it was possible. But soon after that Avram sent his people to Moscow in order to check out Dessa, the company I headed at the time. It was one of the first Russian private companies created for the purpose of movie making, and I had some good folks on my team.

Suddenly the project came to life. Money was pushed to the background in my mind. I was full of enthusiasm, I wanted to bring that joyful event to people – after all, it was the first time a big Star was going to visit Russia. Since the visit of Avram's delegation and till September 1993 we were busy with preparations. It was my first experience in show business, and I couldn't imagine that it would be that hard and unpredictable. I thought that all showbiz "sharks" would support me and help me with that project, but it turned out the other way round – they threw obstacles in my way and tried to prevent the show from happening. We felt that our efforts were not appreciated. We even got phone calls with threats. And we got attacked by the media: they wrote that I was the king of the liquor industry and the head of the Chechen mafia. They said I was organizing the show in order to sell vodka on the stadium. It was a nightmare! They also wrote garbage about Jackson – that he was a pedophile, and that I was going to bring not him, but his impersonator who would lip synch to his songs. But all this crap only turned us on. We decided that we would make the show happen no matter what.

On September 15, 1993 Michael postpones his flight out of Moscow, Russia, and instead goes to visit a hospital for mentally challenged children there, who rejoice at seeing him and fight for his attention. One of his aides says that the singer has asked for one of the children to be flown to America for care and treatment which Jackson will pay for. The singer holds a few children in his arms and on his lap, comforts and plays with them and wishes to entertain them: “I’d like to sing with them. We all know a song together”, he says, visibly emotional. He also visits children in a nearby orphanage, who will sing a song to him in Russian, turning him – the ultimate performer, into an attentive spectator.

• Thoughts and ideas
• On the plane
• In Australia´s Hospital
• David Smithee
• Christmas Party For Orphans
• The Day I Met My Hero
• Restoration In Neverland
• Once Upon A Time
• Dinner With Michael
• Daniele Parisi
• Always Humble
• Michael In Oman
• Bela Farkas
• Angelic Eyes
• Driver Gokor
• Uri Geller about MJ
• In Search Of Neverland
• In Ormond Street Hospital
• Michael And Photography
• Michael as a Farmer
• David Pack about MJ
• Dance and Weddings
• Donna Ashlock
• Flight Over Brazilia
• One Day at Liseberg
• MJ & the Walters Family
• Craig & Michael Flemings
• Michael and the Dentist
• Magical Michael
• Tim´s Dinner with Michael
• Tabitha Messick meets MJ
• Michael and Mrs. Ma Family
• Sam Parity remembers MJ
• Stories from "The Wiz"
• Peacemaker at 30,000 feet
• Michael Jackson In India
• Nisha Kataria
• Two Michael Jacksons
• MJ in Netherlands
• David Sonnet
• Michael saved his sister´s husband from suicide
• Cascio Family
• MJ and Kim Jong Il
• Little Michael as a Babysitter
• A Major Moment
• Michael and China Airlines
• Bob Giraldi on directing "Beat It"
• You felt like God was within him
• Prasadam dinners
• MJ lifts a child with brain tumor
• Concert in Moscow
• Celine´s Art
• Remembering Michael
• My Brush With Badness
• An Evening With Michael
• South Africa´s Children Hospital
• Michael the Driver
• Journey of Wolf Family
• Amanda Porter
• Polish Girl Marielle
• The Effect of a Song
• MJ Dances at Bar Mitzvah
• Bucharest´s Orphanage
• Mediation of rappers
• Two Days With Michael
• Aboriginal College
• Homeless people
• Gessica´s meeting with MJ
• Mutual support
• Healing Tape
• Three Young Orphans
• Act of Thoughtfulness
• More About Michael

Search site

True Michael Jackson

kiwi@truemichaeljackson.com

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

Torpedo Stadium: A living history of Soviet soccer

Renovation will open a new chapter in the history of Streltsov Stadium. For the fans, however, this place will always be linked with the one man who was and remains a legend of Soviet soccer, Eduard Streltsov. Source: Anton Denisov / RIA Novosti

Torpedo Stadium—Moscow’s oldest—will soon be closed for renovation. This field, which has been owned by businessman Mikhail Prokhorov ’s ONEXIM Group since 2007, is to be transformed into a modern sports complex where, in addition to a covered stadium, there are plans to build children’s sports schools and a museum of Russian soccer.

The building may not turn out to be as big as the Barclays Center in Brooklyn (which the Russian billionaire built for his NBA team, the Brooklyn Nets ), but Torpedo fans have already expressed their concerns about the new building. The original plan was to completely demolish the stadium and develop the site as exclusive housing; however, when thousands of supporters signed a petition against the demolition of the stadium, the owners decided to preserve the sports facility.

Streltsov , Russia’s Pelè in the gulag

Torpedo Stadium is unique, in a way. There are hardly any top-level spectacles here, as the home team plays in the second soccer division. Moreover, since August 2013, the Torpedo team has had to move: The club began playing its home games in the Moscow suburb of Ramenskoye, due to high rent.

Meanwhile, the stadium on Vostochnaya Street has become a favorite training ground for the Russian national soccer team, and, in August, the two best American football teams in Russia— Black Storm and the Moscow Patriots —played each other on the local field.

The Streltsov Torpedo Stadium is not located in the most picturesque of areas: Factory chimneys and brick walls stand alongside typical dismal Soviet-era buildings. It was here that, in 1924, the workers of the ZIL car factory started the Torpedo club.

Torpedo has always been a local soccer team. The car makers were nowhere near as popular as Spartak, which enjoyed national fame, and the black-and-whites could not boast of government patronage, as Dynamo could. In some ways, this is why the residents of Moscow’s Avtozavodsky District are so devoted to their club, despite the fact that, in the 2000s, the team did not experience the best of times.

Officials downplay panic over Russia’s soccer stadiums

Problems with finance mean the club has had to rely on young players it has developed itself, and Torpedo has not been able to get back into the Premier League for the last seven years. In a world of multi-million-dollar soccer transfers, Torpedo looks like a dinosaur that has somehow managed to survive.

Torpedo Stadium has never known the glory of Luzhniki, which served as the main stadium of the 1980 Olympics and the venue for the 2008 Champions League final. The field on Vostochnaya Street has never been Moscow’s main stadium, but, for Torpedo supporters, it is a shrine. This is where Eduard Streltsov—probably the best soccer players in Soviet history, if we leave aside the great Dynamo goalkeeper Lev Yashin—played and caught fans’ imagination.

Streltsov’s story is like a Hollywood film. At the age of 16, the wunderkind from a working-class suburb of Moscow became Torpedo’s main forward; at 17, he made a triumphant debut for the Soviet national team, scoring a hat trick in his first two games; at 18, he was the top goal-scorer in the Soviet league. Tall and strong, and with a broad grin, the young man caught everyone’s attention, on the field and off it.

His contemporaries recall that Streltsov played almost like a genius: His faultless technique, combined with his superb ability to read the game, enabled him to pull off real masterpieces of soccer, time and again. In 1956, the 19-year-old Streltsov was the key player on the Soviet team at the Melbourne Olympics, where the Soviet soccer players won gold for the first time in team history.

“He seemed to have the ball on a lead, and his ball control could get him past two or three defenders,” said defender Vladimir Ponomarev, Streltsov’s teammate on the Soviet national team, in an interview with Sovetsky Sport. “He had an exceptional soccer mind. He could anticipate and work out how the attack would develop, like a computer—several moves ahead, automatically, in an instant.”

The 1958 world championship should have been a golden moment for the Russian king of soccer, but Streltsov did not get to meet the other king of soccer—Brazil’s Pele—on the Swedish field. On June 15, while the Soviet team was losing 2-0 to Brazil, Streltsov was being interrogated by investigators at Moscow’s Butyrka prison. He had been arrested on May 27, on suspicion of rape during a party at a dacha not far from the Tarasovka sports center, where the Soviet team was preparing for the tournament. Streltsov was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Arguments about how just the court’s decision was continue to this day. Some say Streltsov’s imprisonment was revenge by the KGB for his refusal to transfer to the Dynamo club, which was under the control of the special services; others link the sportsman’s drama to his refusal to marry the daughter of the iron lady of the Soviet government, the influential Yekaterina Furtseva. Doubt has been cast on many of the circumstances of that fateful night. It is likely that the truth of this story will never be known, but, in spite of everything, Streltsov will always be an idol to Torpedo fans.

Rugby in Russia: Bringing the gentleman’s game to the people

Streltsov was given early release in 1963, and, after another two years, he was allowed to return to top-level soccer. At the age of 28, Streltsov took to the field again in a black-and-white Torpedo uniform. Even after six years in prison, there was no getting away from his talent: The powerful forward again became the leader of the Torpedo front line, taking his team to the championship in 1965.

The secret of Streltsov’s popularity was not just that he played like a genius. Supporters saw him as one of their own: While he was a professional sportsman, he continued to work at the factory and live in an ordinary apartment not far from the stadium. After Streltsov’s death (he died from lung cancer in 1990), officials decided to put up a monument to the soccer player by the entrance to the field; since 1997, the stadium itself has borne his name.

Renovation will open a new chapter in the history of Streltsov Stadium. Only time will tell to what extent it will preserve its inimitable atmosphere. For the fans, however, this place will always be linked with the one man who was and remains a legend of Soviet soccer.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.