Baltimore Ravens Utilize Sitecore Web CMS to Enable Community Features and Expand Fan Base

New team website offers a venue for Ravens fans to connect, interact, and experience the game together   

San Francisco, March 4, 2009 - Sitecore, the leading provider of .NET Web Content Management System (CMS) and portal software, today announced that the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens have deployed Sitecore’s Web CMS as the digital framework to engage, interact with, and expand its fan base. The Baltimore Ravens incorporated community features such as media-serving and forums, as supported by the flexibility and extensibility of the Sitecore CMS platform. The new website also attracts current and new Ravens fans by allowing them to easily connect and enjoy the game together.

Fans can interact and stay up-to-date via blogs, forums, video highlights and constant in-game and post-game updates. By applying the capabilities of Sitecore CMS to their fullest extent, the Baltimore Ravens web team can focus on providing exceptional and continually up-to-date content in multimedia, blogs and all aspects of the site to effectively engage and communicate with fans. The site appeals to and encourages interaction from Ravens fans of all types, from children participating in the Rookies Kids Club to “Purple,” the official group dedicated to female fans. Purple, launched in August of 2007, boasts several thousand members of the team’s estimated 46% female fanbase who connect at special events, in online clubs and keep up-to-date with the Purple edition of the club’s newsletter. 

The redesign of the Baltimore Ravens website incorporated feedback directly from the site’s dedicated fan community members, resulting in site branding that truly reflects the spirit and passion of Ravens fans themselves. To provide a truly immersive multimedia online experience that brings the excitement of an in-stadium game to fans, interactive elements were made available on almost every page. The new site showcases the quality and quantity of online content through continuously updated articles and video assets, making the site the leading destination for Baltimore Ravens fans.  

“Whether catching replays of game day highlights or participating in fantasy leagues, sports fans are communicating and interacting online in new ways,” said Paul Markun, VP marketing, Sitecore. “Baltimore Ravens fans have experienced a particularly exciting season and now they can share their experience of following their team online year round.”

The revamp of the Ravens site was undertaken by Sitecore solution partner Digitaria, a full-service digital marketing and technology firm whose portfolio includes an award-winning Sitecore CMS implementation for the Atlanta Falcons and other well-known sports and entertainment sites. According to John van Spyk, vice president of managed services, Digitaria, “We’re seeing an increasing number of sports teams providing fans with a site where they can use community capabilities to connect, fan to fan. Sports teams are bringing their fan bases online and building engaging communities that last on- and off-season, and are accessible 24/7. The Ravens organization does an amazing job connecting with the fans on many levels.”

Additional Sitecore customers in sports media engaging fans online include the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Open Golf, Women’s Pro Soccer, and the Women’s Sports Foundation.

About Sitecore

Sitecore’s Web Content Management System (CMS) and portal software solutions enable companies to deliver compelling web experiences. Sitecore’s award-winning CMS software makes it easy for businesses to create and update dynamic, full-featured Websites of all types. Sitecore’s industry leading flexibility and scalability allows companies to better leverage their content, improve customer experience and drive business growth.

Thousands of public and private organizations, including national governments and Fortune 500 companies utilize Sitecore solutions for their websites. These organizations have created and now manage more than 20,000 dynamic websites with Sitecore including Microsoft, Sara Lee, Siemens, Toshiba, Omni Hotels, Computer Associates, ISS and Atlanta Falcons.

About Digitaria

Digitaria (www.digitaria.com) is a leading digital marketing and technology firm headquartered in San Diego with additional offices in Los Angeles and New York. Since 1997, Digitaria has consistently led the field in creating digital experiences online through Web sites, intranets, extranets, digital asset management, interactive marketing campaigns and business solutions that are both measurable and memorable. Digitaria represents many of the largest brands in the world. Active clients include Atlanta Falcons, ASICS Shoes, Best Western International, CBS Corporation, Cobra Golf, Comcast Corporation, FOX Corporation, Gateway Corporation, Gordon Rush, Hasbro, Inc., KCET Hollywood, NBC Universal, QUALCOMM, Inc., Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Marketing, WPT Enterprises, Inc. and many others.

Digitaria believes strongly in the power of collaboration and strategic thinking and often integrates internal teams with the talented staff of its clients to ensure all stakeholders contribute to the success of the engagement. For additional information, please visit http://www.digitaria.com.

Media Contacts:

Rob Adler for Sitecore
Vantage Communications
415-984-1970 x104
radler@pr-vantage.com