Editing Baltimore Ravens (section)

===Background===
After the [[Baltimore Colts relocation to Indianapolis|controversial 1984  relocation]] of the [[History of the Baltimore Colts|Colts]] to Indianapolis, several attempts were made to bring an NFL team back to Baltimore. In 1993, ahead of the 1995 league expansion, the city was considered a favorite, behind only [[St. Louis]], to be granted one of two new franchises.<ref name=LitskyNYT>{{cite news |last1=Litsky |first1=Frank |title=PRO FOOTBALL; N.F.L. Expansion Surprise: Jacksonville Jaguars |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/01/sports/pro-football-nfl-expansion-surprise-jacksonville-jaguars.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=December 13, 2014 |date=December 1, 1993 |archive-date=December 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209080300/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/01/sports/pro-football-nfl-expansion-surprise-jacksonville-jaguars.html |url-status=live}}</ref> League officials and team owners feared litigation due to conflicts between rival bidding groups if St. Louis was awarded a franchise. In October [[Charlotte, North Carolina]] was the first city chosen. Several weeks later, Baltimore's bid for a franchise—dubbed the [[Baltimore Bombers (proposed NFL team)|Baltimore Bombers]], in honor of the locally produced [[Martin B-26 Marauder]] [[bomber]]—had three ownership groups in place<ref name=LitskyNYT/> and a state financial package which included a proposed $200 million, rent free stadium and permission to charge up to $80 million in personal seat license fees.<ref name=Babington>{{cite news |title=Modell Announces Browns' Move to Baltimore |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1995/95nfl4.htm |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=July 18, 2013 |author=Charles Babington |author2=Ken Denlinger |date=November 6, 1995 |archive-date=October 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027080354/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1995/95nfl4.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Burke>{{cite web |last=Burke |first=Mike |title=A bitter pill still lodged in the throat of Baltimore |url=http://times-news.com/archive/x1540384068 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130718033254/http://times-news.com/archive/x1540384068 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 18, 2013 |work=Cumberland Times-News |access-date=July 18, 2013 |date=January 12, 1997 |quote=... despite its misgivings about the whole thing, Baltimore then went out and sought the Cleveland Browns...}}</ref> Baltimore, however, was unexpectedly passed over in favor of [[Jacksonville, Florida]], despite Jacksonville's minor TV market status and that the city had withdrawn from contention in the summer, only to return with former Commissioner [[Paul Tagliabue]]'s urging.<ref name=LitskyNYT/> Although league officials denied that any city had been favored, it was reported that Tagliabue and his longtime friend [[Washington Redskins]] owner [[Jack Kent Cooke]] had lobbied against Baltimore due to its proximity to Washington, DC,<ref name=LitskyNYT/><ref name=Burke/><ref>{{cite web |last=Waldron |first=Thomas |title=Redskins back city on Browns, Jack Kent Cooke drops opposition to move to Baltimore |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1996/02/07/redskins-back-city-on-browns-jack-kent-cooke-drops-opposition-to-move-to-baltimore-nfl-to-vote-on-issue-friday-schmoke-pgs-curry-appeal-to-legislators-to-support-2-stadiums/ |work=The Baltimore Sun |access-date=July 18, 2013 |date=December 7, 1996 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215916/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-02-07/news/1996038073_1_stadium-glendening-redskins |url-status=live}}</ref> and that Tagliabue had used the initial committee voting system to prevent the entire league ownership from voting on Baltimore's bid.<ref name=Stellino1>{{cite news |last1=Stellino |first1=Vito |title=In museum of gall, Tagliabue's expansion remark is masterpiece |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/12/05/in-museum-of-gall-tagliabues-expansion-remark-is-masterpiece/ |newspaper=Baltimore Sun |access-date=December 13, 2014 |date=December 5, 1993 |archive-date=December 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214024354/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-12-05/sports/1993339142_1_tagliabue-baltimore-oakland |url-status=live}}</ref> This led to public outrage and ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' describing Tagliabue as having an "Anybody But Baltimore" policy.<ref name=Stellino1/> Maryland governor [[William Donald Schaefer]] said afterward that Tagliabue had led him on, praising Baltimore and the proposed owners while working behind the scenes to oppose Baltimore's bid.<ref name=Stellino1/>

By May 1994, [[Baltimore Orioles]] owner [[Peter Angelos]] had gathered a new group of investors, including author [[Tom Clancy]], to bid on teams whose owners had expressed interest in relocating.<ref name=Olesker>{{cite news |last=Olesker |first=Michael |title=Angelos wants a football team, nobody laughs |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/05/10/angelos-wants-a-football-team-nobody-laughs/ |access-date=July 18, 2013 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=May 10, 1994 |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105041617/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-05-10/news/1994130001_1_peter-angelos-football-in-baltimore-orioles |url-status=live}}</ref> Angelos found a potential partner in [[Georgia Frontiere]], who was open to moving the [[Los Angeles Rams]] to Baltimore. Jack Kent Cooke opposed the move, intending to build the Redskins' new stadium in [[Laurel, Maryland]], close enough to Baltimore to cool outside interest in bringing in a new franchise.<ref name=Simers>{{cite news |last=Simers |first=T.J. |title=Rams owner describes interest in Baltimore |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/12/24/rams-owner-describes-interest-in-baltimore/ |access-date=July 18, 2013 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 4, 1993 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220044/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-12-24/news/1993358004_1_rams-frontiere-belgrad |url-status=live}}</ref> This led to heated arguments between Cooke and Angelos, who accused Cooke of being a "[[carpetbagger]]".<ref name=Olesker/> The league eventually persuaded Rams team president John Shaw to relocate to St. Louis instead, leading to a leaguewide rumor that Tagliabue was again steering interest away from Baltimore, a claim which Tagliabue denied.<ref name=Stellino2>{{cite news |last=Stellino |first=Vito |title=Trial may force NFL to address Baltimore |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/03/26/trial-may-force-nfl-to-address-baltimore/ |access-date=July 18, 2013 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 26, 1995 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215628/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-03-26/sports/1995085115_1_rams-baltimore-league |url-status=live}}</ref> In response to anger in Baltimore, including Governor Schaefer's threat to announce over the loudspeakers Tagliabue's exact location in [[Camden Yards]] any time he attended a [[Baltimore Orioles]] game,<ref name=Rosenthal>{{cite web |last=Rosenthal |first=Ken |title=In this museum, a history lesson for Tagliabue |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1998/09/06/in-this-museum-a-history-lesson-for-tagliabue/ |work=The Baltimore Sun |access-date=July 18, 2013 |date=September 6, 1998 |archive-date=September 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914162520/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-09-06/sports/1998249203_1_commissioner-paul-tagliabue-nfl-stadium-ravens |url-status=live}}</ref> Tagliabue remarked of Baltimore's financial package: "Maybe (Baltimore) can open another museum with that money."<ref name=Burke/> Following this, Angelos made an unsuccessful $200 million bid to bring the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] to Baltimore.<ref name=Morgan>{{cite news |last=Morgan |first=Jon |title=Rams moving closer to St. Louis |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/12/15/rams-moving-closer-to-st-louis/ |access-date=July 18, 2013 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 15, 1994 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220046/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-12-15/sports/1994349088_1_rams-angelos-move-to-st |url-status=live}}</ref>

Having failed to obtain a franchise via the expansion, the city, despite having "misgivings",<ref name=Burke/> turned to the possibility of obtaining the [[Cleveland Browns]], whose owner [[Art Modell]] was financially struggling and at odds with the city of Cleveland over needed improvements to the team's stadium.