BALTIMORE -- Oriole Park at Camden Yards typically sits dormant during the baseball offseason. However, that hasn’t been the case this week.
The NFL’s Los Angeles Rams are using the Orioles’ home ballpark for practices ahead of their Week 7 matchup vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars set to be played in London on Sunday. The Rams, who are coming off a 17-3 road win over the Ravens, opted to stay in Baltimore this week, rather than return home to L.A., in order to shorten their flight overseas.
It is believed to be the first time Camden Yards -- which opened in 1992 -- has hosted a non-baseball sporting event/practice.
On Wednesday afternoon, various Rams players imitated baseball players as they came out of the dugouts and jogged onto the field. That group included wide receivers Davante Adams and Tutu Atwell, linebacker Byron Young, nose tackle Poona Ford, running back Kyren Williams and tight end Tyler Higbee, who tipped his hat to an invisible crowd in the empty seats.
The Maryland Stadium Authority approved the usage during its Oct. 7 board meeting. The organization is the landlord for both Oriole Park and neighboring M&T Bank Stadium.
MSA executive director Michael Frenz said during the aforementioned meeting that the Rams had initially discussed renting out the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium for practices, but it wouldn’t have worked out logistically ahead of Baltimore’s next home game on Oct. 26.
“The fields would get really torn up and they wouldn’t have time to get it in condition for the next Ravens home game, so they went to the Orioles, and the Orioles agreed,” Frenz said at the meeting. “I think it’s an example of the cooperation between the two teams. I think it’s really cool.”
The Rams were approved to use Camden Yards’ facilities, including the playing field, both clubhouses and banquet areas, from this past Saturday until Friday. The Rams are paying for the operating costs during their short stay as tenants.
“It’s a great use of the facility,” Maryland Stadium Authority chairman Craig Thompson said at the Oct. 7 meeting.
It’s also a unique look for Camden Yards, which has never been associated with football.
In preparation for the Rams, a 60-yard practice field featuring an end zone was painted onto the grass in left-center field, with the end zone occupying the space that is typically center. An additional 25-yard mini-field was painted onto the grass in right.
It’s a creative use of the space, and it’s quite different than what fans are used to seeing there.
Camden Yards isn’t the first ballpark to welcome football visitors. The Oakland Coliseum (A’s and Raiders) and Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium (Marlins and Dolphins) used to serve as homes to both an MLB and NFL franchise.
In more recent years, Boston’s Fenway Park, New York’s Yankee Stadium, Phoenix’s Chase Field and San Diego’s Petco Park have hosted college football bowl games.