You’re walking through the Inner Harbor on a Sunday in October. It’s a literal sea of purple. Not just any purple, though. It’s that deep, almost aggressive shade that feels heavy, royal, and slightly menacing all at once. If you’ve ever wondered what are the baltimore ravens colors, you might think it’s a simple answer. Purple and black, right? Well, yeah. But also no.
There is actually a lot more "stuff" going on in that palette than most casual fans realize. We aren't just talking about a box of 64 Crayola crayons here. We’re talking about a specific set of colors designed to evoke the dark, moody vibes of Edgar Allan Poe and the gritty, blue-collar pride of a city that had its heart ripped out when the Colts left in the middle of the night.
The Core Four: More Than Just "Purple"
The official Baltimore Ravens colors are Purple, Black, Metallic Gold, and Red.
That last one usually trips people up. Red? Really? Look closely at the raven’s eye in the logo. It’s a piercing, aggressive red. It’s not just for show; it’s a nod to the Maryland state flag, which is basically the holy scripture of design in the Free State.
If you're a designer or just a nerd for specifics, the "real" names for these colors aren't just what you'd find at a paint store.
- Ravens Purple: This is the soul of the franchise. It’s often referred to as "Persian Indigo" in some design circles, but to the NFL, it’s simply Ravens Purple.
- Black: Not "charcoal" or "midnight." Just solid, deep black.
- Metallic Gold: This provides the outline for the numbers and the "B" on the helmet. It adds that "regal" touch because, you know, ravens are supposedly the kings of the birds or something.
- NCS Red: The tiny bit of fire in the bird's eye.
Why These Colors Actually Exist
When Art Modell moved the team from Cleveland (let's not talk about the legal drama, we’d be here all day), he couldn't keep the Browns' colors. Honestly, who wants to wear brown and orange anyway? Baltimore needed a fresh start.
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The team name was chosen via a fan contest in The Baltimore Sun. Over 33,000 people voted. "Ravens" won because of the Poe connection—the man is buried right there in Westminster Hall.
But why purple? In the mid-90s, purple was a "risky" color in the NFL. Only the Vikings really owned it. The Ravens’ brass wanted something that looked "menacing." Most birds are just black, but if you catch a raven in the right light, its feathers have this iridescent, oily purple sheen. That’s the "why." It’s meant to represent the bird’s plumage under the sun.
Breaking Down the Digital Specs
If you are trying to paint your man cave or design a fan site, don’t just eyeball it. You’ll end up with something that looks like a grape soda can.
The Purple Hex: #241773
RGB: (36, 23, 115)
Pantone: 273 C
The Gold Hex: #9E7C0C
RGB: (158, 124, 12)
Pantone: 126 C
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The Black Hex: #000000
RGB: (0, 0, 0)
Pantone: Black 6 C
The Red Hex: #C60C30
RGB: (198, 12, 48)
Pantone: 186 C
The "Gold Pants" Incident of 2015
We have to talk about it. It’s a law. In 2015, the Ravens decided to lean heavily into that "Metallic Gold" and wore gold pants for a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
It was... a choice.
Fans absolutely hated them. They looked less like "Metallic Gold" and more like "Mustard Yellow." The team lost that game, and those pants haven't been seen since. It’s a great example of how a color that looks amazing as a 1/4-inch outline on a jersey number can look like a disaster when it covers a 300-pound lineman’s lower half.
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The Maryland Flag Connection
You can’t talk about Baltimore Ravens colors without mentioning the "Shield" logo. Usually found on the sleeves, this logo is a quadrant design that borrows heavily from the Calvert and Crossland families' coats of arms.
This is where the red, white, and yellow/gold come from. Marylanders are obsessed with their flag. Seriously, put it on a sock, a tie, or a crab mallet, and a local will buy it. By weaving these colors into the secondary branding, the Ravens cemented themselves as Maryland’s team, not just a nomadic franchise that landed in a new city.
How to Use This Information
If you are buying gear, always check the "Official" tag. Knock-offs usually get the purple wrong. It’s either too blue (like the Giants) or too red (like the 90s era Raptors).
Practical Steps for Fans and Designers:
- For Painting: Take the official Hex or Pantone codes to a high-end paint store like Sherwin-Williams. Don't just ask for "Ravens Purple"; their database might be outdated. Use the codes.
- For Merch: Look at the gold outlines. If the gold looks more like a flat yellow, it’s probably a cheap replica. The real stuff has a slight metallic shimmer.
- For Digital Art: Use #241773 as your base. It’s a very heavy color, so balance it with plenty of white space or "Black" (#000000) to keep that aggressive Baltimore look.
- The "Purple Rising" Era: If you're following the 2024-2025 seasons, notice the "Purple Rising" alternate helmets. They use a different finish that makes the purple look more vibrant under stadium lights.
The colors are a badge of identity. They represent a defensive-minded, "play-like-a-Raven" mentality that has defined the team for nearly thirty years. Whether it’s the black-out jerseys for a primetime game or the classic purple-on-white road look, the palette remains one of the most distinct in professional sports.
Get the purple right. Everything else follows.