The Baltimore Ravens will move their 2011 training camp to their team facility in Owings Mills, Md., from McDaniel College in Westminster, Md.
McDaniel had been the site of Ravens' training camp since the franchise began in 1996. Last year, more than 110,000 fans attended open practice sessions at McDaniel. Fans are not allowed to attend practice at the Owings Mills facility.
Ravens' vice president of operations Bob Eller said Wednesday that uncertainty over the NFL lockout forced the team to make the move.
"We're disappointed we won't be back at McDaniel and in Westminster this summer. We delayed the decision as long as we could," Eller said in a article posted on the Ravens' website. "There are logistics that needed to be addressed now, including McDaniel's schedule, the hotel, the fields and other Ravens football functions. Right now, we don't know dates for camp, and we've been forced to make other plans.
"One of the main issues we have is the time it takes to move our entire football operation to Westminster and then bring it back to Owings Mills. Those are days we can't afford to lose as our team prepares for the season in what has become a condensed time period."
Eller said the team would "miss the interaction with the fans, which is a huge part of our camp experience."
Ravens president Dick Cass said discussions have begun to return to Westminster for future training camps. "We do fully anticipate ... to be back at McDaniel next summer," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
