For the Baltimore Ravens Draft Party in April 2025, Baltimore Sound Entertainment ran a custom trading card activation: fans stepped into a photo rig and walked away with a football card that had their own photo on it. About 1,000 guests came out for first-round night, and the card station gave them something to do between picks and something to keep after the party ended. We were invited back to run the party again in April 2026.
At a glance
- Client/host: Baltimore Ravens
- Venue: M&T Bank Stadium, Club Level, Baltimore
- Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025 (first round of the NFL Draft)
- Guests: About 1,000
- What BSE provided: Custom trading card activation with photo rig, photo booth attendants and AV techs
The brief
The Ravens host a ticketed draft party for fans on the first night of the NFL Draft. In 2025 the draft was in Green Bay, so the party leaned into a Wisconsin theme with beer tastings, themed concessions and a pint glass for every fan. Players and team Legends were on stage, and the cheerleaders, Poe and the Marching Ravens were all there.
A draft night is mostly waiting. Round one runs for hours, and the Ravens pick when they pick. In 2025 that was 27th overall. A crowd that size needs things to do that hold up through a long night, and the best ones give fans something to take home.
What we built
The core of the activation is a photo rig. A guest steps in, our attendant frames the shot, and the photo drops into a custom football card design. The result looks like a real card, with the fan in the spot where a player would be.
Our crew on Ravens events included photo booth attendants to run the line and coach poses, plus AV techs to keep the gear and output running. At a 1,000-person party, the attendants matter as much as the camera. They keep the line moving, get people posed fast and make sure the photo is one the guest actually wants on a card.
Every card was printed on site, so fans walked away holding theirs.
The moment that landed
The best part of this activation happens when the guest sees the card. Football fans grew up collecting cards of their favorite players. Seeing your own face in that format gets a real reaction, and people immediately turn to show the person next to them.
That reaction is what our recap video caught. It is under a minute long and shot vertical, so it plays the way people actually watch it: on a phone, in a feed.
Why it worked
Our takeaway for planners: at a fan event, give people a souvenir that puts them inside the brand, not just next to it. A logo backdrop gets a photo. A trading card makes the guest part of the team, in a format every football fan already understands.
It also fits the theme without any explaining. Draft night is about new names joining the roster. A card with your name and face on it is the fan version of that, and it ties straight back to why everyone is in the building.
It travels, too. A physical card goes home on a desk or a fridge. A photo of it goes to group chats and social feeds. Both keep the event in view long after the last pick.
We have since run the same activation for Under Armour at CIAA in 2025, and the reaction holds up across very different crowds.
FAQ
What is a custom trading card activation?
Guests step into a photo rig, have their picture taken, and get a personalized trading card with their photo in a custom card design. It works for sports teams, brands, conferences and fan events where the crowd already loves the format.
How long can you book the trading card activation for?
BSE offers the Custom Trading Card Activation in 2, 3 and 4 hour packages. For a long event like a draft party, plan for the hours when your crowd is biggest.
Can the card design match our team or brand?
Yes. The card is custom for each event, so it can carry your colors, logo and theme.
How do you staff a photo activation for 1,000 guests?
Plan for dedicated attendants to manage the line and pose guests, plus a tech to keep the gear and output running. The camera is the easy part. Throughput at a big event comes down to people who keep the line moving without rushing anyone.
Planning a fan event, brand activation or team party in Maryland, DC or Virginia? Baltimore Sound Entertainment brings the trading card activation, photo booths, DJs, lighting and AV under one team. Call us at 443-405-2378 or reach out online.
