1-17-2024 7:07pm

Ravens' YouTubers:

Jeff Barto Editor

A Hunt Valley Life exclusive. PART 1 IN A SERIES: The Jump From Radio

Ravens philosophy is Baltimore philosophy: working class, humble, loyal, honest, law-abiding, edgy, frank, bleeding team colors. This was Colts philosophy.

Our players--Unitas, Donovan, Lewis exemplify that. Our sports reporters must oblige. Keith Mills is one of us. John Buren, not so much. The Jim Romes, George Michaels, Frank Defords (though he is from Baltimore) would not fly in Baltimore. They seem too refined. Instead, Jerry Sandusky, Vince Bagli, Peter Schmuck--a California convert-- and others, have become legends as much as the players.

In radio analysis, Mills is the Ron Smith of sports, but from Arbutus or Dundalk instead of Lutherville. He is the quintessential Balti-moron, a label John Waters proudly told me he touts. Mills' insight has always been listenable in a revolving panel of commentators that the flagship Ravens radio, 98 Rock or WBAL, has featured over the years.

Bobby Trosset, currently a YouTuber referring to himself as BobbyBaltimore, was dropped from the flagship radio team after a couple years in cost-cutting, and has been trying to gain a local fan base for over a year.

He spent weeks donning various skull attire to promote an early advertiser, a hair implant doctor. Next he modeled a night mask claiming his best sleep of a lifetime, though he must wake at 3 for his popular 5 am weekday, 20-minute podcast with Sarah Ellison, formerly of The Castle media department.

This approach harkens back to the days of talent-endorsement rarely found today. Trosset is searching for his Maryland Lottery or Weis Markets sponsorship to keep him on the air, as local talk veteran Nestor "Nasty" Aparicio has found. But bank-roll does not always produce quality content.

Trosset is a 20-something Loyola-ish guy while Ellison is the driven, grittier local basketball coach of kids. Both are opionated, insightful and look deeper into just surface Ravens. Ellison is usally in tune with what Kevin Byrne, original PR man (Ravens traditional philosophy), would think, and what Eric DeCosta, (EDC) the current GM, would do. She has been inside the walls over a dozen years.

Trosset tries all methods to keep their show afloat from platforms for pay and gaining audience. He relies on Venmo, to Patreon--which gives you mentions and questions on the show, to pledges from $1.99 while broadcasting live, like a telethon. Trosset even hosted Mills--who should have his own show, and a realist--on occasion, in restaurant remotes.

The technical and production aspects, seem to vary widely with lighting issues and ra-ra backgrounds. Johnathan Ogden at a local golf club for his benefit was an in-depth program that you could not find elsewhere, though the video feed was sketchy. YouTubers don't have budgets at first, or ever. It is all about being a content creator, which is how Trossett constantly refers to himself. Radio, news, and Ravens' productions seem to lack all these angles, though they have gloss.

This content, not theatrics or attaboys, is more than the traditional media can offer and has landed him thousands of subscribers. Sometimes creative things can come out of a basement though. Winging it is better than over-produced snippets that regurgatate the daily press release headline.

Trosset is one the most cynical and critical of all Ravens You-Tubers, taking us behind the news and decisions coming into play of every move. Questioning is what reporters and analysts are supposed to do. He follows rumors and tries to quash, or prove, them. This off-season was chock full of material. Though he is often hokey, it comes as genuine. Baltimore does not like too polished either. So far, their show seems to be growing.

After 4 full days of NFL Draft coverage in April, his YouTube numbers seemed to have risen and are creating a more solidified audience. Finding local advertisers who support you should not be so hard when you can provide them real loyal customers, like we in local media do.

He has occasionally jumped in with Orioles updates and other topics, but has kept it mostly Ravens everyday and sometimes more. That focus has paid off as he has landed knock-out linebacker and leader Roquan Smith as a special co-host for a series of shows. Smith is one of those guys who bleeds purple. The season is at hand, let's see where it goes and we will be talking, listening, and watching.

NEXT: YouTube Vs. Radio, PT. 2