BALTIMORE (WJZ)– The loss of Art Modell is energizing the Ravens and their fans. The team wants to earn a prime time victory Monday night for the man who brought football back to Baltimore.

Monique Griego has more on how fans are rallying for a win on the first Purple Friday of the season.

The Purple Caravan usually makes it’s rounds during the playoffs. But this year they decided to hit the road to kick off the season.

The Ravens band was up bright and early this morning as the Purple Caravan began it’s tour of the Baltimore region to kick off football season.

“We started at 7 a.m. this morning and we’re going all the way through the night,” Katie Bollinger, a spokesperson for the Baltimore Ravens, said.

First stop: Cancun Cantina in Hanover where fans traded an early wake up call for a meet and greet with the cheerleaders.

That’s a treat shoppers at Giant also got this morning as the caravan took over the produce department.

“Everybody is really excited for football to be back in Baltimore, so there’s no better way start season than with a Purple Friday,” Bollinger said.

Fans were ready and more than willing to once again wear purple gear. Even their pooches couldn’t escape Ravens fever.

At Carney Elementary in Parkville, the auditorium turned into a sea of purple as students and the entire staff got caught up in Purple Friday.

“It was a surprise to every one of them,” said principal Stacey Durkovic. “They had no idea what was going on. They just had to wear purple to school today.”

And if the caravan’s goal was to get people hyped about the Ravens season, they certainly succeeded.

“They had an amazing time and look at me, I’m sweating,” said Assistant Principal Barbie Roemer.

The Ravens caravan still has several more stops to make before it heads on home. One of its stops will be at Mother’s Federal Hill Grille.

You can see the Ravens’ 2012 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday at 6:30 p.m. on WJZ.