October 11, 2015
Lincoln Financial Field (Capacity: 69,596)
Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Eagles vs New Orleans Saints
Final Score: 39 – 17
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After visiting most of Philadelphia’s sports venues, I finally had the chance to see the team that the city lives and dies by: the Philadelphia Eagles. Back in 1933, the Eagles were born into the NFL and a high point for the franchise was the middle part of the century, where they won three league titles. All-time great Chuck Bednarik led the 1960 champions. After the Reggie White and Randall Cunningham eras, the Eagles had quite a run of success with Coach Andy Reid and QB Donovan McNabb. They made the playoffs in 9 out of 11 seasons during the 2000s, however their first Super Bowl title remains elusive as they lost their appearance in 2004. As for the city they play in, it is one steeped in history with Independence Park attracting many to learn about the beginnings of the United States. The City of Brotherly Love is the fifth largest in the U.S. and is located in the southeast corner of Pennsylvania, between the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers. The Eagles play their games at “The Linc”, officially known as Lincoln Financial Field and completed in 2003. It is a fine football stadium with excellent sightlines and unique nuances, but what makes this place stand out are the rabid fans, who always wear their emotions on their sleeve.
Prestige Ranking: 5 out of 5
Location
All of Philadelphia’s professional teams play in the Sports Complex, located about 3 miles south of Center City (the “downtown” part of Philly). With Citizens Bank Park and the Wells Fargo Center in this complex, the surroundings were made up of a sea of concrete for parking. That has changed recently, as the Sports Complex has added more stuff including a multi-venue space featuring multiple sports bars and an outdoor stage. It is part of the contrived “Live!” conglomeration that I detest, but at least it’s something. If you’re thinking about checking out the rest of South Philadelphia beyond sports….don’t. It’s not worth it. What is worth travelling 10-15 minutes for is the historical stuff at Independence National Park in Old City. It’s a really nice area and you’ll find plenty of interesting sites, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Other attractions are not far away and the most recommended include Reading Terminal Market, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Elfreth’s Alley.
Location Ranking: 5.5 out of 10
Accessibility / Parking
The set-up makes for a very simple, easy drive as the stadium is located just off I-95 on Broad Street. It’s also accessible from I-76. With 70,000 people descending on the Sports Complex, expect heavy traffic (especially post-game) and a long exit process with aggressive drivers. Going to the proper parking area is fairly straight-forward. For those not tailgating, a cheaper and less frustrating option is SEPTA, Philly’s mass-transit system. It’s an “eh” Mass Transit system, nothing special, but it gets the job done. There is a subway station at the Complex as the last stop on the Broad Street Line is Pattison Ave and the Stadium is a 5-10 minute walk away. The Broad Street Line goes right thru Center City and we utilized this option by parking and taking the train in from South Jersey via PATCO. Downsides include being packed in like sardines on the train after the game and missing the festive tailgating scene.
Accessibility / Parking Ranking: 6 out of 8
Exterior
The Linc is designed with openings in the two corners facing the city, while the rest of the tall structure is enclosed. A mish-mash of steel berms, trusses, glass and brick make up the outer shell with an occasional Eagle mural or “Lincoln Financial Field” sign sprinkled in. The design is more hardened and rugged than pretty. Adding a unique element is the relatively new addition of solar panels that cover the entire side facing I-95. This Green initiative can also be seen with wind turbines at the top of the stadium and the Eagles are at the forefront of the NFL for renewable energy.
Exterior Ranking: 5.5 out of 10
Concourse
Though there are multiple gates, the best starting point is at the North end, which opens two hours before kickoff and features a sort of pre-game party with live music, food trucks and entertainment in its open space. A series of stairs leads to the 100 level concourse, which is enclosed, except for a small corner opening. The area has a sleek look with a charcoal color and the usage of murals for famous players and historical moments, helping to provide a personal touch. Bottlenecks at halftime are an issue as there is not much room to expose fans to a larger space. Circling ramps take fans up to the Mezzanine concourse (for clubs/suites) and then on up to the 200 level. This section is outdoors, but with covering from seats overhead. There is also more open space to stretch out, including a spot behind Section 239 that features the excellent skyline of Philadelphia. Ramps outnumber escalators and those automated people movers only go one way, so it’s exhausting to tour the stadium since entrance is at ground level.
Concourse Ranking: 3.5 out of 5
Food
The ground area in the North End has the best food as a combination of trucks and temporary stands feature good variety. Barbeque, Tex Mex, Subs and of course, Philly Cheesesteaks. Inside the concourse, you can still pick up a good cheesesteak (wit or witout). There are plenty of other stands, however many of them annoyingly served just a couple items. All the requisite selections were on hand, including chicken and fries from Chickie’s & Pete’s, hoagies and soft pretzels (which my brother said were cold). Tony Luke’s had a cheesesteak stand, while the most unique food I saw came at “Quick & Carmichael”. The former receivers inspired a beefy sandwich that includes pulled chicken, pulled pork or both. If not full from tailgating, it’s best to get food from the ground level North end section mentioned earlier. Multiple types of beer were available, but nothing stood out as overly special.
Food Ranking: 6 out of 8
Interior
Following in the footsteps of the ballpark across the street, Lincoln Financial Field features a seating bowl that uses geometric angles. While it works fairly well, it can lead to a few quirky juts in the bowl. The 100 level encloses the field with a pitch that is a little too shallow for my liking. Corner sections turn towards the field and though that is nice, it also pushes middle sections further back than usually seen. A club section follows a level up with a set of luxury suites sandwiched above and below. Then one more level above is the high 200 section that has some complexity to it. This is especially noticeable in a couple of the corners, where terraced seating sections also include a bar area. The Northwest corner is left exposed to give fans a view of the Philadelphia skyline (though this would be better if the standalone 200 end seats were left unbuilt). All of the comfortable green seats have individual backs and near the top of the stadium is some protection from a small overhang that was designed to look like Eagle wings. There are also several spots for standing room, which the team does sell tickets for. A great feature is the Eagle insignia colored into each of the upper deck sideline seats. Overall, this is a stadium that is designed well, without an overabundance of noticeable luxury seating in a city that is known for their hard-nosed, blue-collar fans.
Interior Ranking: 10 out of 14
Scoreboard
Each scoreboard at the Mezzanine end level is relatively new and both feature crystal clear quality and decent size. My issue though is that despite having the capability for video the entire length of the board, 95% of the time, giant ads are placed on the sides. Only after touchdowns, does the scoreboard show a full graphic. The reduction in size by a third is notable and game action is split between basic stats and live video/replays. In this age of Fantasy Football, there is one vertical scoreboard and another small ribbon board in a corner that rolls thru player stats. The façade separating each level also has a strip board.
Scoreboard Ranking: 3.5 out of 4
Displays
Near the main gathering for the initial entrance at the north end zone is a building that contains the entrance to the suite level. This section (open to all visitors) includes a visual history of the Eagles with huge pictures and a timeline. Team Hall of Fame inductees can also be spotted in this area. Famous Eagle moments are on the walls of the upper concourse, while inside the stadium are nine numbers retired by the franchise. This includes greats like Chuck Bednarik, Reggie White and Donovan McNabb. On the other sideline, the rafters of the small overhang feature banners for each Division, Conference and League championship (though there is no distinction between them, which drives me nuts).
Displays Ranking: 4.5 out of 6
Cost
This costly experience begins with the $40 parking charge, which is above the league average and only cheaper than three other league teams. That’s why the public transit route is much better if you do not have plans to tailgate. Individual tickets range from $75 – $130 (with standing room going for $55), however it is very hard to get your hands on one before the season starts. The secondary market is the usual route for the average fan and getting the seat furthest from the field typically begins at $100. For food, a hot dog was $5, a cheesesteak runs $10 and bottled water costs $4. Beer ranges from $8 – $12. All of these costs add up to an overall rank of 8th or 9th in the NFL, the most expensive league in North America.
Cost Ranking: 3.5 out of 8
Fan Support
It has been said that you can tell if the Eagles won or lost just by walking down Broad Street Monday Morning as the mood of the city rides on the team. Philadelphia has a supremely passionate fan base that are seen as some of the most loyal, ardent supporters in the league. At the same time, many hate them, often a result of the overplayed narrative of how “mean” they are. Yes, they can be loud, rude, obnoxious jerks with a proficiency for the F-bomb, but that is the minority of the fan base. While incidents do happen here (particularly against division opponents), I don’t think it’s light years ahead of what happens at the home stadiums of other teams. And for the record, none of the 20-30 people I saw in Saints jerseys were haggled (granted they did get blown out). Philadelphia is one of only 8 other teams to average attendance at least 100% capacity for the last decade and most notable is the lack of empty seats during games. Even the club level is generally full.
Fan Support Ranking: 8 out of 8
Atmosphere
The game atmosphere is tremendous and it starts with acres of tailgating in the vast parking lot. Inside, after watching an inspiring opening video led by Rocky, the Linc becomes a very loud stadium. Fans often rise to their feet and bring the noise level up during play and when the Eagles score, it is quite the scene. The team’s famous “Fly Eagles Fly” is sung and the deafening “E-A-G-L-E-S” at the end is followed by fireworks. This place is often rocking and of course, when things go bad, the boobirds will come out. For neutrals, its borderline comical to hear what the place sounds like when things are not going the Eagles way. Players rank this as one of the toughest places to play in the league and I think it is Top 5 for loudness. Just an awesome place to watch a football game.
Atmosphere Ranking: 14 out of 14
Other Stuff
A $125 million renovation in 2013-2014 did a nice job improving the facility. Highlights include new video boards, an expanded team store, historical murals, new seats in the corners and a bridge to connect one upper level to the open end…..Before moving to the Linc in 2003, the Eagles spent nearly 30 years across the parking lot at Veterans Stadium, a monstrosity built during the cookie-cutter, multi-purpose stadium era. It also was a place where the infamous stories about Eagles fans originated (Booing Santa Claus, cheering injuries and a Court for criminals below the stadium, etc.). Prior to Veterans, the Eagles played at Franklin Field on Penn’s campus…..The NFC East is made up of teams with a true rival against one another. For Philadelphia, it is Dallas and the Giants that stir up the strongest emotions….The Eagles nickname originates from the New Deal era in the 1930s, where the logo from the National Recovery Administration served as inspiration…..Merrill Reese has been the voice of Philadelphia football on the radio since 1977….Temple football also plays in the Linc, in addition to the many big events (soccer and concerts) held here over the years.
Game
Philadelphia came into this game under high scrutiny as Chip Kelly’s self promoted offense faltered pathetically the first four games. Though the Eagles had no trouble moving the ball in the first half of this one, two Sam Bradford picks in the Red Zone meant that it was just a 10-7 lead at the half. However, the Eagles rolled in the second half as touchdowns came with ease and they ended up winning 39-17. The offense steamrolled Rob Ryan’s crappy Saints’ D as they gave up 519 yards of total offense. Seven different receivers caught at least three passes for Philly. On the other side Drew Brees went 26/43 for 335 yards.
Stadium and Arena Visits 
