Eagles to expand stadium, with hopes for a Philly Super Bowl

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 9, 2013, 6:53 AM EDT
AP

The Eagles have unveiled plans to expand and improve Lincoln Financial Field, with an eye on not only improving the experience for season-ticket holders, but also convincing the rest of the league that Philadelphia could host an outdoor Super Bowl.

Plans include expanding the stadium by 1,600 seats, adding HD video boards, making wi-fi available to fans and installing bridges to connect both sides of the upper concourse.

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie says he’ll be keeping an eye on next year’s New York/New Jersey Super Bowl and hoping that it shows an outdoor stadium in a cold city can host the game.

“We’re going to watch that very carefully,” Lurie said, via PhillyBurbs.com. “I’m sure we’ve all been at phenomenal football games outside in December and January. So, absolutely, root for a decent-weather day in New York and New Jersey and we think we’ve got a great city here to host it, a great stadium, and I’m sure others feel the same way.”

As comments from Lurie and from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel show, a successful outdoor Super Bowl in New Jersey next year will result in several other cold cities wanting to host the Super Bowl, too.

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39 responses to “Eagles to expand stadium, with hopes for a Philly Super Bowl”

  2. Will the Eagles be seeking public money to fund this?

    Another interesting point – if there are 10-15 possible SB venues; then on average each one would host a SB once every 10-15 years. With teams seemingly thinking stadia are out of date 20 years after being built then the whole “public money brings in potential for hosting loads of Superbowls” argument is diluted even further.

  3. Cold weather SB’s would be fine for genuine football fans. These days though most those attending the SB are more interested in being “seen” than seeing the game.

  7. Philly hosting a Super Bowl is more delusional than VY’s infamous “Dream Team” fantasy…

  8. the story mentions the Eagles are using private financing for the $125MM stadium renovation

  11. Already a great stadium . Look forward to seeing the improvements along with the improvements of a new coach , players , scheme , etc .

  12. Well if it ever happens they will have to triple the Judge and baliff’s attendance to handle the troublesome fans at the game!

  13. Great news for Philadelphia football fans, because instead of just one Redskins game in Philadelphia per year they will get to see two Redskins games in Philadelphia! Football fans in Philadelphia will have a chance that only fans in nine areas get every year get – to see the Redskins play in person!

  14. Well if it ever happens they will have to triple the Judge and baliff’s attendance to handle the troublesome fans at the game!

  15. Wow! That’s a great destination for a January trip costing 7 or 8 grand! Good thinking!

  16. If he’s using private financing for this, then the NFL should pay him a little money to give a mandatory lecture to all the other NFL owners on how not to be a freaking parasite.

  17. The average temperature in Philadelphia in February is a low of 20 degrees and high of 44 degrees. Because the Super Bowl is played at night (on the East coast) that means that teams will likely be playing in 25-30 degree weather.

    Why play in a warm weather city or in a domed stadium when teams can play in weather like that?

    Just when I thought the owner the Eagles could not come up with a dumber idea, he goes ahead and suggests something like this. And totally redeems himself!

  19. The league brought this upon itself by giving New Jersey the under table handshake of hosting the superbowl. Of course the other cold weather cities are going to say they can host now because they really aren’t that much further north. Get ready for Minneapolis, Seattle, Chicago, and Philly Super Bowls.

  20. If North Jersey can host one then why not Philly? It would be good for the city, so I’m all for it. As far as renovations to the Linc, why bother? The Linc sucks. The Vet was way better to watch a game(BUT NOT TO PLAY A GAME), it had a better atmosphere.

  22. When the Vikings originally released their stadium idea, I was mildly disappointed it wasn’t outdoors. After reading how Chicago and Philly want superbowls now, the Viking stadium design seems brilliant. Random observation.

  23. The Eagles, Giants, Jets, Packers, Bears, Broncos, Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Patriots, Browns, Seahawks, Redskins, and soon the Vikings are all northern teams that play in outdoor stadiums in December and January. They play in the elements wind, rain, and snow. You want to see who the best team is in the NFL is in the Superbowl, the best team can overcome the weather and win the game still. I say why not I am all for outdoor superbowl games I would gladly be out there cheering on my team in the snow in -10 degree weather

  24. In terms of logistics, Philly makes more sense than NY/NJ. The stadium in Philly is much more easily accessible from the downtown core where the hotels and locations that would be used for functions are located.

    So if you support an NY/NJ Super Bowl, there is no reason for you not to support a Philly Super Bowl.

  25. It is actually ideally located. Plenty of parking. I-95 is right there with multiple airports within a half hour drive.

    Just don’t stay in the cheapest hotel in Camden NJ.

  27. Only the very wealthy can afford to attend Super Bowls anyway, so who cares about where its played? Jeff Lurie should concentrate on his team being good enough to PLAY in the Super Bowl. The true fans will be happy to watch it on their 55 inch flat screen TVs in high definition.

  28. To those bashing the city of Philadelphia, have you been there? Just like any major US city there are problems and crazy fans. Philadelphia itself is rich in history of our nation. The city has hosted major events and could handle the Super Bowl as can many of the northern cities. There is the issue of weather but the NFL opened the door by granting NY NJ a SB. The weather in Philly is the same as in NY for the most part. The Super Bowl brings millions in Revenue to the host city so each city should be able to host it. Sure GB may have to work harder to accommodate the large influx of visitors but they are likely in the minority of the northern cities. I would love to see a SB at Lambeau, the Linc, Soldier Field (no fog though please). Lets not limit it to a handful of places. We can exclude London from getting a SB until after Anchorage gets one.

  29. Yes…Philly will host a Super Bowl and if anyone acts out, they can put them in their on-site JAIL! Perfect place for a SB. Stay classy, Philadelphia.

  31. Just the fact they are not going to use public funds is tremendous.

    Steve Ross looks like a buffoon each and everyday as an owner in the league.

  32. Lincoln Financial is a nice stadium. The fans are rough and rowdy but that goes for most real football towns. Went to a game two seasons ago fully decked out in my Giants gear with my wife and we had a good time. Got plenty of trash talk from dudes in our section and gave plenty back but that was the extent of it.

    I think Philly gets a bad rap for the most part. I’ve seen similar heckling in Met Life and in other stadiums across the country. Say what you want about their fans but they seemed like a passionate and knowledgeable bunch from what I saw. I’ve definitely been to stadiums that were far worse in atmosphere and attendance.

    Kudos to their owner for having the sense to realize that public funds should not be going to subsidize stadiums and doing the renovation on his own dime.

  33. How old is this stadium? Public funds or not, this is just ridiculous. However, I’m sure there’s something tied to Lurie capitalizing the project himself, such as more of a stake in the stadium revenues or something. Lurie sure as hell won’t finance it on his own dime: why would he do that unless there something in it for him? Does he own hotels or something? Thought he was an art dealer.

  34. Too little, too late.

    Moving up from 18th in capacity to be temporarily 15th it is still the tiniest in the NFC East.

    It still will not compare with much older and far better stadiums like Arrowhead and Lambeau Field.

    Maybe some day they can enclosed the whole field.

    Maybe some day perhaps people might have a pleasant game day experience there.

    Does the capacity figure include the on site jail and courtroom?

  35. The worst place to host a Super Bowl. Never mind the football falls, just spend a few days in the city and you will realize that only knuckle dragging Neanderthals live in that city. Ask anybody who passes through, you will never find people that are ruder than the people of Philly.

  36. Season ticket holder here…1.get your facts straight morons the courtroom got imploded with the vet ..2.The fans of Philadelphia deserve to host this game.The most knowledgeable and passionate fans in the NFL reside here.No offense NY you guys are great fans..3.That would be a Super Bowl for real fans as the rich and famous wont wanna sit in the Linc in early Feb. I can promise you that.Which finally gives the hard working man a chance to live his dream and see the game in person.No one would appreciate that more than a Philly Phan

  38. Football is a game meant to be played in the elements. Weather is part of the equation and some of my fondest NFL memories are outdoor games. I hate domes with a passion and all of them are more or less the same. What I have never understood is why successful teams that do build new stadiums have such low seating capacity. Philadelphia should have build a 70-75,000 set stadium with the Linc was designed. Heinz Field is another example and when they renovated Soldier Field why not add a few seats, not less?

  39. If New York City or New Jearsey can host the Super Bowl i’m pretty sure Philly can host it too. Pretty much has the same weather or something pretty close to it. Yah know at least try it out.

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