Lincoln Financial Field, home
of the Philadelphia Eagles is the newest NFL stadium. In the
late 1990’s the Eagles proposed that a new football only
facility be built adjacent to their current home Veterans Stadium.
The Eagles and the Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) who also shared
Veterans Stadium were tired of playing at the multipurpose facility.
For many years the stadium had been considered the worst venue
in the league. After financing packages were completed in 2000,
construction began in April of 2001. In June 2002, Lincoln Financial
Group, a financial services firm that has its headquarters in
downtown Philadelphia, agreed to pay $139.6 million for the
naming rights.
The Eagles played
there first game at Lincoln Financial Field against the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers on September 8, 2003. The 66,000 seat stadium
is located at 11th Street and Pattison Ave. The stadium looks
similar to other NFL stadiums that have been completed in
past years. Nearly two-thirds of the seats are located on
the sidelines, and are 60 feet from the field. Two three tier
grandstands of seats are located on both sides of the gridiron.
Two tier sections of seats are located beyond the endzones.
The stadium features three open plaza corners for views of
the city and into the stadium. The exterior of the stadium
has a pair of wing-like coverings over the upper deck. These
wings form some protection from the elements for some fans
and serve to focus stadium noise back towards the field, enhancing
the game experience. Two 27ft. by 96ft. video boards are located
between the lower and upper decks in the endzones. A number
of amenities are at Lincoln Financial Field including 117
luxury suites, 9,000 club seats, a 100,00 square foot fan
oriented plaza, and an Eagles team store. The Eagles hope
to have many successful years at their new home.