Getty Philadelphia Eagles fans get a bad reputation, but they are among the tamest in professional sports.
There could be fans allowed at football games in Pennsylvania very soon, per WPXI in Pittsburgh. An announcement is expected on Tuesday morning after Gov. Tom Wolf called a news conference for 10 a.m. There would be “capacity limits” but a step in the right direction as COVID-19 cases continue to dwindle in the state. The Steelers host the Eagles on Oct. 11 at Heinz Field in what could be the first game where fans are permitted in the stands.
On Friday, a Steelers spokesperson confirmed that the team had been talking to local health officials and were “optimistic” about having fans in the “near future.” It’s unclear how many people would be allowed inside the stadium — Gov. Wolf’s current mandate restricts outdoor public gatherings to 250 people — and NFL organizations have all been on their own to decide on the proper number. For example, the Dallas Cowboys welcomed 20,000 into AT&T Stadium to witness the team’s massacre to the Cleveland Browns.
UPDATE: Gov. Wolf has stated that sporting events in Pennsylvania can now operate at 15-percent capacity (approximately 7,500 fans at the Linc) but it needs to get cleared by Philly mayor Jim Kenney. He set a Tuesday deadline for making a decision on Eagles fans.
The Eagles stated from the beginning that they would work hand-in-hand with state and city officials to ensure everyone’s safety. It was deemed a fluid situation and season ticket-holders had the ability to opt-out for 2020 without penalty. Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie had been looking at “after September” as the best-case scenario. The Eagles host the Ravens at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 18 at 1 p.m.
Source: Gov. Wolf expected to make announcement Tuesday about capacity limits at sporting events
“We are hopeful there are going be real ways of having significant fans in our stadium pretty soon,” Lurie told reporters on Aug. 30. “Maybe not for September, but after that and we’re looking at innovative ways of testing with rapid testing, with point-of-care testing, with home testing. And we’ve had a lot of really creative and constructive conversations with the state and the city.”
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Eagles Announce Partnership with DraftKings
Lincoln Financial Field might look a little different to fans this year, too. The Eagles announced a multi-year deal with DraftKings to make the sports gambling website the “Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner and Official Sports Betting Partner of the Philadelphia Eagles.” Part of the deal involves exclusive naming rights to the Field Club, a premium lounge offering VIP game-day access, plus an on-field viewing area in the north end zone.
In addition, the DraftKings brand will be visible on many of the Eagles’ social media channels and digital assets, including sponsorship activations at their annual NFL Draft party. Eagles Stat Showdown, a new free-to-play game, will give fans the opportunity to win weekly prizes throughout the NFL season.
StubHub Selling Away Eagles Tickets
While everyone awaits the impending announcement in Pennsylvania, there are two states where a limited number of fans are allowed to watch football: Ohio and Texas.
A quick glance at StubHub listed the Browns-Eagles game on Nov. 22 and the Browns-Cowboys game on Dec. 27. The Cleveland game was already sold out, but four tickets remained for the Dallas game ($147 per ticket). Hurry up and buy!
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