Temple University considering the idea of an on-campus football stadium
WRITTEN BY: DALTON BALTHASER
Temple University has confirmed a proposed 35,000-seat stadium with a projected $100 million cost is being worked towards. (Credit: Temple University and the Philadelphia Inquirer.)
With a nationally ranked football program and the buzz around the team being the highest it has been in awhile, the idea of an on campus stadium has come to the forefront. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Temple, Patrick O’Connor confirmed to the Philadelphia Inquirer that a proposed 35,000-seat stadium with an estimated cost of $100 million is being pursued to rise behind the Liacouras Center at the current location of Geasey Field. He said the issue is expected to be discussed at the December 8th trustees meeting.
“We are moving forward and exploring every option,” O’Connor told the Inquirer. “We have to make sure that the community and city support this project.”
The possible stadium location is the current site of Geasey Field, which houses the women’s field hockey and lacrosse programs. No matter what happens with the idea of an on campus football stadium, the teams will be relocated to the newly acquired William Penn High School along with men’s soccer and women’s track and field next fall. If the stadium project were approved, Temple would have its own stadium to call home right on campus. Brian McDevitt, a sophomore journalism major, said that a football stadium on campus would be beneficial to the community as well as the football program.
“I think the reason that the football games don’t have the attendance they should is because people don’t want to travel to Lincoln Financial Field,” McDevitt said. “If there was a stadium on campus, more people would be behind the program and would be more interested.”
The university will have some community and supervision barriers to cross if the project is accepted. The Liacouras Center’s construction was halted for a year by City Council. Although McDevitt thinks that the idea of an on campus football stadium is a good idea for the future, he said that the location of the stadium looks good, but being able to have all of these people try to park in a small area, might be troublesome.
“I think the issue of parking will be a problem,” McDevitt said. There are people who live in the suburbs of Philadelphia who will travel to the games. If there is no parking, then trying to fit all of these people in the area will be a disaster.”
Mike Barbacano, a senior political science major, said that having a stadium that the football team can call home is important. He also said that from a recruiting aspect, Temple would be able to improve.
“You have to start growing your program somewhere,” Barbacano said. “If you are able to get the funding that you need from donors and alumni instead of from the students [building the stadium] will help the program. If the stadium is built, then I believe that the program will be able to establish itself nationally more than it is now.”
