02.12.16
by

Another Stadium Misconception

tailgates

The four lots that will no doubt be open for tailgating on game days.

 

talegate

On the list of important issues surrounding the proposed on-campus Temple Stadium, tailgating is about ninth down the list.

Above it are other gauntlet runs like Philadelphia City Council, The Mayor, “The Community” (who knows who represents them, really), the media (an anti-stadium column by Stu Bykofsky appeared recently and Temple haters like David Murphy, Mike Sielski and  Angelo Cataldi, among others, have yet to recently check in) and the unions.

Other than that, it’s smooth sailing to a 2019 opener.



My guess if this
thing is ever built,
it will open closer
to 2021 than 2019,
but the administrators
from Indiana who now
run Temple and never
faced any Philly-like
blowback in Bloomington
will be shocked
soon enough

My guess if this thing is ever built, it will open closer to 2021 than 2019, but the administrators from Indiana who now run Temple and never faced any Philly-like blowback in Bloomington will be shocked soon enough. It will then be up to them to throw in the towel or grind away.

Meanwhile, onto the ninth more pressing issue but one that can be debunked here and now:

“There won’t be any place to tailgate.”

I can personally debunk that because I’ve taken the SEPTA regional rail from Fox Chase to games over the last few years. Since the regional rail doesn’t go from Fox Chase (or anywhere else, really) to Lincoln Financial Field, I’ve made it a point to get off at the Temple University stop and cut through several parking lots and the Bell Tower before making it to the Broad and Columbia (OK, community, Cecil B. Moore) subway station and the 15-minute ride to LFF.

SEPTA_Regional_Rail_map

SEPTA Regional Rail funnels over 100,000 people into Center City every day and has a stop right on the Temple campus.

I can report that all four of those lots (above graphic) were empty or near empty on every single gameday Saturday. That’s where the tailgates will be held.

Lot 1, the McGonigle Hall lot, probably will go to Owl Club members or highest bidders. The other four will probably be first-come, first-serve lots.

The students, who take a large part of Lot K now, will move their tailgates to the Bell Tower and the two walks, named after two guys best known for where the basketball arena is, Peter Liacouras and Dan Polett. Liacouras, because it is named after him, and Polett, whose Wilke-Buick dealership was where the LC stands today.

So the tailgating situation comes under the category of no worries.

The other stuff, I have my doubts.

19 thoughts on “Another Stadium Misconception”

  1. instead of “free” maybe “open” for tailgaiting. I highly doubt they will be “free”. They will most likely cost a hefty donation to even have the privilege of getting a parking pass for gameday.

    If it doesn’t work out there is is always k lot and taking the subway north on game day.

    Reply

    • by use of the word “free” I mean open, but thanks. I changed it so there would be no misconception. Lot 1 will probably be the high-pay, Owl club lots and there are even more lots closer to the E-O that I did not circle. If Temple fills all these lots at $20 a pop, that’s a lot (lots?) of money.

      Reply

      • I think between moving the students (remember, they took half of Lot K) to the walks and the tower, that frees (opens) up a lot of possible spaces. Plus, the LC garage takes care of those few fans who don’t tailgate but want to drive. Then there is a whole segment of fans who will arrive on the regional rails (who never had that option at the Linc) and the subway and leaves the satellite lots for the tailgaters. I don’t think there will be any need for tailgaters to move off campus. They handle 4-5K on C and W in the Lots just around the E-O.

  2. definitely opens up regional rail as an option for going to the game.

    Reply

  3. Yes, there are spaces available, but aren’t most on-campus stadium tailgating areas (even at the Linc) next to or very near the stadium and where all tailgaters can be together that adds to the festivity factor? Convenience often influences what people are willing to do. Although a nice brisk walk a couple of blocks wouldn’t kill anyone.

    Reply

  4. What the idiots who spout that nonsense forget is that over 40 thou descend on the campus every day. They always say but not all at once. That may true but everyone doesn’t arrive at the game all at once either. Parking is the least of the concerns. And let’s face it if driving becomes a hassle everyone will take mass transit.

    Reply

    • the very nature of tailgating is that it is staggered. People like Cap Poklemba and Jay and Tom and Conjar and Uncle Eddie and the hard-core tailgaters get there five hours before the game; I get there about 3 hours before the game, people I know get there 2 hours and others like Mark get there an hour or so before the game. I don’t think it will be this mass gridlock so many believe.

      Reply

  5. One more thing. At PSU unless you donate thousands you don’t get to park anywhere near the stadium. Most people have to park at least a half mile from the stadium. Also, if the “neighbors” are concerned about losing parking you just institute a residential parking system like down at the stadium complex.

    Reply

  6. Each school should have its own tailgate experience. I imagine the Owl Club and Alumni Associations will have game day events with food and beverage and rest rooms. Asphalt barbecues and porta potties are not my style. Like many Owls, I’ll take SEPTA walk to Speakman Hall, have a cold one (or two) eat a pre-game hoagie and go to the game.

    Reply

    • You know how the different majors have their own tents for alumni at the Homecoming Game at Lot K? This kind of activity can be easily moved to non-lot areas (say, Bell Tower) near the stadium to make more room for cars.

      Reply

  7. Some RE Developers have sued and effectively put some “community groups” out of business. Temple should look into that. Temple has the right to use its property as long as it is within zoning regulations.

    Reply

  8. Temple has a rare and extremely unique opportunity to forge a base of community support and brand loyalty.., reminds me of the great Miami teams

    ESPN: 30 for 30, The Rise of the Temple Owls, January 2019

    “By the late 1980s the Miami Dolphins were no longer capturing the collective imagination of South Florida as they once had. The Hurricanes had become Miami’s team. My team. I remember my father paying 10 bucks to park on somebody’s front lawn and then following the crowd a couple of blocks to the Orange Bowl. I remember watching these young warriors emerge through that smoke to the bloodcurdling roar of Miami football fans. They were not the steeped-in-tradition choirboys of Notre Dame, but they were our hometown heroes: diverse, brash and dangerous. Just like the city of Miami itself.”

    Find/replace…, Miami Dolphins/Philadelphia Eagles.., Hurricanes/Owls.., Orange Bowl/New Temple Stadium.., Miami/Philadelphia.., etc.,etc.,

    Reply

  9. John, your comment made me think that the “parking problem” may not really be a problem with all the existing lots relegated for student parking already – and there would be room for tables, barbeques and even group tents between cars or with a little planning of space. All the talk about parking space is moot – it’s already there aplenty. 35,000 fans, tops, on game day: some are students who live there, some come in on public transportation, some come together in one car. If 39,000 a day can make it work during the school week, what’s the “parking problem” all about? – they don’t need a new parking facility. Or am I off base here? Maybe the “not all at once” does make a difference during the week. Do the existing lots handle all the school day parking or is there a problem then too?

    Reply

Leave a reply to Dave Cancel reply