Temple University has reportedly signed a five-year contract extension that will allow the school’s football team to continue playing its home games at Lincoln Financial Field.
But what does that mean for the future of the school’s plans for an on-campus stadium?
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, all options are on the table for the Owls, but the original plan was to build a 35,000-seat, $130 million stadium on campus. The plan would require the permanent closing of two blocks of a street, and the school has not gotten permission from the appropriate legislative bodies to do so.
In addition, the proposed on-campus stadium plan has faced opposition from neighbors, who’ve been vocal in their protests.
The new contract extends an agreement between Temple and the Philadelphia Eagles. The two sides had originally signed a 15-year agreement, which expired after the 2017 season. Since then, Temple exercised two one-year options, the second of which expired following the 2019 season.
While financial terms of the agreement were not made public, the Inquirer cites Temple sources indicating that between rent and game-day expenses such as security and personnel, it may cost Temple $3 million annually to play at the Linc. In addition, the school is receiving no revenue from parking, and only 10 percent of concessions sales with the deal.
Whether Temple will have a stadium of its own to play in remains an open question, but the Inquirer reports that the school is considering alternative sites if it’s unable to proceed at its preferred location. Both on-campus and off-campus locations have reportedly been discussed, but the school has indicated a preference for an on-campus venue.
For now, the football program can at least rest easy knowing that it has a place to play.
