Get ready to sing “Fly, Eagles, Fly,” but keep your tailgate spread at home.
The Philadelphia Eagles will host fans starting Sunday when they face the Baltimore Ravens. The Eagles (1-3-1) are 7.5-point underdogs at most Pennsylvania sportsbook apps, with the over/under at 46.5.
“It’s just not the same without the fans,” Eagles President Don Smolenski said. “We have been working very closely with state and local officials, public health experts and the National Football League on a number of scenarios to safely bring Eagles fans back to Lincoln Financial Field.”
Eagles get ready to host fans on Sunday and Thursday
Last week, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that the state was loosening some coronavirus-caused restrictions on crowd limits. The Pittsburgh Steelers made 5,500 seats in Heinz Field’s lower bowl available, with priority given to season ticket holders, for their Week Five game against the Eagles.
The City of Philadelphia waited to make a ruling on changing crowd limit restrictions and made the call on Tuesday. It will allow crowds of up to 7,500 people at the city’s largest outdoor venues, like Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles plan to host about 5,500 fans on Sunday when they play the Ravens. The Birds have a short week and will welcome the New York Giants for a Thursday Night Football showdown.
Ticket sales for both games begin Wednesday for Eagles season ticket members who opted into the 2020 season. Fans have the ability to purchase as many as six tickets in the same seating pod. Any remaining tickets for the Ravens and Giants games will go on sale to the general public at a later date. Single-game tickets for the remaining 2020 home games will also go on sale at a later date.
In July, season ticket holders were given the option to opt out of the 2020 season without penalty.
Increased safety measures
Masks are required for all guests (age two and up) at all times. Fans will be required to maintain six feet of social distance at all times. Personalized seating pods have been established for proper social distancing and limited fan-to-fan contact.
The Eagles indicated that there will be no tailgating permitted for the 2020 season. Gates will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff. Guests will be assigned a specific gate for entry that corresponds to the location of their game ticket. At the concession stands, all transactions will be cashless.
As part of this work and preparation in recent months, the Eagles and Lincoln Financial Field achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accreditation for implementing the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention.
Philadelphia Eagles partnerships with sportsbook operators
The Eagles had a losing start to the season but enjoyed greater success off the field, where they announced partnerships with two sports betting operators.
In September, the Eagles teamed up with Fox Bet for a multiyear partnership. The centerpiece of the deal is a Fox Bet branded 4,000-square-foot lounge and production studio at Lincoln Financial Field.
However, a rep from the Eagles said the Fox Bet Lounge will not be open to fans due to an NFL rule that mandates that the field level and the first eight rows of the stadium must be blocked off.
The Fox Bet Lounge will be located on the service level adjacent to the player parking lot and locker rooms. It can accommodate up to 380 fans with access to the club space two and a half hours prior to kickoff and one hour post-game.
The lounge will also incorporate a fully branded Fox Bet interactive activation room featuring wall-to-wall TV monitors, all-inclusive food and beverage options, and premium access and prime locations to watch player arrivals and live post-game press conferences.
While Play Pennsylvania awaits confirmation, it’s doubtful that the new DraftKings Field Club will be open. In early October, the Eagles and DraftKings entered into an agreement that makes DraftKings the official daily fantasy sports partner and official sports betting partner of the Eagles. DraftKings received exclusive naming rights to the field club at Lincoln Financial Field.
