Lincoln Financial Field, commonly referred to as "the Linc'' by fans, is home to the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. The stadium's construction was completed in 2003, roughly two years after breaking ground in 2001. Costing $512 million to build, it is a part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
Owned by the City of Philadelphia, the Lincoln Financial Group purchased the stadium's name in 2002 for $139.6 million over the course of 21 years. Season-ticket holders for Eagles games also aid in financing the stadium with the purchase of personal seat licenses (which allow fans to maintain ownership of a specific seat for as long as they choose to renew their tickets).
On August 3, 2003, a soccer match between Manchester United and FC Barcelona was the first event held at Lincoln Financial Field. The first Eagles game held at the stadium was a pre-season game against the New England Patriots on August 22 of the same year.
The Army-Navy football game has also been held at Lincoln Financial Field, with plans for future games to be held there as well. The NCAA lacrosse national championship and several matches in the FIFA Women's World Cup have also been hosted at Lincoln Financial Field. Temple University's football team, the Owls, also play home games at the Linc.
With a seating capacity of 67,594, Lincoln Financial Field isn't much larger in size than the Eagles' old turf, Veterans Stadium (which held 65,386 patrons for football games). However, it does offer more up-to-date and modernized facilities, something fans are sure to enjoy. Of the seats available at Lincoln Financial Field, 685 are wheelchair accessible. Patrons also have access to 22,000 parking spaces and 308 concession stands. A pro shop is also available to the fans. The field is adorned with Daktronics Hi-Definition displays, two at 27' x 96' and one at 14' x 25', with the two larger boards being located at opposing end zones. The field surface is grass rather than a synthetic turf.
Lincoln Financial Field offers two 40,000 square foot club lounges, the SCA Club Lounge and the Chrysler Premier Lounge, with 10,828 club seats available. Along with this, the stadium has 172 luxury suites, with a total of 3,040 luxury seats available. For those interested in the luxury suite, Lincoln Financial Field offers valet parking and access to a private entrance. This offer also includes twenty game tickets, and each suite grants access to a wet bar, refrigerator, a 42'' plasma television, as well as two other TV sets. Each suite is climate controlled, and has room for 12 to 40 people.
Acting as the training center and corporate headquarters for the Eagles, the solar paneled NovaCare Complex also acts as part of the Eagles' "Go Green'' campaign, which hopes to aid in the prevention of greenhouse gases. Originally, the stadium was built with an internal jail consisting of four separate cells, similar to Veterans Stadium. However, the good behavior of attendants has led to the jail being closed up entirely, and it is no longer in use.
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