View source for Franklin Field

{{Short description|Sports stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US}}
{{For|other uses, including airports with this name|Franklin Field (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name      = Franklin Field
| nickname          = 
| logo_image = Penn_Quakers_logo.svg
| logo_size = 90
| image             = Franklin Field aerial.jpg
| image_size        = 250
| caption           = An aerial view of Franklin Field in November 2008
| address           = S.<!--outh--> 33rd and Spruce Streets
| location          = [[University of Pennsylvania]]<br>[[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]<!--, U.S. 19104 -->
| image_map         = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=10|type=point}}
| pushpin_map       = USA#Pennsylvania
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the [[United States]]##Location in [[Pennsylvania]]
| pushpin_mapsize   = 250
| pushpin_label     = Philadelphia
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_relief    = yes
| broke_ground      = 1895
| built             =
| opened            = {{start date and age|April 20, 1895|br=y}}
| closed            =
| demolished        =
| owner             = University of Pennsylvania
| operator          = 
| surface           = <u>Field</u><br>Natural grass (1895–1968)<br>[[AstroTurf]] (1969–2003)<br>Sprinturf (2004–present)<!-- autumn for football--><br><u>Track</u><br>[[Cinder track|Cinder]] (1895–1987)<br>[[Running track#Surfaces|Rekortan]] (1988–present)
| construction_cost = $100,000 (1895)<br>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|100000|1895}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}}<!-- dollars-->{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect         = [[Frank Miles Day|Frank Miles Day & Brother]]<br>[[Charles Klauder]]
| general_contractor= [[Turner Construction]]<br>(permanent structure in&nbsp;1922)
| former_names      =
| tenants           = [[Penn Quakers]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) (1895–present)<br>[[Philadelphia Eagles]] ([[National Football League|NFL]]) (1958–1970)<br>[[Philadelphia Bell]] ([[World Football League|WFL]]) (1975)<br>[[Philadelphia Atoms]] ([[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]]) (1976)<br>[[Philadelphia Spinners]] ([[Major League Ultimate|MLU]]) (2012–2014)<br>[[Philadelphia Fury (2011–2019)|Philadelphia Fury]] ([[National Independent Soccer Association|NISA]]) (2019)
| seating_capacity  = 52,958 (2003–present)
'''Former capacity''':
{{collapsible list|
* 30,000 (1895–1922)
* 50,000 (1922–1925)
* 78,000 (1925–1958)
* 60,658 (1958–1970)
* 60,546 (1970–1989)
* 52,593 (1989–2002)
}}
|publictransit       = {{rint|septa|60px}} [[Penn Medicine Station]]<br>{{bus icon|12px}} {{rint|septa|60px}} [[SEPTA]] bus:<br>{{SEPTA bus link|30|40|42|49|LUCY}}
|website = {{URL|https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/maps/locations/franklin-field|upenn.edu/franklin-field}}
}}
'''Franklin Field''' is a sports stadium in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], at the eastern edge of the [[University of Pennsylvania]]'s campus. Named after Penn's founder, [[Benjamin Franklin]], it is the home stadium for the [[Penn Relays]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/maps/locations/franklin-field|title=Franklin Field|date=December 20, 2012|website=University of Pennsylvania Facilities and Real Estate Services|language=en|access-date=April 13, 2020}}</ref> and the university's venue for [[Penn Quakers football|football]], [[track and field]], and [[lacrosse]]. Franklin is also used by Penn students for recreation, [[intramural]] and [[college athletics|club sports]], including [[touch football (American)|touch football]] and [[cricket]]; it&nbsp;is also the site of Penn's commencement exercises, weather permitting.

Franklin Field is the oldest still operating [[college football]] stadium in the nation. It was the first college stadium in the United States with a [[scoreboard]] and the second with an upper deck of seats. In 1922, it was the site of the first radio broadcast of a football game on [[WTEL (AM)|WIP]], as well as of the first television broadcast of a football game by [[KYW-TV|Philco]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pennathletics.com/page/franklin-field | title=Franklin Field | access-date=June 3, 2017 | archive-date=June 6, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606055924/http://www.pennathletics.com/page/franklin-field | url-status=dead }}</ref>

From [[1958 Philadelphia Eagles season|1958]] through [[1970 Philadelphia Eagles season|1970]], Franklin Field was the home of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stadiumsofprofootball.com/stadiums/franklin-field/|title=Franklin Field - History, Photos & More of the former NFL stadium of the Philadelphia Eagles|website=Stadiums of Pro Football - Your Ticket to Every NFL Football Stadium|language=en-US|access-date=April 13, 2020}}</ref> It&nbsp;hosted the [[History of the National Football League championship|NFL Championship Game]] in December [[1960 NFL Championship Game|1960]], as the [[1960 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]] defeated the [[1960 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] by four points.

==History==
===19th century===
Until around 1860, the grounds of what became Franklin Field served as a [[potter's field]]. The crania of some of these individuals were acquired by [[Samuel George Morton|Samuel Morton]] and are now housed in the [[University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology|Penn Museum]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Paul Wolff|date=February 15, 2021|title=Black Philadelphians in the Samuel George Morton Cranial Collection {{!}} Penn Program on Race, Science, & Society|url=https://prss.sas.upenn.edu/penn-medicines-role/black-philadelphians-samuel-george-morton-cranial-collection|access-date=May 18, 2021|website=prss.sas.upenn.edu|language=en|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518002101/https://prss.sas.upenn.edu/penn-medicines-role/black-philadelphians-samuel-george-morton-cranial-collection|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Franklin Field was built for {{USD|100000|1895}} and dedicated on April 20, 1895, for the first running of the [[Penn Relays]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/125-years-franklin-field|title=125 years of Franklin Field|website=Penn Today|date=April 23, 2019 |language=en|access-date=April 13, 2020}}</ref>  The Field supplemented and eventually replaced the venue called '''[[University Athletic Grounds]]''', which was located a few blocks west on a block bounded by Spruce Street (north), 38th Street (east), Pine Street (south), Woodland Avenue and 37th Street T-intersection (northwest). Its location was typically given as "37th and Spruce".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.archives.upenn.edu/img/alum/blkly1894x600.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=November 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113012105/http://www.archives.upenn.edu/img/alum/blkly1894x600.jpg |archive-date=January 13, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===20th century===
Permanent Franklin Field construction did not begin until after the turn of the century. Weightman Hall gymnasium, the stadium, and permanent grandstands were designed by architect [[Frank Miles Day|Frank Miles Day & Brother]] and were erected from 1903 to 1905 at a cost of {{USD|500000|1905}}. The field was {{convert|714|ft}} long and {{convert|443|ft}} wide. The site featured a ¼-mile track, a football field, and a baseball diamond. Beneath the stands were indoor tracks and indoor training facilities.<ref>{{cite book |last=Nitzsche|first=George E.|title=University of Pennsylvania: Its History, Traditions, Buildings and Memorials|url=https://archive.org/details/universitypenns00nitzgoog|quote=Weightman Hall.|publisher=International Publishing Company|year=1918|location=Philadelphia|edition=Seventh |page=[https://archive.org/details/universitypenns00nitzgoog/page/n196 186]}}</ref>

In 1916, university officials, led by George Neitzche, planned with the city to build a new 100,000-seat half-sunken stadium for $750,000 at Woodland Ravine, a depression on the southeastern side of [[The Woodlands (Philadelphia)|Woodland Cemetery]]. Plans called for a new train station called Union Station which would feature a [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] stop and a stop on a proposed (and never built) elevated subway line connected to the [[Market–Frankford Line]]. Architecture firm Koronski & Cameron created a rendering but plans quickly collapsed. Five years later, it was decided instead to expand Franklin Field.<ref>{{cite news |title=99 Years Ago in Philadelphia: Middle of February, 1916|date=February 18, 2015|publisher=Philaphilia|url =http://philaphilia.blogspot.com/2015/02/99-years-ago-in-philadelphia-middle-of.html|access-date=March 11, 2015}}</ref>

====1922 rebuilding====
[[File:FranklinField1922.PNG|thumb|left|Workmen laying bricks on the south wall of Franklin Field, {{Circa|1922}}]]
[[File:Penn - Franklin Field - 1922.jpg|thumb|left|Franklin Field during a 1925 [[Penn Quakers football|Penn football]] game]] 
The current stadium structure was built in the 1920s, designed by Day & Klauder, after the original wooden bleachers were torn down. The lower tier was erected in 1922. The old wood stands were razed immediately following the Penn Relays and the new concrete lower tier and seating for 50,000 were built.<ref>{{cite news |title=PENN CANNOT BE HOST.; Changes at Franklin Field Bar Track for Intercollegiates.|date=January 8, 1922|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1922/01/08/107044252.pdf|page=120|access-date=April 17, 2009 }}</ref> The second tier was added in 1925, again designed by [[Charles Klauder|Day & Klauder]], when it became the second and the largest two-tiered stadium in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |first=Mary D. |last=McConaghy|author2=Michael T. Woods |title=Penn Sports in the 1800s: The Origins of Penn Athletics|year=2005|publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania]]: University Archives and Records Center |url=http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/sports/sports1800s.html|access-date=January 8, 2009}}</ref>

The stadium was designed of steel and concrete in the shape of a letter "U".<ref name="CDS" /> Initial cost was estimated around $725,000.<ref name="CDS" /> At the time of its construction, it was noted that Franklin Field was one of the few large fields which was built to support baseball as well as football and track sports.<ref name="CDS" /> Most other large stadia were meant only for football and track.<ref name="CDS">{{cite news |title=Franklin Field to Boast Splendid New Stadium |url=https://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/?a=d&d=CDS19220505.2.26.3&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |access-date=February 17, 2024 |publisher=The Cornell Daily Sun |date=May 5, 1922 |page=3 |quote=Work Has Begun on $725,000 Concrete "U" -- To Hold 50,000 Spectators}}</ref>

The first football radio broadcast originated from Franklin Field in 1922, carried by Philadelphia station [[WTEL (AM)|WIP]]. This claim is pre-empted by an earlier live radio broadcast emanating from Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, on October 8, 1921, a full year before Franklin Field's claim to fame. Harold W. Arlin announced the live broadcast of the Pitt-West Virginia football game on October 8, 1921, on radio station KDKA. The first commercial football television broadcast in 1939 also came from Franklin Field.<ref name=Eagles />

The [[1936 Democratic National Convention]] was concluded at Franklin Field, where President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] delivered his acceptance speech after being renominated for a second term.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Penn led the nation in attendance. The 65,000-seat stadium was expanded each fall with temporary stands to seat 78,000.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

The annual [[Cornell–Penn football rivalry|Thanksgiving Cornell–Penn game]], broadcast on national radio, attracted a reported 70,000 to the stadium in 1931.<ref name=1931Game /> The game earned a story on the front page of ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' along with a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of every detail of the game.<ref name="1931Game">{{cite news |date=November 27, 1931 |title=U. of P. Defeated by Cornell, 7-0, Before 70,000 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer/58078749/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |pages=1, 22 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The 1947 game attracted a crowd estimated in contemporary reports at "about 80,000".<ref name="Inquirer-231189">{{cite news |last1=Juliano |first1=Joe |date=November 23, 1989 |title=Penn-Cornell recalls Thanksgivings of past |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-penn-cornell-r/162678919/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |pages=1-C, 16-C |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

By the start of the 21st Century, Franklin Field seated 52,958.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

Franklin Field switched from natural grass to [[AstroTurf]] in [[1969 Philadelphia Eagles season|1969]] and became first [[National Football League|NFL]] stadium with artificial turf. (The [[1968 Houston Oilers season|Houston Oilers]] of the [[American Football League|AFL]] had moved into the [[Astrodome]] (with AstroTurf) the [[1968 Houston Oilers season|previous season]].) The stadium's fifth AstroTurf surface was installed in 1993, and the current Sprinturf field replaced it in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Gertner|title=Franklin Field features new turf, scoreboard|date=September 2, 2004|work=[[Daily Pennsylvanian]]|url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2004/09/franklin_field_features_new_turf_scoreboard|access-date=December 17, 2008}}</ref> Tenants since [[1958 Philadelphia Eagles season|1958]], the Eagles moved to [[Veterans Stadium]] in [[1971 Philadelphia Eagles season|1971]], also with artificial turf.

Franklin Field was considered a candidate to host games for the [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994 World Cup]]. [[FIFA]] required that host stadiums have natural grass. Had Philadelphia been selected and Franklin Field used, the stadium would have had to return to a grass surface,<ref>{{cite news |title=Franklin Field May Get Grass if Phila. Gets World Cup Soccer|date=July 15, 1989|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |page=D01}}</ref> or perhaps use a temporary grass field as was done at two World Cup sites—[[Giants Stadium]] in [[East Rutherford, New Jersey]], and the [[Pontiac Silverdome]] in [[Pontiac, Michigan]].

===21st century===
After 125 years, the original 1895 concrete stands were deteriorating badly.<ref name="Rovner" /> An extensive $44 million renovation to reinforce the concrete began in 2015.<ref name="Rovner" /> The project was staggered over multiple phases, which allowed the continued use of the stadium during renovation work.<ref name="Rovner">{{cite news |last1=Rovner |first1=Zack |title=Franklin Field is under renovation this fall. What should Penn football fans expect? |url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2019/09/penn-football-preview-construction-of-franklin-field-feature-125th-year |access-date=November 11, 2019 |publisher=Daily Pennsylvanian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111001413/https://www.thedp.com/article/2019/09/penn-football-preview-construction-of-franklin-field-feature-125th-year|archive-date=November 11, 2019|date=September 18, 2019}}</ref> Previous coatings were removed, the failing sections were replaced, and rebar throughout the structure was reinforced.<ref name="CVM" /><ref name="JJWhite">{{cite web |title=Franklin Field Concrete Restoration |url=https://www.jjwhiteinc.com/project/commercial/general-construction/franklin-field-concrete-restoration/ |website=J.J. White |access-date=February 17, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217140706/https://www.jjwhiteinc.com/project/commercial/general-construction/franklin-field-concrete-restoration/|archivedate=February 17, 2024}}</ref> The project was completed by September 2023<ref name="CVM">{{cite web |title=CVM completes rehabilitation of PENN's Franklin Field |url=http://cvmprofessional.com/news/cvm-continues-franklin-field-rehabilitation/ |website=CVM |date=September 10, 2023 |access-date=February 17, 2024}}</ref> and received a historic preservation award.<ref name="JJWhite" />
{{clear}}
{{Panorama
|image = File:Wide_view_of_Franklin_Field.jpg
|height = 230
|caption = [[The University of Pennsylvania Band]] and alumni spell "Penn" on Franklin Field during the Homecoming game in November 2019. Note the south and east stands are empty while undergoing renovation.}}

==Athletics==
===Football===
====Penn Quakers====
{{Main|Penn Quakers football}}
[[File:Harvard vs Pennsylvania.jpg|thumb|[[Penn Quakers football|Penn]] hosts [[Harvard Crimson football|Harvard]] at Franklin Field (undated, from a 1905 book)]]
[[File:1916 Penn Cornell football stadium map.jpg|thumb|The 1916 seating map at Franklin Field for the annual Thanksgiving game between [[Penn Quakers football|Penn]] and [[Cornell Big Red football|Cornell]]]]
[[File:FranklinField.JPG|thumb|The stadium's fieldhouse at the west end of the field during a Penn–Cornell football game in November 2005]]
[[Penn Quakers football|Penn football]] played on Franklin Field for the first time in 1895. The [[University of Pennsylvania]] was one of the top football schools in the first years of college football. Many consider Penn to have been the national champion in college football in 1894, 1895, 1897 and 1904.<ref>{{cite book |title=Fight On, Pennsylvania |last=Rottenberg |first=Dan |year=1985 |publisher=Trustees of University of Pennsylvania |location=Philadelphia |pages=28, 33–34}}</ref> Other sources identify Penn as national champions in 1895, 1897, 1904 and 1908.<ref>{{cite web |title=College Football National Champions |url=http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/champions_national.html |publisher=collegefootballpoll.com |access-date=June 19, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708175404/http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/champions_national.html |archive-date=July 8, 2011 }}</ref>

[[John H. Outland]] played at Franklin Field for Penn in 1897 and 1898. On October 26, 1907, [[Jim Thorpe]] and the [[Carlisle Indian Industrial School|Carlisle Indian school]] trounced a powerful University of Pennsylvania team, 26–6, before an overflow crowd of 20,000 at Franklin Field.<ref>{{cite news |title=15 Most memorable Phila. sports moments. |date=May 9, 2009 |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20090529_During_The_Inquirer_s_180_years__a_city_that_loves_NO_HEAD_SPECIFIED.html |access-date=November 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926082141/http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20090529_During_The_Inquirer_s_180_years__a_city_that_loves_NO_HEAD_SPECIFIED.html |archive-date=September 26, 2009}}</ref>

On October 26, 1918, with the [[Spanish flu]] sweeping through the city, the Penn football team played the Navy Yard's Marines football club at an empty Franklin Field with the stadium closed to fans to prevent the spread of the virus.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Frank|date=March 11, 2020|title=In 1918, it was Spanish influenza that afflicted Philadelphia sports |url=https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/philadelphia-1918-spanish-influenza-penn-quakers-football-20200311.html |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|access-date=March 11, 2020}}</ref>

[[Red Grange]] set an NCAA record at Franklin Field when he rushed for 331 yards<ref>{{cite news |title=Franklin Field |publisher=[[Ivy League|The Ivy League]] |url=http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/documents/02pennfbv.asp |access-date=January 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411232215/http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/documents/02pennfbv.asp |archive-date=April 11, 2008}}</ref> in the [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|University of Illinois]]' 24–2 victory over Penn on October 31, 1925, before 67,877 spectators.<ref>{{cite news |title=All-Time Scores: 1925 |date=July 2008 |publisher=University of Illinois Athletics |url=http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/AllTimeScores.html |access-date=January 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216045848/http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/AllTimeScores.html |archive-date=December 16, 2008 }}</ref>

On Saturday, November 16, 2002, [[ESPN]] broadcast [[College GameDay (football)|College GameDay]] from Franklin Field prior to the game between Penn and [[Harvard Crimson|Harvard]]. Both teams entered the game undefeated, 5–0, in the conference. It was College GameDay's first broadcast from a [[NCAA Division I Football Championship|Division I-AA]] college.<ref>{{cite news |title=Yo! Who's No. 1? |date=November 19, 2002 |publisher=[[Ivy League|The Ivy League]] |url=http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/article.asp?intID=1950 |access-date=January 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614182809/http://ivyleaguesports.com/article.asp?intID=1950 |archive-date=June 14, 2006}}</ref> Penn won the contest, 44–9, and was undefeated and untied for the season. Harvard finished 6–1 in conference, 7–3 overall.<ref>{{cite news|author=Jere Longman|title=COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Harvard Learns Something: Penn's Defense Is Really Good|date=November 16, 2002|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/17/sports/college-football-harvard-learns-something-penn-s-defense-is-really-good.html|access-date=August 24, 2019}}</ref>

The Penn Quakers football team played their 800th game ever at the stadium on October 4, 2008, against [[Dartmouth Big Green|Dartmouth]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Andy |last=Kuhn|title=Franklin Field 800: On Saturday, Quakers host 800th football game at facility for which they're 'caretakers'|date=October 2, 2008|work=[[Daily Pennsylvanian]]|url=http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2008/10/02/Sports/Franklin.Field.800-3465500.shtml |access-date=January 22, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004051317/http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2008/10/02/Sports/Franklin.Field.800-3465500.shtml|archive-date=October 4, 2008}}</ref>

===Philadelphia Eagles===
{{Main|Philadelphia Eagles}}
The [[Philadelphia Eagles]] played at Franklin Field from [[1958 NFL season|1958]] through [[1970 NFL season|1970]]. They moved to the stadium for the 1958 season after leaving [[Connie Mack Stadium]]: Franklin Field would seat over 60,000 for the Eagles whereas Connie Mack had a capacity of 39,000. According to then-Eagles president [[Frank L. McNamee]], the Eagles did not pay rent for use of Franklin Field because Penn was a not-for-profit organization. Instead, the Eagles donated between $75,000 and $100,000 per-year to pay for maintenance and other expenses. The university collected all concessions and parking revenue.<ref name=Eagles />

On October 11, [[1959 Philadelphia Eagles season|1959]], NFL Commissioner [[Bert Bell]] died at the nearby [[Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania|university hospital]] after suffering a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] at Franklin Field during the last two minutes of the game between the Eagles and [[1959 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]].<ref name=ppgbell>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CclRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6034%2C1707578|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |agency=Associated Press |title=NFL head Bert Bell dies at 65 |date=October 12, 1959 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=blczr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LXxRAAAAIBAJ&pg=7531%2C1150536 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=UPI |title=Bert Bell, NFL czar, dies at 65 |date=October 12, 1959 |page=2, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=NFL History by Decade: 1950-1959|publisher=[[National Football League|NFL]] |url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1951-1960 |access-date=January 5, 2009}}</ref>

The Eagles hosted the [[1960 NFL Championship Game]] here on December 26,<ref name=aprtd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BA5ZAAAAIBAJ&pg=7179%2C6945711 |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |agency=Associated Press |title=Packers rated 2½ pt. pick for NFL crown |date=December 26, 1960 |page=44}}</ref> defeating the favored [[1960 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] 17–13 <ref name=ctpemftt>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1960/12/26/page/97/article/packers-eagles-meet-for-title-today |work=Chicago Daily Tribune |last=Strickler |first=George |title=Packers, Eagles meet for title today |date=December 26, 1960 |page=1, part 6 }}</ref><ref name=sitxml>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1961/01/09/578880/a-big-run-wins-for-a-big-defense |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Maule |first=Tex |author-link=Tex Maule |title=A big run wins for a big defense |date=January 9, 1961 |page=40}}</ref><ref name=ewntl>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PBEwAAAAIBAJ&pg=5906%2C3128101 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |last=Lea |first=Bud |author-link=Bud Lea |title=Eagles win NFL title |date=December 27, 1960 |page=1, part 1 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=eroagn>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0gJYAAAAIBAJ&pg=5414%2C6428974 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Eagles rally once again |date=December 27, 1960 |page=13 }}</ref><ref name=ebpft>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mOEpAAAAIBAJ&pg=6678%2C2030814 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Kuechle |first=Oliver E. |title=Eagles beat Packers for title, 17-13 |date=December 27, 1960 |page=14, paft 2 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=ewtwvbb>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o1FYAAAAIBAJ&pg=1451%2C4094541 |newspaper=The Bulletin |location=Bend, Oregon |agency=UPI |title=Eagles win NFL title with 17 to 13 victory|date=December 27, 1960 |page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196012260phi.htm|title=Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles – December 26, 1960|access-date=April 13, 2009 |publisher=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> in head coach [[Vince Lombardi]]'s only career playoff loss. [[1958 NFL season|Two years earlier]], the two franchises had finished second last and last in the twelve-team league: the attendance for the title game was 67,325.<ref name=sitxml/> As the venue did not have lights at the time, the game started at noon to allow overtime to be played if required.<ref name=aprtd/>

Two infamous incidents in Eagles history occurred at the stadium.

====Santa Claus booed====
{{Main|Philadelphia Eagles Santa Claus incident}}
During the [[1968 Philadelphia Eagles season|1968 season]] finale against the [[1968 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]] on December 15, a Christmas show was planned for halftime. The struggling Eagles entered the game at 2–11, and fans were less than pleased with Eagles quarterback [[Norm Snead]] (injured in preseason), owner [[Jerry Wolman]], and especially coach [[Joe Kuharich]]: many fans came to the game wearing "Joe Must Go" buttons.<ref name=joestyn>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BcwbAAAAIBAJ&pg=5343%2C190293 |work=[[The Pittsburgh Press]] |agency=UPI |title=Joe plans on staying |date=December 16, 1968 |page=36}}</ref> Unfortunately, the man meant to play Santa was unable to make it to Franklin Field due to the bad weather.

In lieu of the original halftime show, a 19-year-old fan named Frank Olivo (who came to the stadium already wearing a [[Santa Claus]] costume) was invited onto the field to toss candy canes with the cheerleaders. Frustrated by the team, the ugly wet weather, and his unconvincing beard, fans booed Olivo and threw snowballs at him. This incident is often referred to by sportscasters in denigrating Philadelphia sports fans as being so mean they booed Santa Claus.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ronnie |last=Polaneczky |title=This is Philly: After 40 years, we'll still boo a bad Santa |date=December 15, 2008 |work=[[Philadelphia Daily News]] |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081215_Ronnie_Polaneczky__This_is_Philly__After_40_years__we_ll_still_boo_a_bad_Santa.html |access-date=December 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216034235/http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081215_Ronnie_Polaneczky__This_is_Philly__After_40_years__we_ll_still_boo_a_bad_Santa.html |archive-date=December 16, 2008}}</ref> The Eagles lost the game, 24–17.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196812150phi.htm|title=Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles – December 15, 1968|access-date=April 13, 2009 |publisher=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> Olivo continued to attend Eagles games and even made a return as Santa Claus four decades later, at the Eagles' December 27, 2009, game against the [[Denver Broncos]] at [[Lincoln Financial Field]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Kerith |last=Gabriel |title='Santa' recalls Eagles 1968 snowball incident |date=December 28, 2009 |newspaper=[[Philadelphia Daily News]] |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20091228_Joseph_Santoliquito___Santa__recalls_Eagles_1968_snowball_incident.html |access-date=December 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091231032211/http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20091228_Joseph_Santoliquito___Santa__recalls_Eagles_1968_snowball_incident.html |archive-date=December 31, 2009}}</ref> This time, Olivo was not targeted by snowballs. Frank Olivo died in 2015 at age 66.

====Howard Cosell taken ill====
In the first season of ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' in [[1970 Philadelphia Eagles season|1970]], announcer [[Howard Cosell]] was apparently drunk during the Eagles-[[1970 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] game on November 23. After throwing up on [[color commentator]] [[Don Meredith]]'s cowboy boots shortly before halftime, Cosell left the stadium and took a taxi back to New York City. Meredith and [[play-by-play]] announcer [[Keith Jackson]] made little mention of his departure during the second half.

Later, denying drunkenness, Cosell said that he had been dizzy from running laps around Franklin Field's track before the game with track star [[Tommie Smith]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-12-sp-4205-story.html | title=Ex-ABC Executive Says Cosell's Drinking Was a Problem on Air| website=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=May 12, 1988}}</ref> Cosell was 52 years old at the time.

===Other college football===
[[File:ArmyNavy1908.jpeg|right|thumb|The 1908 [[Army–Navy Game]] at Franklin Field]]
The [[Army–Navy Game]] was played 18 times at Franklin Field between 1899 and 1935 before moving to the larger [[Philadelphia Municipal Stadium|Municipal Stadium]] in [[South Philadelphia]] in 1936.<ref name=Eagles>{{cite book |last1=Didinger |first1=Ray |last2=Lyons |first2=Robert S. |title=The Eagles Encyclopedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yV7lvstPuqgC&q=%22Franklin+Field%22+penn&pg=PA205 |access-date=January 8, 2009 |year=2005 |publisher=Temple University Press |location=Philadelphia |isbn=1-59213-449-1|page=205}}</ref> Penn alumnus and Olympic-medalist [[George Orton]] (who had worked with Frank Ellis in managing the Penn Relays) is credited with helping to bring the game to Philadelphia in 1899.<ref>{{cite web|title=George Washington Orton (1873–1958)|work=Penn Biographies |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Archives|url=http://www.archives.upenn.edu/people/1800s/orton_geo_w.html|access-date=April 30, 2009}}</ref>

[[Temple University]] played its home football games at [[Temple Stadium]] until the late 1970s. Temple Stadium, which opened in 1928, seated up to 34,000 for football. Over the years, Temple had played home games at Franklin Field when crowds were expected to exceed Temple Stadium's capacity. Temple moved its home games to [[Veterans Stadium]] in the late 1970s but the [[Philadelphia Phillies|Phillies]] had priority for the field for Saturdays during baseball season, which ends the last week in September. When Temple home games conflicted with Phillies home games, Temple would play at Franklin Field. This continued through the 2002 season, Temple's final year at the Vet before the Owls moved to [[Lincoln Financial Field]] as tenants of the [[Philadelphia Eagles|Eagles]].<ref>{{cite web|title=A Look Back at Temple Football|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/tem/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/mg_history_06.pdf|work=[[Temple University]]|access-date=August 25, 2019|archive-date=August 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804220244/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/tem/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/mg_history_06.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> One of the last Temple football games at Franklin Field was a 44–21 loss to the number-one-ranked [[2002 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami Hurricanes]] on September 14, 2002; Miami's [[Willis McGahee]] rushed for 134 yards and four touchdowns in front of 33,169 fans.<ref>{{cite news|first=Dan|last=McQuade|title=Top-ranked Miami runs past Temple at Franklin Field|url=http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2002/09/16/Sports/TopRanked.Miami.Runs.Past.Temple.At.Franklin.Field-2157261.shtml|work=[[The Daily Pennsylvanian]]|date=September 16, 2002|access-date=June 19, 2009 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070514043144/http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2002/09/16/Sports/TopRanked.Miami.Runs.Past.Temple.At.Franklin.Field-2157261.shtml|archive-date=May 14, 2007}}</ref>

In [[2016 NCAA Division III football season|2016]], the multi-division [[Eastern College Athletic Conference]] (ECAC) held the second installment of its six [[NCAA Division III]] post-season [[bowl game]]s (over three days) at Franklin Field for select member teams that did not make the DIII playoffs. In the series's inaugural year, the games were played at [[Arute Field]] in [[New Britain, Connecticut]]. The bowl series will move to [[Delaware Stadium]] in [[2017 NCAA Division III football season|2017]], but will return to Franklin Field in [[2018 NCAA Division III football season|2018]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ecacsports.com/news/2017/5/31/football-ecac-d3-fb-fest-sites-announced-for-2017-18.aspx |title = ECAC DIII Football Fest Sites Announced for 2017 & 2018}}</ref>

===Other professional football===
The [[National Football League|NFL]]'s [[Frankford Yellow Jackets]] hosted the [[Dayton Triangles]] on September 24, 1927, at Franklin Field. The Yellow Jackets usually played their home games in the [[Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Frankford]] section of Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite news|first=John J.|last=Fenton |title=Philadelphia's Pro Football Stadiums|date=2001–2007|publisher=Ghosts of the Gridiron|url=http://home.comcast.net/~ghostsofthegridiron/stadiums.htm |access-date=January 13, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214135544/http://home.comcast.net/~ghostsofthegridiron/stadiums.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2008}}</ref> The Triangles won, 6–3.<ref>{{cite news |title=1927 Dayton Triangles Game Results|date=2000–2008|publisher=Pro Football Reference |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/day/1927_games.htm|access-date=January 13, 2009}}</ref>

The [[Philadelphia Bell]] of the [[World Football League]] played their 1975 home games at Franklin Field. (The Bell drew fewer than 12,000 fans total to five home games before the WFL folded in October.)

When the [[United States Football League]]'s [[Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars|Philadelphia Stars]] had to move their 1984 playoff games out of the Vet (because the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] had games scheduled on those dates), they played at Franklin Field. On June 30, 1984, the Stars defeated the [[New Jersey Generals]], 28–7, behind two touchdowns from [[Kelvin Bryant]]; a crowd of 19,038 saw the game on a warm and overcast afternoon.<ref>{{cite news |title=1984 USFL Quarterfinals|publisher=OurSportsCentral.com/usfl |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/usfl/84quart.htm|access-date=January 5, 2009}}</ref> A week later, the Stars downed the [[Birmingham Stallions]], 20-10, in the Eastern Conference championship game at Franklin Field, in front of 26,616 fans. (Both games were carried by [[ABC Sports]], as was the 1984 USFL Championship Game, in which Philadelphia crushed the [[Arizona Wranglers]], 23-3, to claim the league title.)

===Track and field===
====Penn Relays====
{{Further|Penn Relays}}
[[File:4x1500 Penn Relays (34193912681).jpg|thumb|The [[Penn Relays]] at Franklin Field in April 2017]]
Franklin Field has hosted the annual [[Penn Relays|Penn Relays Carnival]], the largest track-and-field meet in the U.S., for over 100&nbsp;years.

The first Penn Relays was held in 1895. Frank B. Ellis, chairman of Penn's track committee, was looking for an event to mark the dedication of the school's then new stadium, Franklin Field. Two years earlier, during his senior year at Penn, Penn and [[Princeton University|Princeton]] competed in a one-mile relay race in which four runners from each school each ran a quarter of a mile. That race had been an outgrowth of intramural relay races held at Penn. Ellis and others arranged a series of relay races to take place on Saturday afternoon, April 20, 1895. Sixty-four competitors from eight colleges, six prep schools and two high schools took part. Eight two-team races were run with Harvard beating Penn in the mile-relay feature in 3:34.4.<ref>{{cite magazine| title=The Relays!| date=May 2, 1955| magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]| url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1955/05/02/the-relays/| access-date=January 8, 2009| url-status=live| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717170006/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1069475/1/index.htm| archive-date=July 17, 2012}}</ref>

The Relays were featured in the April 29, 1961, premiere of [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]]'s ''[[Wide World of Sports (US TV series)|Wide World of Sports]]''.

The 2020 and 2021 Penn Relays were cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]].<ref name="Chang">{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=David |title=2021 Penn Relays Canceled Due to Coronavirus Pandemic |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/2021-penn-relays-canceled-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic/2728915/ |access-date=October 11, 2021 |publisher=NBC 10 Philadelphia |date=March 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310055804/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/2021-penn-relays-canceled-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic/2728915/ |archive-date=March 10, 2021}}</ref> These were the first times the event had been canceled since the event's inception on April 21, 1895.<ref name="Chang" />

===Other meets===
The 2nd [[Soviet Union|USSR]]-United States [[Track and field athletics|Track and Field]] dual meet was held at Franklin Field on July 18 and 19, 1959. Stars who competed included [[Parry O'Brien]], [[Ray Norton]], [[Al Cantello]], [[Hayes Jones]], [[Tamara Press]], [[Vasili Kuznetsov (athlete)|Vasili Kuznetsov]], [[Dyrol Burleson]], [[Greg Bell (athlete)|Greg Bell]], a young [[Wilma Rudolph]], and future long-jump great [[Igor Ter-Ovanesyan]].<ref>{{cite news | title=This Day in Track & Field: July 18–19 | date=May 22, 2008| publisher=American Track & Field | url =http://www.american-trackandfield.com/read_feature/day-track-field| access-date = January 8, 2009 }}</ref>

Franklin Field hosted the [[NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship]] in June 1961, the first time the championship was held on the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]]. Seven records were set, and the [[USC Trojans|University of Southern California]] won its 21st team Track & Field championship.<ref>{{cite magazine| first=Roy| last=Terrell| title=The Ncaa Visits The Wild East| date=June 26, 1961| magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]| url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1961/06/26/the-ncaa-visits-the-wild-east/| access-date=January 8, 2009| url-status=live| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718141145/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1072717/1/index.htm| archive-date=July 18, 2012}}</ref>

Following the [[Montreal]] [[1976 Summer Olympics]] and in honor of the [[United States Bicentennial]], Franklin Field hosted The Bicentennial Meet of Champions track and field event on August 4, 1976. Montreal Olympians at the meet included [[Hasely Crawford]], [[Don Quarrie]], [[Michael Shine]] and [[Edwin Moses]]. The meet was also a chance for top runners including [[Houston McTear]] who had not been able to compete in Montreal to race against medal winners.<ref>{{cite news | last=Associated Press | author-link=Associated Press | title=Olympic medalists in Bicentennial meet | date=August 4, 1976 | publisher=[[The Daily Courier (Arizona)|The Prescott Courier]] | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=886&dat=19760804&id=-R0LAAAAIBAJ&pg=5888,4874152 | access-date=July 6, 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 13,722 attended the event and saw [[Dwight Stones]] set a record for the high-jump and [[John Walker (athlete)|John Walker]] win the mile.<ref>{{cite news| first=Dan| last=Berger| title=Stones aims higher| date=August 5, 1976| publisher=[[The Free Lance–Star]]| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19760805&id=sQ0UAAAAIBAJ&pg=4826,3522960| page=8| access-date=July 6, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The University of Pennsylvania hosted the two-day [[Liberty Bell Classic|1980 Liberty Bell Track and Field Classic]], an alternate to the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] for 26 countries participating in the [[1980 Summer Olympics boycott|American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics]] which were held in Moscow. The Liberty Bell Classic began on July 16, 1980. It was the largest international track meet held in the U.S. since the [[1932 Summer Olympics]] in terms of the number of foreign competitors. Franklin Field hosted the track and field events where 20,111 spectators saw the final evening of competitions. In several events, the times were better than those in Moscow, such as American [[Renaldo Nehemiah]]'s time of 13.31 in the 110m hurdles ahead of East German gold medal winner [[Thomas Munkelt]]'s time of 13.39.<ref>{{cite magazine| first=Craig| last=Neff| title=...and Meanwhile, In Philadelphia: Half a world from Lenin Stadium, boycotting athletes, some of whom gave Olympian performances, proved there's no alternative to the Games| date=July 28, 1980| magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]| url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1980/07/28/and-meanwhile-in-philadelphia-half-a-world-from-lenin-stadium-boycotting-athletes-some-of-whom-gave-olympian-performances-proved-theres-no-alternative-to-the-games/| access-date=June 15, 2009| url-status=live| archive-url=https://archive.today/20121202235510/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123636/index.htm| archive-date=December 2, 2012}}</ref>

In 2025, Franklin Field hosted the 3rd [[2025 Philadelphia Slam|leg]] of the inaugural [[Grand Slam Track]] season. 

===Track configuration===
The track in Franklin Field has a rarely used configuration where the 400 metre circumference is achieved in lane 4, rather than in lane one.  Thus there are two curbs on the track, inside of lane one and also inside of lane 4.  In order to accommodate the full fields of the Penn Relays and other meets, special adaptations are made with a movable curb on the backstretch to stagger the runners to arrive at a common break point in lane 4, rather than the conventional lane one.  Single lap races in the inner lanes, run portions of an extra straightaway.  Multiple lap races spend the majority of the race in lane 4 to run the proper distances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/collegeovalscom/ivy-league/franklin-field|title=Franklin Field - CollegeOvals.com|website=sites.google.com}}</ref>

The Franklin Field track has utilized a Rekortan track surface since 1987.<ref name="APT" /> The track was last renovated in 2015 when ATT Sports, Inc., installed the current Rekortan M99 track surfacing.<ref name="APT">{{cite web |title=Rekortan Chosen for Running Track Renovation at University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field |url=https://www.pr.com/press-release/626708 |website=PR.com |publisher=Advanced Polymer Technology |access-date=July 31, 2021}}</ref> The track was resurfaced again by ATT Sports, Inc. in the summer of 2024.

==Other sports==
[[File:Franklin Field (Philadelphia)-exterior.JPG|thumb|The arched exterior of Franklin Field in April 2006]]
Franklin Field served as the home field for [[Penn Quakers baseball|Penn's baseball]], whose varsity baseball team played at Franklin Field beginning from 1895<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael T. |last=Woods|title=Penn Baseball in the 1800s: 1895 Varsity Team |date=August 2005|publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania]]: University Archives |url=http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/sports/baseball/1800s/1895.html|access-date=January 27, 2009}}</ref> through 1939.<ref>{{cite news |title=PENN BEATS YALE IN STRAW HAT GAME; Ten Thousand Baseball Fans, Many in Summer Head Dress, See Favorites Win, 8-5.|date=May 24, 1924|work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1924/05/04/archives/penn-beats-yale-in-straw-hat-game-ten-thousand-baseball-fans-many.html|pages =S2 |access-date=April 17, 2009}}</ref>

Franklin Field was the longtime home of Philadelphia's city title high school football championship game. The game was held at the stadium in 1938, 1940, 1941, and from 1943 through 1972, before it moved to [[Veterans Stadium]]. On [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving Day]], 1941, 40,000 fans watched [[West Philadelphia High School|West Philadelphia]] tie [[West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys|West Philadelphia Catholic]], 0–0. In 1945, 54,000 fans saw [[South Philadelphia High School|Southern]] beat [[West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys|West Catholic]], 18–13. The 1946 game, played before 60,000, ended in a riot when [[Northeast High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)|Northeast]] fans stormed the field in the final minute of the school's 33–26 victory over [[West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys|West Catholic]], prompting West Catholic fans to do the same.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tedsilary.com/FBCitytitlegames.htm|title=FB City Title Recaps|access-date=April 23, 2009 |work=tedsillary.com|publisher=Ted Sillary}}</ref>

The [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]] [[Philadelphia Atoms]] had played at [[Veterans Stadium]] from [[1973 North American Soccer League season|1973]] to [[1975 North American Soccer League season|1975]]. They moved to Franklin Field in [[1976 North American Soccer League season|1976]] which had better sight lines for soccer. Attendance was 8,400 for the home opener on May 2, 1976. They drew a season high of 25,000 for the July 17 match against the [[New York Cosmos (1971–1985)|New York Cosmos]] which featured soccer great [[Pelé]]. The team averaged 6,449 at Franklin Field for their 11 home matches in 1976.<ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Holroyd|title=Philadelphia atoms History: 1976 |publisher=PhiladelphiaAtoms.com|url=http://www.philadelphiaatoms.com/history5.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317203147/http://www.philadelphiaatoms.com/history5.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 17, 2008|access-date=January 22, 2009}}</ref> The [[Philadelphia Fury (1978–80)|Philadelphia Fury]] hosted a play-off game against the [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] on August 23, 1979, at Franklin Field when the Fury's home field, Veterans Stadium, was being used by the Phillies.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tierney |first=Mike |date=August 22, 1979 |title=Luck writes Rowdies' playoff script |page=3C |work=[[St. Petersburg Times]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-luck-writes-rowdies-pla/149106037/ |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |accessdate=June 10, 2024}}</ref>

Along with [[John F. Kennedy Stadium (Philadelphia)|John F. Kennedy Stadium]], also in Philadelphia, Franklin Field was one of 15 United States stadiums inspected by a five-member [[FIFA]] committee in April 1988 in the evaluation of the United States as a possible host of the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |first=George|last=Vecsey|title=Sports of The Time; Americans Prepare for Lights, Cameras and Soccer|date=April 10, 1988|work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/10/sports/sports-of-the-time-americans-prepare-for-lights-cameras-and-soccer.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/V/Vecsey,%20George|access-date=April 24, 2009}}</ref> On August 25, 1989, a crowd of 43,356 at Franklin Field saw the [[United States men's national soccer team|US national soccer team]] defeat [[FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk|Dnepr]] of the [[Soviet Top League]], 1–0; [[Eric Eichmann]] scored the lone goal in the game's 12th minute.<ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Associated Press]]|title=RESULTS PLUS |date=August 26, 1989|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/26/sports/results-plus-632589.html?sec=&spon=|access-date=April 13, 2009}}</ref>

On November 30, 2004, Franklin Field was home to the first [[rugby league]] match between the [[United States national rugby league team|United States]] and [[Australian national rugby league team|Australia]]. The United States led the [[Rugby League World Cup|World Cup]]-holders Australia for much of the game, but eventually lost, 36–24.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jonathan|last=Tannenwald|title=U.S. Rugby's upset bid spoiled by Australia at Franklin Field|date=December 1, 2004|work=[[Daily Pennsylvanian]]|url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2004/11/u-s-australia-rugby-to-play-at-franklin-field|access-date=January 5, 2009}}</ref>

The stadium hosted the Division I [[NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship]] in 1973 and 1992 and the [[NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship|NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship]] in May 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=2007 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship Ticket Information|date=January 10, 2007|work=Draw Philadelphia |url=http://www.drawphiladelphia.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2700&ATCLID=743954&KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=2700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=|access-date=October 16, 2008 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107184023/http://www.drawphiladelphia.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2700&ATCLID=743954&KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=2700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=|archive-date=January 7, 2016}}</ref>

April 14, 2012, marked the debut of Franklin Field as the home stadium for the [[Philadelphia Spinners]] in their first [[AUDL]] season. An estimated 1700 were in attendance as the Spinners defeated the [[Buffalo Hunters]], 26–14. The Spinners continued to use Franklin Field for the rest of the 2012 season and used it for two games in the 2014 [[Major League Ultimate|MLU]] season.

The inaugural [[Major League Ultimate]] championship game was played at Franklin Field on July 13, 2013. The Boston Whitecaps defeated the San Francisco Dogfish, 20–15. The Stadium again hosted the MLU championship on July 16, 2016, as the Philadelphia Spinners defeated the [[Portland Stags]], 14–11.

==Other events==
===Entertainment===
[[File:FDR accepts the nomination for the Presidency in speech at Franklin Field, Philadelphia, PA. June 27, 1936 (cropped1).jpg|thumb|U.S. president [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] accepts the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]'s [[1936 United States presidential election|1936 presidential nomination]] at Franklin Field on June 27, 1936.]]
[[Drum Corps International]] held its annual [[DCI Division I World Champions|Drum and Bugle Corps World Championships]] at the stadium in 1975 and 1976.

On June 8, 1997, Franklin Field hosted Irish rock band [[U2]] during the first leg of their [[PopMart Tour|PopMart tour]], which was the stadium's first concert since the 1970s.<ref>{{cite news| first=Shannon| last=Burke| title=U2 rocks Franklin Field with energized show| date=June 12, 1997| publisher=[[Daily Pennsylvanian]]| url=http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/1997/06/12/Resources/U2.Rocks.Franklin.Field.With.Energized.Show-2172066.shtml| access-date=January 5, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204140327/http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/1997/06/12/Resources/U2.Rocks.Franklin.Field.With.Energized.Show-2172066.shtml| archive-date=February 4, 2009}}</ref>

===Films===
The 2000 [[M. Night Shyamalan]]–directed movie ''[[Unbreakable (film)|Unbreakable]]'' features Franklin Field as one of its main locations. Its main character, played by [[Bruce Willis]], works as a security guard at the stadium.

In the [[2006 in film|2006]] movie ''[[Invincible (2006 film)|Invincible]]'', Franklin Field served as a stand-in for the demolished [[Veterans Stadium]], whose images were digitally superimposed on some of the football action sequences.

===Politics===
The stadium was the site of the speech by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in which he accepted the [[1936 United States presidential election|1936]] [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]'s nomination for a second term as president.<ref>{{cite news | first=M. Charles| last=Bakst| title=At conventions, JFK and FDR also spoke outdoors| date=August 21, 2008| work=[[The Providence Journal]] | url =http://www.projo.com/news/politics/content/BAKST_COLUMN_21_08-21-08_G3B0CE8_v10.3f6a81e.html?npc| access-date = August 28, 2008 }}</ref> It is estimated that a crowd of 100,000 sat through intermittent rain at Franklin Field to hear FDR's speech.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jeff |last=Gammage |title=Before Obama, there was FDR at Franklin Field |date=August 29, 2008 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/elections/20080829_Before_Obama__there_was_FDR_at_Franklin_Field.html |access-date=August 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141734/http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/elections/20080829_Before_Obama__there_was_FDR_at_Franklin_Field.html |archive-date=December 16, 2008 }}</ref>

{{Coord|39|57|N|75|11.4|W|display=title}}

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I FCS football stadiums]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [http://www.stadiumsofprofootball.com/past/FranklinField.htm Stadiums of Pro Football: Franklin Field]
* [http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/pj_display.cfm/82889 Architectural photos of Franklin Field]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071015113301/http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/gallery/gallery?id=3016261 ESPN.com: Photo gallery "Oldest stadiums – Monuments to the past"]
* [http://digital.hagley.org/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=all&CISOBOX1=franklin+field&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=%2Fp268001uw Aerial photographs of Franklin Field in 1920s and 1930s] in the [[Hagley Digital Archives]]

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box
 | title = Home of the<br/>[[Philadelphia Eagles]]
 | years = 1958–1970
 | before = [[Shibe Park]]
 | after = [[Veterans Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box
 | title = Host of the <br/>[[Drum Corps International]] <br/>World Championship 
 | years = 1975–1976
 | before = [[Schoellkopf Field]]
 | after = [[Mile High Stadium]] 
}}
{{Succession box
 | title = Home of the <br/> [[College lacrosse|NCAA Lacrosse]] [[NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship|Final Four]]
 | years = 1973
 | before = [[Byrd Stadium]]
 | after = [[Rutgers Stadium (1938)|Rutgers Stadium I]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of the [[NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship|College Cup]]
 | years = 1976
 | before = [[Ralph Korte Stadium]]
 | after = [[California Memorial Stadium]]
}}
{{s-end}}

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