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10/18/2004 Archived Entry: "Drivers No Longer Welcome at Eagles Games"

I drove my regular trip yesterday for the Eagles game vs. the Carolina Panthers in Philadelphia -- as you probably know, the Eagles won, 30-8, for five wins in a row.

As I reported here in November 2003, motorcoach drivers bringing groups to the game were welcome to identify themselves at the gate, provide their name and coach number, and were then given 30 minutes to use the restrooms, buy food, or visit the pro shop in the stadium (Lincoln Financial Field). I've taken advantage of that at every game, usually waiting until well into the 2nd or 3rd quarters of the game when there was no crowd at the gate and gate staff otherwise unoccupied. Yesterday, however, for the first time I was refused admittance. The staff at the gate was all different than previously, except for one lady who recognized me from previous games. So, thinking it was a misunderstanding, I asked to speak to a supervisor. Nope, according to the supervisor they now supposedly have a policy of no admittance without a ticket for anyone, including bus drivers, and the 30 minute window for bus drivers no longer exists. I went as far as I could up the ladder, until I spoke to J.P. Hayslip, whose title is Branch Manager for Contemporary Services Corporation, the company to whom the Eagles subcontract ticket taking and security. He actually denied the policy ever existed, and I don't think he believed me when I informed him that it's been in practice since shortly after Lincoln Financial Field opened. At any rate, he offered to email a copy of the Eagles new policy on this in writing, and I will post it here as soon as it arrives.

Replies: 1 Comment

It took a while, and it didn't come by email but rather by snailmail ... but my company received a letter from the Eagles organization saying that their official policy never allowed drivers entrance to the game, contrary to actual practice. Apparently it took a year and a half for this info to get from the Eagles offices to the stadium gates.

Posted by Bob Bergey @ 02/02/2005 02:02 PM EST