The Sixth Annual Plea For Temple To Build a Football Stadium On Campus
Each year, on the eve of Temple’s home opener, I write an article similar to this one. It begs and pleads with anyone who listens to ensure that in the near future, Temple’s home opener occurs at a stadium on campus. This year, my sixth year doing so, I would be remiss if I didn’t admit this is as lethargic as I’ve ever been to continue this tradition. Temple football as we know it has faded back into irrelevance. They are now in college football purgatory, big enough not to cut the program, but not big enough to matter in the collegiate landscape. An on campus stadium is likely the only thing that can save them now.
Temple’s season began last weekend as a mere blip on the radar in the Philly sports landscape. It’s a city that is always rabid for Eagles football and the baseball team its making its first playoff push in over a decade. Temple has always been a tough sell to a city with this many professional sports teams. But this year, they’ve faded more than normal. The first game of the Stan Drayton era ended in a 30-0 loss against Duke, a middle of the pack ACC foe. Nobody has enough passion around the program to even get angry at an embarrassing loss like that.
Temple’s dip back into irrelevance could not have come at a worse time. The Owls had illustrated a path to success under both Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins as a diamond in the rough program. After both left, along with AD, Pat Kraft, the college football landscape shapeshifted. Power conferences were created and continue to be built. The NIL deals for athletes now reign supreme. TV deals were struck for billions, not millions. Money, like in most industries, is the name of the game. You spend it to make it. And the leadership at Temple’s refusal to move forward with an on-campus stadium shows their illogical fear to financially commit to the program.
From an optics perspective, Temple’s passive nature regarding building their on campus stadium could not look worse right now. Two other programs in similar situations to Temple are moving forward with state of the art, on campus football stadiums in major cities.
At long last, Miami (FL) is getting its own on campus stadium and splitting ways with the Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium. The Hurricanes new stadium with a retractable roof and 60,000 seats will be built at Tropical Park. A mere 10 minutes from campus and a sigh of relief compared to the 40 minute trek students were lethargic to make to Hard Rock. The area will be developed with an athletic training facility to match the stadium. THe Hurricanes experienced their own fade from relevancy as the early 2000’s glory days of the program seem like centuries ago. But, the Miami football program still has big boosters (sometimes too big), and a Power 5 television deal. They aren’t the best comparsion for Temple, who is seeking a 35,000 seat stadium.
Where Temple really finds trouble is in the fact that USF is also building a new on campus stadium:
UPDATED story on today's "huge" #USF news. The Bulls have recommended two companies to design/build the long-awaited on-campus stadium, with a formal approval expected in a few weeks. https://t.co/KCktg8sxoo
— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) September 6, 2022
USF’s campus sits 45 minutes from the stadium they were sharing with the Tample Bay Buccaneers. The bus ride for students to and from games certainly didn’t invoke a level of passion in the program. But now, faced with college football extinction, they are doing what it takes to improve both their football program and their university. They sit in a similar (sinking) boat as Temple. The AAC is crumbling as Houston and Cincinnati (programs in cities with their own stadiums) will soon bolt for the Big 12. The money will dry up if USF doesn’t do anything, so they’ve created a this project.
An interesting note on the USF football stadium project: “As part of USF’s strong support of supplier diversity, the university has committed to a goal of awarding at least 36 percent of the on-campus stadium costs to women, veteran or minority-owned businesses. Near the start of the design/build procurement process, USF brought business owners and other community partners together for an informational session to raise awareness about potential opportunities with the stadium and will continue proactive outreach efforts as the project moves forward. “ (usf.edu).
That creative idea seems like an absolute no brainer to infuse within a project of their own to help the community in which they would build a stadium. Don’t just help your university, help the enitre community.
But alas, all these creative and insightful ideas are a mere afterthought for Temple at this point. They continue to be complacent with being raked over the coals by a deal with the Eagles to lease Lincoln Financial Field. Temple’s administration agreed to a five year lease extension back in 2020 with the Eagles. The lease cost is in the millions and Temple does not see the profits of parking or concessions.
They aren’t stuck, they are complacent. And in the everchanging, money hungry world that is college football, that is the worst thing you can be.