HOAGIEGATE: Philly Eagle Owner bans outside food at games from DHS

[LynneSin]

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/6320985.htm

Posted on Thu, Jul. 17, 2003

FANS FUME OVER HOAGIE BAN
By DON RUSSELL

ON DAY TWO of Hoagiegate, the prosciutto hit the fan.

The Philadelphia Eagles angrily dug in their heels, saying they would "never" lift their ban on BYO food at the new Lincoln Financial Field.

Citywide, hoagie-makers, worried about lost sales, turned red as a cherry pepper.

And fans, accusing owner Jeffrey Lurie of price-gouging at the taxpayer-funded stadium, started talking about a boycott.

Meanwhile, the Daily News is starting a petition drive, formally asking the Eagles to drop the ban.

The furor centers on a team decision to prohibit fans from bringing outside food into the stadium, which opens next month. Team President Joe Banner contended the ban was a necessity brought about by the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack at the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Yesterday, Banner said the team instituted the ban following recommendations from numerous security consultants, including the state Office of Homeland Security.

In a testy press conference at the Eagles' South Philadelphia training facility, he accused critics of putting snack food ahead of fan safety.

"You're putting the fans' lives at danger," Banner said.

Asked whether other sports facilities, including Veterans Stadium, are jeopardizing fan safety by permitting BYO food, he said, "That's their decision...It would be foolish and irresponsible of us to ignore the experts."

Was he worried about terrorists smuggling a bomb inside an Italian hoagie?

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On a serious note, aren't we taking this homeland security thing a bit too far?

[Voltaire]

1. My brother called me from DC about this yesterday

As a Philadelphian in exile (live in Indianapolis now) I will tell you, you DON'T take a man's hoagie away from him. This will look funny to outsiders but I'll bet its a HUGE issue on WIP 610 AM.

Can't wait to visit there in September to check it out!!

[1monster]

2. Do fund raisers still go door to door selling hoagies

in the summer?

I grew up in south central Pennsylvania dairy farm country. Our nearest neighbor was nearly a mile away. The next neighbor was more than two miles away.

And yet, every summer, we would have people come around taking orders for hoagies to be deivered the following week for some fund raising endevor or another.

And since leaving Pennsylvania, I've never had a sandwich, call it a hoagie, submarine, grinder, poor boy, or whatever that tasted quite the same or as good as one of those fundraising hoagies...

[1monster]

3. Do fund raisers still go door to door selling hoagies

edited to remove another one of dem dere double posts... :eyes:

[artr2]

4. This is all about money

The owner wants ALLLL the profits going into his pocket - FUCK the little shop owner who makes most of his money during football season selling hogies - typical repukkk mentality - and this at a TAXPAYER supported stadium

[maveric]

10. And they are using 9/11 for personal gain.

Team President Joe Banner contended the ban was a necessity brought about by the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack at the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

What a load of bullshit.

[Desperadoe]

5. bomb inside an Italian hoagie

Unless you are a Cowboy, 49'er (insert team name here) who has attended an Eagle game at the VET, you would think that this might be a joke. It is no joke.

I'm sure that it's a lot to do with the economics of concession stand sales but, as a long-time Eagles fan, I can tell you that Philly has some very peculiar fans perched in that 700 Level. It is indeed a security problem, although I don't think that "bombs in a hoagie" is the worry. Beer bottles and blunt objects could be a very real concern. Remember, the Vet has it's very own judge and courtroom to deal with the assholes who think that an NFL game was meant for boozin' and brawlin'. It's a "Freeper Mentality" :).

The Eagles are opening a new, state-of-the-art stadium this year and I think that they want to change the atmosphere, surrounding sporting events in the City of Brother Love, to a more family-friendly esperience.

BTW, these same rules exist in almost half of the other NFL stadiums and I feel sure it will be the norm in the next two years. It will, however, be painted as foolishness and greed on the part of the Eagles ownership. That's another Philly tradition.

[Ishoutandscream]

6. But on a happier note

Eagle fans will still be allowed to cheer when an opposing player lies paralyzed on the playing field.

[KG]

7. if you can't take a hoagie into the game- then the terrorists win!

:(

[Bunny]

8. Meanwhile, and you Philly folks correct me if I'm wrong,

but we've already had two football seasons since 9/11, and Vet's Stadium still allowed people to bring in their own food. What about security then? Could it be that the Eagles only got 50% of the food revenue at Vet's stadium, whereas at their new field they'll get 100% of the concession revenue?? Coincidence?

When the Pirates opened PNC Park two years ago, they tried something similar (not quite as bad, but similar). Parents of very small children were not even allowed to bring in little juice boxes for their kids. Bottles of formula for babes in arms were permitted, but not much else. There was such a public ruckus that they had to back down. Now you can bring in your own food, but only in containers that are limited to a certain size (just about big enough for a couple of sandwiches & drinks).

BTW, don't most football fans tailgate before the games? They make some pretty lavish spreads, or so I've heard. Maybe all the Eagles fans should just plan to do this and boycott the concession stands. Eat your fill before you go into the stadium. That'll teach the greedy bastards.

[NashVegas]

9. Lots of Places Are Using the Security Excuse

The trend towards disallowing BYO was already getting out of hand.

People should boycott; security is the excuse, greed (gotta get as much money out of the new, taxpayer-funded stadium as possible) is the real issue.

I'd boycott anyway, I've learned to loathe, loathe, loathe naming community venues for commercial entities that have nothing to do with a municipality's heritage. I lived in Albany, NY, for years, the saddest day was when the Knickerbocker Arena became the Pepsi Arena.