It's a new season at Lincoln Financial Field! As fans enjoy gameday they will be greeted with beautiful new artwork. View the full gallery here...
2015 is an exciting year for Lincoln Financial Field as the stadium boasts new additions that enhance fan experience, especially on gameday. As you approach the stadium you are bound to run into some of the new artwork, whether it's the #OurCityOurTeam Mural on Darien Street or the Chuck Bednarik stairs inside HeadHouse Plaza. Keep your eyes peeled for several pieces that will show up throughout your Eagles gameday journey.
A Dramatic Entrance
The Eagles now take the field in brand new fashion through a state-of-the-art tunnel entrance. Previously, the team was led onto the field through an inflatable Eagles helmet with smoke, but this year the entrance was modernized for a more dramatic effect.
Fast forward to game time. The camera closes in on the players exiting the locker room and entering a dark hallway lit only by lasers and head coach Chip Kelly's reminders including the famous quote, "Habits Reflect The Mission."
As the players round the final corner, "Fly Eagles Fly" echoes from the ceiling and lasers shoot across the field entrance, serving as a barrier for the players to run through. From there it's full speed ahead onto the field as smoke and pyrotechnics shoot off and the crowd begins to roar for their beloved Eagles.
Forever An Eagle: Chuck Bednarik
During the 2015 home opener, the Eagles paid tribute to Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Chuck Bednarik. More than just a football player, Bednarik was well known for his heroics in World War II even before he suited up as an Eagle. The young boy from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania says he grew up quickly while at war and was able to use what he learned on the football field.
"You go through combat, you develop a killer instinct," Bednarik said. "You become - what's the term - hard core. Did I take that on the field? Yes, to be honest, I did."
Bednarik was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection in 14 NFL seasons, all with the Eagles. As Eagles fans enter the HeadHouse at Lincoln Financial Field, they will be greeted by Bednarik's photo on a large staircase, surrounded by other historic Eagles alumni such as Brian Dawkins, Tommy McDonald, Steve Van Buren and Reggie White. The Eagles are wearing Bednarik's No. 60 as a decal on the back of their helmets this season. Bednarik's wife, Emma, and five daughters Charlene, Donna, Pam, Carol and Jackie were in attendance for the tribute at the home opener.
#OurCityOurTeam Mural
There is a new artistic touch adjacent to Lincoln Financial Field, spanning Darien Street across from the stadium. The #OurCityOurTeam Mural was started in November 2014 by the Eagles and the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. The 17,000-square-foot mural was designed by Eagles graphic designer Christine Dorn and created through a series of Paint Days that included Eagles players, staff, season ticket members and artists who each took turns painting designated spots on the canvas.
The #OurCityOurTeam Mural stands as the fifth-largest mural in the nation and the second-largest in the city of Philadelphia. Its purpose is to show the relationship between the City of Philadelphia, the fans and the Philadelphia Eagles. As spectators walk from left to right they go through various stages of the mural starting at the Ben Franklin Bridge, flowing through the NovaCare Complex and Lincoln Financial Field and ending with the cityscapes of Philadelphia and fans supporting the team.
Breathtaking Artwork In The Plaza And Concourse Areas
Enter Lincoln Financial Field through HeadHouse Plaza this season and you are sure to be amazed. This year Eagles fans are greeted by a 66-foot-tall composite that towers over the plaza area, along with another composite over the concourse that is over 25-feet wide and spans over 900 square feet. These pieces of art echo the spirit of the Philadelphia Eagles as fans get excited for gameday.
The composites were designed by Eagles graphic designer Loraine Griffiths during the offseason. As for the artwork on the tower, the main goal was to emphasize motion. The City of Philadelphia in the background also serves as a metaphor similar to #OurCityOurTeam – that the city has the team's back. Both pieces of art use a variety of colors to represent the Eagles while also drawing the attention of fans who are at the stadium for gameday, or just passing by.
Each week, This is Our House will unveil a different aspect of Lincoln Financial Field or the NovaCare Complex.