FanDuel is covering the cost of an additional 10 sports express trains and fares for fans on their way home from the Thursday night game.
Pennsylvania’s state budget is more than two months late, resulting in a lack of mass transit funding. SEPTA implemented major service cuts to account for the lack of funds.
With the major NFL home opener for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, a sponsor stepped in to fund additional trains for fans heading to and from the game.
FanDuel sponsored 10 additional express trains for the game, shuttling tens of thousands of people to and from the Eagles game.
On Wednesday, the team announced that FanDuel will also cover the fare for fans leaving the stadium after the football game.
FanDuel is expected to spend up to $80,000 on the sports express trains for Thursday’s game, according to SEPTA. The 10 additional trains will run in addition to six local trains.
Fans departing the stadium will have approximately 70 minutes after the game to utilize the additional trains and free fare. FanDuel is covering the fares for those leaving the stadium starting at halftime.
SEPTA’s operating costs for the additional trains will be covered by $40,000, with the other $40,000 going towards postgame rides for fans.
“We’re certainly very happy they stepped up. Very happy to be able to get this service out tomorrow. The last thing we wanted to see was gridlock around this,” said SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch.
The team warned fans before the game that they should arrive early and carpool due to reduced SEPTA service prior to FanDuel sponsoring the additional express trains for the game.
Last month, SEPTA made service cuts of 20%, including additional sports service. The mass transit agency is facing a $213 million budget deficit and relies on state funding to operate.
FanDuel’s sponsorship announcement came less than an hour before Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Sierra Thomas-Street issued a temporary injunction that ordered SEPTA to “maintain the Sports Express Train service by using ten train cars to and from NRG Station consistent with the same schedule used for prior Philadelphia Eagles.”
The judge’s order said that failure by SEPTA to provide the additional service may result in penalties. The involved parties are expected to return to court on Thursday for a hearing.
Also prior to FanDuel’s sponsorship agreement, State Senator Frank Farry, a Republican of Bucks County, said he notified SEPTA on Wednesday that Uber had offered to fund the operational cost of the additional trains, which is approximately $40,000.
SEPTA reported Uber’s offer to the Philadelphia Eagles, but they preferred to move forward with one of their own corporate sponsors.
“We appreciate FanDuel and SEPTA for collaborating to help provide Eagles fans with convenient transportation to-and-from our home opener. Their generous support will assist fans in getting to Lincoln Financial Field so that we can all enjoy the championship moment together,” said the Eagles’ president, Don Smolenski, in a press release.
