Temple Considering New Football Stadium Amid Rent Increase At Lincoln Financial Field

Temple Univ. is discussing the possibility of a new football stadium due to an "unwillingness to pay a higher rent" and a $12M "cash payment up front for the use of Lincoln Financial Field" for home games, according to John Mitchell of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Temple President Neil Theobald said, "That would certainly be one of the alternatives we'd look at." The school's lease with the Eagles expires following the '17 season, but Theobald said that he has been "negotiating with the Eagles for more than a year." The team has "not given a reason for the increase." Theobald said that the rent "would more than double what Temple is paying." The Eagles in a statement said Theobald's comments "do not accurately reflect our conversations with Temple representatives, which began in 2010." Theobald said that Temple was "considering renting other venues for its home games," although no talks have been held (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/11).