Temple VP/Public Affairs Bill Bergman said that the school will "begin talks by the end of the year" on a potential lease extension with the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. However, Temple BOT Chair Patrick O'Connor said that the sides have "yet to talk." In Philadelphia, Marc Narducci notes Temple's original 15-year lease with the Eagles expired at the end of the '17 season, and the school "signed two one-year extensions to continue the agreement" for '18 and '19. Temple had "hoped to build an on-campus stadium for the football team" by the start of the '20 season, but that is "not realistic at this point" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/24).
WHAT'S IN A NAME? In Pittsburgh, Sarah Spencer notes Duquesne will renovate Palumbo Center, and "one of the biggest changes on tap is a new name" for the facility. Once renovations are complete, the venue will be "known as UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse," honoring former NBAer Chuck Cooper, one of the "first black men drafted by an NBA team." Duquesne AD Dave Harper said the facility will "hopefully serve to elevate" the school's status in the Atlantic 10. Harper said that the renovations will cost about $45M, with the money being "fundraised and provided through sponsorships." Spencer noted the renovations are "set to begin in March and are estimated to finish" before the '20-21 athletic seasons (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 10/24).
COMPLIANCE RENO: In Reno, Siobhan McAndrew reported the Univ. of Nevada will spend $2M, on top of the nearly $700,000 it spent last year, to "fix mistakes" made in a $14M Mackay Stadium renovation. The '16 renovations had intended to bring the venue in "full compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act." However, the project "failed, and fans in wheelchairs couldn't see the field from new sections." The stadium's renovation plans "didn't account for players standing on the sidelines during the game, blocking the view for fans in the new wheelchair seating areas" (RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL, 10/18).
