Subaru Park

Subaru Park (formerly known as PPL Park and Talen Energy Stadium) is an American soccer-specific stadium located in Chester, Pennsylvania and is home to the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.[7] The project is the result of combined commitments of $30 million from Delaware County and $47 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Subaru is the stadium's naming rights sponsor.

Subaru Park
View of the interior of Subaru Park, from the Sons of Ben supporters section, the River End in 2010
Subaru Park
Location in Pennsylvania
Subaru Park
Location in the United States
Former namesPPL Park (2010–2015)
Talen Energy Stadium (2016–2019)
Address1 Stadium Drive
LocationChester, Pennsylvania
Coordinates39°49′56″N 75°22′44″W
Public transit SEPTA bus: 113 (at stadium)
Chester Transportation Center:
  Wilmington/​Newark Line
SEPTA bus: 37, 109, 113, 114, 117, 118, 119
OwnerDelaware County, Pennsylvania
OperatorKeystone S&E
Capacity18,500 (Soccer)
26,000 (Concerts)[1]
Field size120 × 75 yards
SurfacePerennial Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass
Construction
Broke groundDecember 1, 2008
OpenedJune 27, 2010[2]
Construction cost$120 million[3]
($141 million in 2019 dollars[4])
ArchitectRossetti Architects
Project managerICON Venue Group
Structural engineerPennoni Associates Inc.[5]
General contractorT.N. Ward Company[6]
Tenants
Philadelphia Union (MLS) (2010–present)
Army–Navy Cup (NCAA) (2012–present)
Philadelphia Union II (USLC) (2019–present)
Collegiate Rugby Championship (2011–present)
Premier Lacrosse League Championship (2019)

The stadium is located on Chester's waterfront along the Delaware River, at the Commodore Barry Bridge's southwestern corner. Subaru Park[8] was designed to be a catalyst for economic development on the waterfront, with additional plans calling for a riverwalk amidst other entertainment, retail, and residential projects. The stadium was constructed by T.N. Ward Company, which is based in Ardmore.[9]

Construction

Major League Soccer (MLS) had been interested in entering the Philadelphia market for several years, with many promises of a team by Commissioner Don Garber, as evidenced by his statement, "It's not a matter of if but when Philadelphia gets a team."[10] Initially, Major League Soccer was interested in a site in the borough of Bristol, about 23 miles (37 km) north of Center City, Philadelphia.[11] Those plans never came to fruition. Later, Rowan University provided details for a soccer stadium near its campus in Glassboro, New Jersey. However, funding from the state of New Jersey fell through in 2006.

In late 2006, a group of investors led by Rob Buccini, co-founder of the Buccini/Pollin Group; Jay Sugarman, chief executive of iStar Financial; and James Nevels, a former chairman of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, initiated the planning for a soccer-specific stadium in the city of Chester after the funding for the Rowan project failed to pass the New Jersey legislature. After many months of negotiations, Delaware County politicians announced their approval of funding for the stadium in October 2007.[12] Delaware County owns the land and the stadium itself, while the team owns the naming rights based on their approval of a 30-year lease. The newly formed Delaware County Sports Authority pays the county's share of $30 million through taxes from the Harrah's Chester harness racing track and casino. An additional $80 million was contributed by private investors.

On January 31, 2008, Governor Ed Rendell and Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, unveiled a combined soccer stadium and economic revitalization package for the city of Chester.[13] $25 million was allocated to the construction of the stadium, with an additional $7 million towards a two-phase project composed of 186 townhouses, 25 apartments, 335,000 square feet (31,100 m2) of office space, a 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) convention center, more than 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) of retail space, and a parking structure to house 1,350 cars. In phase two, another 200 apartments will be built, along with 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of office space and 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2) of retail space.[14]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with the city of Chester to ensure that construction activities did not impact the nearby parking facility which had been the site of the Wade Dump, a previously polluted Superfund site.[15]

Soccer

Construction delays led to the Philadelphia Union's decision to play their inaugural home game at Lincoln Financial Field instead of Subaru Park.[16] Their first match at the stadium was played on June 27, 2010, when they defeated Seattle Sounders FC 3–1. Sébastien Le Toux scored the Union's first goal at the stadium on a penalty kick. However, Pat Noonan of Sounders FC scored the first goal in the venue's history.

The stadium's record attendance was achieved on July 25, 2012, for the 2012 MLS All-Star Game when the MLS All-Stars defeated Chelsea FC 3–2 in front of 19,236 fans.[17]

Due to consistently high attendance and ticket sales, in 2011 the Philadelphia Union expressed interest in expanding the capacity of the stadium. The planned expansion would occur in three phases, initially to 20,000, then to 27,000, and finally to approximately 30,000.[18]

Other sports

Rugby union
See also: 2013 Māori All Blacks tour of North America
Māori All Blacks performing their haka prior to their match against the United States in 2013.

Collegiate Rugby Championship

Subaru Park has hosted the Collegiate Rugby Championship every June since 2011.[19][20] The Collegiate Rugby Championship is the highest profile college rugby competition in the United States, and is broadcast live on NBC every year. Over 17,800 fans attended the 2011 tournament.[21]

United States national team

Subaru Park hosted its first rugby union international on November 9, 2013, when the Maori All Blacks squared off against the United States. A sold-out crowd of 18,500 witnessed a hard-fought match in which the visiting Maori All Blacks won 29–19.[22]

English Premiership

It was announced on May 17, 2017 that English side Newcastle Falcons would play their home Premiership Rugby game against Saracens at the stadium on September 16, 2017. This was the second English premiership game hosted in the US and Saracens' second visit after London Irish hosted them at the Red Bull Arena, New Jersey on March 12, 2016.[23]

List of Premiership Rugby – The American Series games
Season Date Television Home team Result Away Team Tournament Attendance Venue
2017–18September 16, 2017NBC Newcastle Falcons7–29 SaracensPremiership Rugby6,271Subaru Park

College football

The first college football game played at Subaru Park was the Battle of the Blue on November 19, 2011, in which Delaware beat Villanova to earn the trophy for the first time.[24] These same two teams met again on November 23, 2013, with Villanova beating Delaware 35–34.

Lacrosse

The stadium hosted two quarterfinal matches in the 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship.[25] In 2013, the stadium hosted the Major League Lacrosse's Championship known as the Steinfeld Cup. In this game, the Chesapeake Bayhawks defeated the Charlotte Hounds 10–9 in front of 3,892 fans. On April 24 & 26, 2015, the 2015 ACC Lacrosse Championship was hosted at the facility.[26] In 2015, the stadium hosted the NCCA Division I and Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship. Maryland beat North Carolina in the DI game while SUNY Cortland beat Trinity College of Hartford in the DIII game. In 2016, the stadium again hosted the NCAA Division I and Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship, May 28 and May 29, 2016.

At the high school level, notable events included the boys' 2015 Inter-Academic League Championship game, between The Haverford School, from Pennsylvania, and The Hun School of New Jersey. The Haverford School won the game, as well as the Inter-Ac title, capping off a perfect 23–0 season.

Ultimate

Major League Ultimate had hosted two of its annual championship games at Subaru Park. The first was on July 19, 2014 when the DC Current defeated the Vancouver Nighthawks 23–17. The stadium again hosted the championship on August 8, 2015 in which the Boston Whitecaps defeated the Seattle Rainmakers 31–17.

Drum & bugle corps

Given its ability to be used as a football field, Subaru Park has recently been used as an annual site for the Drum Corps International Summer Competition Tour.[27]

Other soccer uses
Subaru Park before semi-final game between Philadelphia Independence and magicJack in 2010—the Independence's final home game ever.

The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, have played their annual men's soccer rivalry, called the Army–Navy Cup at Subaru Park. The 2012 meeting marked just the third time in the 75-year history of the soccer rivalry that the schools met at a neutral location and was the first regular-season neutral site meeting, with the previous two occurring in the NCAA tournament. Philadelphia is the traditional home of the classic football rivalry and is halfway between the two schools.[28] 3,672 turned out for the first Philadelphia matchup.[29]

After the effects of Hurricane Sandy, the 2012 Big East Men's Soccer Tournament was moved to Subaru Park from Red Bull Arena.[30] Subaru Park served as host again in 2013 for the restructured conference's tournament.[31] The stadium also hosted an international friendly between Greece and Nigeria in 2014. The match was a scoreless draw.

The 2013 College Cup was held at Subaru Park; the tournament will return to the venue in 2017. The first set of matches of the 2017 SheBelieves Cup was played at the stadium, in which France beat England and the United States beat Germany.

Features

When the initial architectural drawings were revealed, the stadium was to have been an oval-shaped stadium with a cantilevered roof covering all seating areas – not unlike most European football grounds. After consulting with the nascent club's supporters, the Union's ownership group, Keystone Sports & Entertainment, re-designed a specific entrance for the Sons of Ben supporters group in recognition of their loyalty.[32] This entrance leads into a 2,000-seat section at the southeast end of the stadium reserved specifically for the group known as The River End.[33] Cantilevered roofs run above the Main and Bridge Stands and were designed to protect fans from the elements without obstructing the view of the Commodore Barry Bridge and the Delaware River from their seats.[34] The exterior façade is made up of brick and natural stone, a continuity of traditional Philadelphia architecture. Additional features include thirty luxury suites, a full-service restaurant and club above the Chester End, and a built-in concert stage in The River End (which has yet to be used).[1]

In February 2020, as part of Subaru becoming the naming rights holder for the stadium, the Union will replace the existing video board above the Chester End with a new 3,440 sq ft (320 m2) high dynamic range (HDR) video board that will be first of its kind in an MLS soccer-specific stadium. The LED ribbon boards around the field and seating bowl will also be upgraded. A new VIP premium area called the "Tunnel Club" will open for the 2020 season as well.[35]

View of the interior of Subaru Park, from the southwest corner of the Main Stand facing the Bridge Stand and the Commodore Barry Bridge in 2010. To the left is the Chester End and the right The River End, which is separate from the rest of the stadium.

Sponsors
Logos as PPL Park and Talen Energy Stadium

On February 25, 2010, the Philadelphia Union announced that the Allentown-based PPL Corporation purchased the naming rights to its home venue for $20 million over 11 years. As part of the deal, PPL EnergyPlus provides the stadium with sustainable energy derived from other sources in Pennsylvania.[36]

The Panasonic Corporation provides broadcast and television production systems, large-screen LED displays, security systems, and point-of-sale systems.[37] The stadium is unique in that no American flag is flown visible to the spectators or participants inside the facility.

On November 30, 2015, Talen Energy assumed naming rights and energy supply of the stadium. Talen Energy spun off as an electricity producer from PPL which in turn concentrated on transmission and distribution aspects.[38]

On February 18, 2020, Subaru of America was announced as the new naming rights holder for the stadium.[39][40]

Awards

In September 2010, Mid-Atlantic Construction Magazine named the stadium the "Sports/Recreation Project of the Year." The company grants the award to premier construction projects in the Mid-Atlantic region.[41] In February 2011, the Delaware County Planning Commission awarded the stadium the 2010 William H. Bates Memorial Award.[42] Since 1980, the honor is presented annually to real-estate developers that improved a Delaware County property.

Concessions

Subaru Park features many of the foods commonly sold at American sports venues, and also offers traditional Philadelphia food items such cheesesteaks, hoagies, and soft pretzels (shaped like the Union's primary logo). Several foods are provided by local companies such as Turkey Hill,[43] Herr's Snacks[44] and Seasons Pizza,[45] while beers from local breweries such as Victory and Dogfish Head are also available.[46]

Transportation

Like the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, the stadium is located near Interstate 95. It is approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Chester Transportation Center SEPTA station, where shuttle service is provided from four hours prior to kickoff and from full-time until the park is empty. The Philadelphia International Airport is 5 miles (8.0 km) away.[1]

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References
  1. "About Talen Energy Stadium". philadelphiaunion.com. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  2. "Inaugural Season Schedule Unveiled". PhiladelphiaUnion.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  3. "Soccer's Union to Kick Off a Deal with PPL". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 27, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  4. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  5. "Pennoni Associates Inc. – Markets – Civic & Community". Pennoni.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-01. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  6. "TN Ward Company – General Contractor serving the greater Philadelphia region". Tnward.com. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  7. "Delaware County Approves Funding for MLS Stadium". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 25, 2007. Retrieved October 24, 2007.
  8. "Have you spread the word?". Philadelphia Union. Archived from the original on February 22, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  9. Gammage, Jeff (September 8, 2008). "Much Rides on Stadium Builder". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 27, 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
  10. Narducci, Marc (January 18, 2006). "Philly's in Play for an MLS Team". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D01. Archived from the original on September 26, 2008. Retrieved October 24, 2007.
  11. "MLS fishing along the Delaware". Philly Burbs. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved October 24, 2007.
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  13. "Rendell and Pileggi unveil new economic and stadium deal". DelcoTimes.com. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
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  15. "Wade (ABM) Chester, PA". www.cumulis.epa.gov. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  16. Gammage, Jeff (September 23, 2009). "Linc to Host First Phila. Union Soccer Game". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
  17. "Recap: EJ's injury-time goal lifts All-Stars past Chelsea".
  18. Sakiewicz, Nick (2011-06-07). "Phila. Union Envisages Expanding Stadium for MLS Games". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  19. Philadelphia Union Communications (2010-11-09). "PPL Park to Host USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  20. "Welcome to Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  21. Collegiate Rugby Championship
  22. Shannon, Kris (November 10, 2013). "NZ Maori escape against Eagles". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  23. "Falcons take Premiership game to Philadelphia". Newcastle Faclons. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  24. "Delaware Finally Gets Battle of the Blue Victory, Downs Villanova 26–16 to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive". BlueHens.com. University of Delaware. 2001-11-16. Archived from the original on November 23, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  25. "Drexel Athletics Partners With the Philadelphia Sports Congress, the City of Philadelphia, Talen Energy Stadium, and the Philadelphia Eagles to Host the 2012 NCAA Lacrosse Quarterfinals and 2013 Men's Lacrosse Championships". Philadelphia Sports Congress. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  26. "Seeds Announced for 2015 ACC Men's Lacrosse Championship". Atlantic Coast Conference. April 18, 2015. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015.
  27. ShoWare. "Tickets | Drum Corps: An American Tradition – PPL Park | Youth Education in the Arts". yea.showare.com. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
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  30. "BIG EAST men's soccer championships moved to Chester | Philadelphia Union". philadelphiaunion.com. 6 November 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  31. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2015-12-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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  33. MLSPhilly2010 Staff (August 5, 2008). "MLSPhilly2010 Hires Rossetti and ICON to Design $115 Million, 18,500 Multi-Purpose Stadium". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on August 19, 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
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Preceded by
Regions Park
BBVA Compass Stadium		 Host of the College Cup
2013
2017		 Succeeded by
WakeMed Soccer Park
TBD
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