Over 200K Tickets Distributed For Eagles Open Practices
By Ed Benkin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Eagles are getting set for a brave new world of training camp.
Rookies and selected veterans will report to the team's Novacare complex in South Philadelphia on Monday. It will begin a stretch of six weeks of practices along with four preseason games. The majority of the practices will take place at Novacare, and Eagles President Don Smolenski says select fans will get a chance to see the practices.
"We have some corporate partner obligations," said Smolenski. "But every day, there will be no less than 50 season ticket members who are here. Our goal from the start of the practices here to the end of training camp is that fans representing every section will have been able to see a practice here."
There will also be five practices at Lincoln Financial Field. They will be held July 28, August 5, August 11, August 17 and August 26. The tickets are free to the Linc practices and Smolenski said over 200.000 seats have been reserved. He also said the Linc practices will be full training camp workouts which won't resemble past "Flight Night" events. The Linc practices will also be alcohol-free.
"The practices will be full go," Smolenski said. "The schedule looks the same to the schedule here."
The Eagles are one of 19 teams to move their training camp to their practice facility, so the move to closer quarters is a growing trend in the NFL. Smolenski praised the work of CHip Kelly and his coaching staff for making a smooth training camp transition.
"Coach Kelly and his entire staff have been very supportive of everything that goes on with camp," said Smolenski. "The practice time fits and we built around that. As far as how players will do autographs and on what days, we've worked that through with the coaches."
The entire squad will be in camp by Thursday. Some of the practices at Novacare will feature workouts with the New England Patriots leading up to the first preseason game on August 9.
