Make Franklin Field a Full 8 Lanes!

Uncle Rico · 2025-06-04T11:42:24-04:00

Serious question. How much money would it take to make Franklin Field "compliant" with 8 full lanes? You'd have to remove seats (bleachers), but that couldn't cost THAT much, could it? I don't think you'd have to remove any buildings. Those first few rows of bleachers are horrible for watching football/track anyways.Why doesn't USATF/Nike/Uncle Phil pony up some money for a top quality east coast meet where people would actually show up just due to the location. You've got to think probably 80 to 100 million people live within a 4 hour drive of Philly. Huge market. Grand Slam Track showed this. Not to mention it's easy to get to (Major airport and major railway on the Northeast Corridor) and the availability of hotel rooms.

LRC Community/Where to Run/Race Reviews Race Reviews/Experiences

Reply New New Thread

Moderation Moderation Information Moderation Information & Rules

Page 2 of 2

1 2

Next Last

11 months ago 06/07/2025 2:54pm EDT

re: DMV

DMV wrote:
The following is an opportunity to build a true Track Town USA. The Washington Commanders are leaving Fed EX field and developers are looking to tear down the stadium and build mixed use sporting facilities. That is a HUGE piece of land with parking.
You can do a brand new Hayward Field style stadium there and attach a brand new banked indoor track and still build new apartments and retail stores. Maybe even a retractable roof for the track stadium. The ideas are endless.
Link:wjla.com/news/local/washington-command...

Above: Good idea to reduce waste and environmental impacts.

To keep it at Franklin Field you have to go up. Raise the field to expand the surface. New found space, infrastructure underneath. Seating above easier to add. A retrofit with structural reinforcement.

This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.

11 months ago 06/08/2025 11:27am EDT

re: Captain Obvious..

Wrong..... there are 3 lanes "inside" the 400 meters lane. If USATF were smart, they would leverage Franklin Field more as there is a very large Track and Field fan base in the Philadelphia area that would absolutely show up for Outdoor Nationals, Olympic Trials, or any other big Track meet. The sport will never grow as long as all our big meets are in Hayward Field (see Hobbs Kessler interview after the Philly GST meet).

11 months ago 06/08/2025 2:00pm EDT

re: DMV

DMV wrote:
The following is an opportunity to build a true Track Town USA. The Washington Commanders are leaving Fed EX field and developers are looking to tear down the stadium and build mixed use sporting facilities. That is a HUGE piece of land with parking.
You can do a brand new Hayward Field style stadium there and attach a brand new banked indoor track and still build new apartments and retail stores. Maybe even a retractable roof for the track stadium. The ideas are endless.
Link:wjla.com/news/local/washington-command...

As evidenced by the new Hayward, “if you build it they will come” does not hold true for Track and Field. Washington DC teams and even concerts draw poorly - it’s not that kind of town. Hope someone with deep pockets has more vision than me, but I don’t see it working.

11 months ago 06/08/2025 2:03pm EDT

re: Uncle Rico

I’m a homer and would love to see this investment but Franklin Field has much bigger problems than the track - primarily the problem is it’s a 120 years old and not built at all to today’s standards. The concourses are too small and food carts block the way. Not enough bathrooms, not enough entrances. The only reason Penn Relays works at a high capacity is because people come and go throughout the day vs. a crush of people trying to get in and out of the facility for an event all at the same time.

11 months ago 06/08/2025 2:30pm EDT

re: Uncle Rico

Franklin Field is historic the way it is. Its quirkiness is part of its charm.

11 months ago 06/08/2025 3:02pm EDT

re: Nocgance

Nocgance wrote:
DMV wrote:
The following is an opportunity to build a true Track Town USA. The Washington Commanders are leaving Fed EX field and developers are looking to tear down the stadium and build mixed use sporting facilities. That is a HUGE piece of land with parking.
You can do a brand new Hayward Field style stadium there and attach a brand new banked indoor track and still build new apartments and retail stores. Maybe even a retractable roof for the track stadium. The ideas are endless.
Link:wjla.com/news/local/washington-command...
As evidenced by the new Hayward, “if you build it they will come” does not hold true for Track and Field. Washington DC teams and even concerts draw poorly - it’s not that kind of town. Hope someone with deep pockets has more vision than me, but I don’t see it working.

Technically, Fed Ex Field is in Maryland and right next door to it currently is the PG Sports and Learning Center indoor track that hosts numerous high school and college meets. Also next to that is an outdoor track that hosts numerous club track meets and the Maryland State Championships. Maryland itself has a pretty good T&F following in my humble opinion. And i am confident that if you build it nice enough to have Worlds and Nationals it will be a huge draw with being 2 and a half hours from Philly, 3 hours from New york and 3 hours from Virginia Beach that already hosted the college indoor championships

11 months ago 06/08/2025 10:49pm EDT

re: phillysux

phillysux wrote:
Who cares about Franklin Field. If they want a big east coast meet there are hundreds of tracks within an hour of Philly that are nicer, can accommodate big crowds, have facilities that aren't a century old and don't require you to go through a metal detector every time you leave to warmup. It's a horrible location. Sure, it has 'tradition' but so did Heyward Field and everyone here, correctly so, complains about is location. It's a bad track in an ancient stadium. Many high schools have a nicer facility.

I agree with most of your negative comments about Franklin Field and still say it is perhaps the most significant track & field stadium in the world and please tell all of us which high school(s) have a nicer facility

Page 2 of 2

1 2

Next Last

What People Are Talking About On LetsRun

No top threads at the moment. Check back soon.

Reply Replying to

Username

Password

Leave the password field blank to post anonymously.

Post Preview

By posting you acknowledge that you have read and abide by our Terms and Conditions.

Remember me on this device.

Make Franklin Field a Full 8 Lanes!

This thread has already been deleted.

You have been subscribed.

Make Franklin Field a Full 8 Lanes!

Follow RichardRider

Block RichardRider

Follow TrackCoach

Block TrackCoach

This thread has already been deleted.

Reply Replying to

You have been subscribed.