The Sports Express rides again!
FanDuel has intervened to ensure Eagles fans can enjoy smooth, worry-free transportation for Thursday’s season opener.
The sports betting company has provided $80,000 in sponsorship - $40,000 of which covers operational costs and another $40,000 providing free rides home - to restore SEPTA’s Broad Street Line “Sports Express” service amid widespread transit cutbacks.
SEPTA initially slashed gameday express routes as part of a sweeping 20% service reduction, triggered by a $213 million budget gap after state funding fell through. The cuts encompassed express trains to Lincoln Financial Field, regional rail reductions, and bus cancellations.
"We know excited Eagles fans are making their travel plans to Lincoln Financial Field for tomorrow as they get ready to watch the team's home opener," said Mike Raffensperger, President, Sports at FanDuel, in a statement. "As an official team partner of the Eagles, we are proud to collaborate with SEPTA to make that planning easier by providing fans with free and reliable transportation after the game."
With FanDuel’s financial support, SEPTA will now run:
"SEPTA is grateful to FanDuel for stepping up with this sponsorship to restore Sports Express service for the Eagles home opener," Scott A. Sauer, General Manager of SEPTA in a statement. "This is a challenging time for SEPTA and our customers, but this partnership will ensure that Eagles fans have safe, clean, and reliable service to-and-from the game – and with the added bonus of free rides home."
Eagles President Don Smolenski echoed that sentiment in a statement released by the team.
"We appreciate FanDuel and SEPTA for collaborating to help provide Eagles fans with convenient transportation to-and-from our home opener," he said. "Their generous support will assist fans in getting to Lincoln Financial Field so that we can all enjoy the championship moment together as we take on the division rival Dallas Cowboys."
FanDuel's contribution arrives just a day after the Eagles issued a travel advisory urging only ticket holders to come to the Sports complex and suggesting tailgates be minimized as best as possible to accommodate parking constraints.
As a result, Broad Street Line trains - central to game-day travel - are back in operation to deliver fans to and from the Sports Complex, including seamless transfers to buses, Regional Rail, the Market–Frankford Line, and PATCO.
