Dispute over Eagles’ New Stadium

May 6, 1965 - Mayor James Tate of Philadelphia was accused today of attempting to drive the Philadelphia Eagles out of the city in a dispute over exclusive football rights for a proposed new $25 million stadium.

Jerry Wolman (pictured), owner of the NFL club, said he was considering a suit against the city to force the Mayor to live up to a 1964 agreement that guaranteed the Eagles exclusive rights in the stadium, which is scheduled for completion by the spring of 1967.

Asked why he felt the Mayor had taken such a stand against the Eagles, Wolman said: “Because he has a commitment toward some of his friends to bring an American Football League franchise here to play in the stadium.”Mayor Tate has refused to grant the Eagles exclusive rights in the new stadium but has approved such rights for the Philadelphia Phillies in baseball.

Woman said that if the Eagles did not get exclusive rights and were forced out of Franklin Field, their current playing site, he would build his own stadium, either in the city or on the outskirts. He said that as long as he owned the Eagles, they would remain in Philadelphia.

Wolman said that 21 of the 22 NFL and AFL teams had exclusive use of their stadiums.

Wolman and the city reached agreement last Oct. 22 on a lease under which the Eagles guaranteed $100,000 a year against 10% of gross income. In return, Wolman said, he was promised exclusive rights for professional football.

The Mayor’s reaction to Wolman’s remarks was a terse “No comment.” And even that was relayed through his press aide, Tony Zecca.

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