Veterans Stadium – ‘The Vet’ – was Philadelphia’s multipurpose home for the Phillies and Eagles from 1971 to 2003.
A classic cookie-cutter bowl, it became infamous for its rock-hard artificial turf, raucous fans, and the in-stadium courtroom installed to handle unruly Eagles crowds.
Stats at a Glance
- Teams: Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Opened: 1971
- Closed: 2003 (imploded 2004)
- Type: Multipurpose ‘cookie-cutter’ stadium
- Infamous for: Hard turf and rowdy fans (and a courtroom in the building)
The Toughest Crowd in Sports
The Vet’s reputation was built on its fans. The atmosphere was so combative that the city set up a courtroom and holding cells inside the stadium to process disorderly conduct on game days – a legend of Philadelphia sports.
Replaced by Two Venues
Like other multipurpose stadiums, the Vet was replaced by dedicated parks – Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies and Lincoln Financial Field for the Eagles – and imploded in 2004.
Explore more: top NFL stadiums, types of sporting stadiums.
Veterans Stadium FAQs
Was there really a courtroom in Veterans Stadium?
Yes – Eagles games had an in-stadium courtroom and holding cells to handle unruly fans.
When was Veterans Stadium demolished?
It was imploded in 2004.
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Photo: NASA / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.