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Eagles will sell cardboard cutouts of fans to fill seats at Lincoln Financial Field

Each cutout will cost $100, with all proceeds going to the Eagles Autism Foundation, the team’s charity that raises funds for autism research and care.

Carson Wentz might not have a live audience at Lincoln Financial Field this year, but the seats won't be empty.
Carson Wentz might not have a live audience at Lincoln Financial Field this year, but the seats won't be empty.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
    by EJ Smith
    Published 

The Eagles won’t host fans for at least the start of the NFL season, but that doesn’t mean Lincoln Financial Field will feature 70,000 empty seats.

The team announced Tuesday that it is joining the trend of packing seats with cardboard cutouts purchased by fans unable to attend games because of the coronavirus pandemic. Fans can start placing orders on the team website Thursday morning. Each cutout will cost $100, with all proceeds going to the Eagles Autism Foundation, the team’s charity that raises funds for autism research and care.

The news of the cutouts comes nearly a week after the Eagles announced the city and state’s decision to keep fans out of the Linc “until further notice.” The Eagles’ home opener is scheduled for Sept. 20 against the Los Angeles Rams.

Team president Don Smolenski said in a video interview that there’s still a chance fans will be allowed in the stadium later in the season.

“What’s been encouraging in our dialogue with the state and the city is that they’re both open to continuing the conversation,” Smolenski said. “I think based on the condition and the environment, at this time, that certainly for the beginning of the season we will not have the ability to have fans, but we’re going to continue the conversations, and we’re going to continue to take it as we go through the 2020 season.”

The Phillies have “hosted” cutouts of fans at Citizens Bank Park this season. Their seats cost $40, and they reserve seats behind home plate for high-resolution photos of health-care workers from Nemours Children’s Hospital and Jefferson Hospital.