PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The Eagles are back! And so are SEPTA’s Sports Express trains!
SEPTA officials say a last minute hail mary sponsorship from FanDuel will allow Sports Express trains to run every 10 minutes before the Eagles season opener Thursday night, and that it will be free to ride after the game.
Sports Express trains will start the 10 minute schedule on Thursday at 6:05 p.m., on top of the local trains that usually run.
SEPTA officials are urging fans not to waste any time getting to NRG Station after the game.
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The trains will run for 70 minutes after the game and will be free to ride home starting at halftime.
“I had to tell my Eagles baddies, ‘Listen, trains are going be running so you won’t get stuck down here,'” said fan Martina Johnson.
SEPTA had initially cut the Sports Express train on the Broad Street Line to South Philadelphia due to budgeting deficits its been facing.
“I was thinking I was going to have to leave the game early just to get a train. I was hoping somebody was going to step in,” said fan Wendy Bos.
All that changed Wednesday after FanDuel sports betting stepped in to cover operating costs and fare to ride, making it free for fans after the game, starting at halftime.
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“They’re helping us pick up part of our operating costs. That’s about the costs of about $40,000 just by itself and then on top of that they pick up the free fares on the ride home, that’s about another $40,000,” said SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch.
This new sponsorship is only for Thursday’s game for now.
What happens for later games and major events is still up in the air.
Right now, buses, subways and trolleys are still running 20% less than before service cuts went into effect.
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The transit agency is being sued over those reductions, but last week a judge ordered SEPTA not to make any more cuts until a court hearing Thursday.
Action News has learned that SEPTA officials will be in court around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday to explain the entire financial situation and why they say the agency needs state funding to prevent further cuts.
The season opener is one of the hottest tickets in the NFL. According to Vivid Seats, the average ticket price is just over $900.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Tuesday he is continuing negotiations in Harrisburg on a state budget and mass transit funding.
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