Temple University Athletics
Seth Schmitt-Hall (center) was honored as Temple football's one-millionth fan.
Photo by: Mitchell Leff
Temple Football Welcomes Millionth Fan
11.19.11 | Football
Owls Have Played at Lincoln Financial Field Since 2003
PHILADELPHIA -- As Seth Schmitt-Hall passed through the turnstiles at Lincoln Financial Field for today's match-up between the Temple Owls and Army Black Knights football teams, he was immediately flagged down by security.
The security guards and members of Temple Athletics marketing team chased a faux-bearded Schmitt-Hall around the crowded concourse to bestow upon him a special honor-- the honor of being the one-millionth fan to enter the Owls' home stadium.
Schmitt-Hall, a 2011 graduate of Temple's School of Communications and Theater, was more than a little shocked.
“I found out that I was the millionth fan just as I entered the stadium,” he said. “[Security] was running after me. I didn't hear my name or them calling me at first.”
As an alumnus of Temple's Diamond Marching Band, Schmitt-Hall is pretty familiar with the Temple football scene even though he has since graduated.
“I come to every game,” he said.
Schmitt-Hall considers today's accomplishment one of his proudest moments as an Owl, but recalled fondly some of his favorite memories in Temple athletics.
The then-senior was able to travel to Tucson, Ariz., with the band when Temple basketball eliminated Penn State from March Madness contention on Juan Fernandez's buzzer-beater with 0.4 seconds left in regulation.
His favorite Temple Athletics memory?
The second annual Mayor's Cup (2010) when the Owls came from behind to defeat the Villanova Wildcats 31-24 in a contest that went down to the wire and saw two lead changes in its final moments.
“The 2010 Mayor's Cup was awesome,” Schmitt-Hall recalled. “It was a great football game.”
With any luck, Schmitt-Hall will be able to see many more exciting contests, as season tickets for the 2012 season were included as part of his prize package. His winnings also included restaurant gift certificates from Temple's corporate sponsors, an official Temple football Under Armour t-shirt, and various other Temple memorabilia.
Scott Walcoff, Temple's Associate Athletic Director for Marketing & Sales, presented Schmitt-Hall with the honor on the field at the end of the third quarter of today's contest. Walcoff was impressed with the growth that the Temple football program has seen since it began using Lincoln Financial Field as the Owls' home turf in 2003.
“We've had a really good [2011] season so far with the Penn State game being our second-highest attended game ever, and the tremendous crowd at the Villanova game,” Walcoff said.
“The more we continue to put a good product on the field, which we've done the last couple of years, the more the city of Philadelphia will continue to embrace college football.”
Including today's attendance of 25,516, Lincoln Financial Filed has played home to 1,004,814 fans since it opened its doors as Temple's home field in 2003. In that span, the Owls have played 49 home games with an overall record of 23-26, including a school record 10 consecutive wins [Sept. 2009 to Nov. 2010].
By Kami Mattioli, OwlSports.com columnist
The security guards and members of Temple Athletics marketing team chased a faux-bearded Schmitt-Hall around the crowded concourse to bestow upon him a special honor-- the honor of being the one-millionth fan to enter the Owls' home stadium.
Schmitt-Hall, a 2011 graduate of Temple's School of Communications and Theater, was more than a little shocked.
“I found out that I was the millionth fan just as I entered the stadium,” he said. “[Security] was running after me. I didn't hear my name or them calling me at first.”
As an alumnus of Temple's Diamond Marching Band, Schmitt-Hall is pretty familiar with the Temple football scene even though he has since graduated.
“I come to every game,” he said.
Schmitt-Hall considers today's accomplishment one of his proudest moments as an Owl, but recalled fondly some of his favorite memories in Temple athletics.
The then-senior was able to travel to Tucson, Ariz., with the band when Temple basketball eliminated Penn State from March Madness contention on Juan Fernandez's buzzer-beater with 0.4 seconds left in regulation.
His favorite Temple Athletics memory?
The second annual Mayor's Cup (2010) when the Owls came from behind to defeat the Villanova Wildcats 31-24 in a contest that went down to the wire and saw two lead changes in its final moments.
“The 2010 Mayor's Cup was awesome,” Schmitt-Hall recalled. “It was a great football game.”
With any luck, Schmitt-Hall will be able to see many more exciting contests, as season tickets for the 2012 season were included as part of his prize package. His winnings also included restaurant gift certificates from Temple's corporate sponsors, an official Temple football Under Armour t-shirt, and various other Temple memorabilia.
Scott Walcoff, Temple's Associate Athletic Director for Marketing & Sales, presented Schmitt-Hall with the honor on the field at the end of the third quarter of today's contest. Walcoff was impressed with the growth that the Temple football program has seen since it began using Lincoln Financial Field as the Owls' home turf in 2003.
“We've had a really good [2011] season so far with the Penn State game being our second-highest attended game ever, and the tremendous crowd at the Villanova game,” Walcoff said.
“The more we continue to put a good product on the field, which we've done the last couple of years, the more the city of Philadelphia will continue to embrace college football.”
Including today's attendance of 25,516, Lincoln Financial Filed has played home to 1,004,814 fans since it opened its doors as Temple's home field in 2003. In that span, the Owls have played 49 home games with an overall record of 23-26, including a school record 10 consecutive wins [Sept. 2009 to Nov. 2010].
By Kami Mattioli, OwlSports.com columnist
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