Sweeney Field - St. Joseph's Hawks

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29

Sweeney Field

5600 City Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19131

St. Joseph’s Hawks website

Sweeney Field website

Year Opened: 1929

Capacity: 3,000

Hawks Soccer in Philly

Located on the campus of St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sweeney Field has been home to ten different Hawks sports teams for almost a hundred years of use. Today, the stadium hosts the Hawks' soccer and lacrosse programs as well as track and field meets. This review will focus on the experience at a soccer match. The stadium has undergone many renovations over the years, most recently in 2013 when it was extensively expanded. At the same time, it was renamed after Sean Sweeney, a member of the Board of Trustees and a benefactor who made the expansion possible.

Food & Beverage 1

There is no concession stand at Sweeney Field. Vending machines are available in a student lounge in adjacent Mandeville Hall. There is also a "provisions shop" that appears to sell food, but this was closed on weekends, including when we went, as it is targeted at students and not many of them are in academic buildings then.

Atmosphere 3

Sweeney Field is a pretty basic stadium with several rows of bleachers. Fans enter from the top and can walk down to wherever they want to sit. Light poles may obstruct some of the action as they are located in front of some of the seats. However, this is easily avoidable.

St. Joseph's is legendary for their mascot, The Hawk, who shows up and flaps his wings for the entire game, never stopping. The mascot's motto is "The Hawk Will Never Die," and he is indeed present at soccer matches, flapping his wings. However, when we attended, he left early, possibly due to the weather.

Neighborhood 4

St. Joseph's is one of Philadelphia's Big Five colleges, and Sweeney Field is located on the Hawk Hill campus in Philadelphia, near the western edge of the city. St. Joseph's straddles the line between Philadelphia and Merion Station, with Sweeney Field falling just inside the city limits. Merion is considered part of Philadelphia's Main Line, a wealthy area on the west side of the city.

Despite The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air giving West Philadelphia a bad rap (figuratively speaking - we have nothing against the theme song), this is one of the nicest parts of the metro area. You will find many restaurants and hotels along Route 1 (known as City Avenue as it passes by the campus, but several other names in different places), a short walk or drive from Sweeney Field. You will find everything from pizza to Mexican to delis to classic Philadelphia cheesesteaks. It's a more suburban feel than downtown, but it's a nice enough place to hang out before or after a game.

Fans 4

Sweeney Field seats about 3,000 fans, which is far too big for the crowds the Hawks typically draw. When we visited, only a few hundred fans were in attendance, many of them from a youth sports group that had shown up as a big group. Many of the fans are friends and family of the players or are alumni themselves. It is good to see former players still interested in the team they once played for, but it would be nice to see bigger crowds at such a large stadium.

Access 4

The St. Joseph's campus is easily accessible from I-95 and I-76, and Route 1 runs right through campus, so you should have no trouble getting here. Parking is available in large lots next to the stadium for free, and in the Hawks Landing Garage across the street for about $3-$5, depending on how long you park for.

Restrooms are available adjacent to the stadium in Mandeville Hall. They were more than spacious enough for the soccer crowds on the Saturday when we visited, but on a weekday when there are students in the building attending classes, it may be different.

Return on Investment 5

There is no charge for admission to regular-season games at Sweeney Field, though the policy may vary for Atlantic 10 or NCAA postseason events. Parking is free as well. Overall, a St. Joseph's soccer game is an excellent value.

Extras 2

The legendary Hawk mascot is worthy of an extra star here. His endless wing-flapping is an impressive feat for the person in the costume.

A second star for the Hawk statues on either side of the bleachers at the top of the seating area, watching over the field like sentries.

A third and final star for a merchandise table selling Hawks athletic gear.

Final Thoughts

Sweeney Field is a nice soccer stadium, but unfortunately is far too big for the crowds the St. Joseph's Hawks draw. There is a lot of potential here, and if fans would show up in larger numbers, this would be an even better place to watch some college soccer.