Is Villanova's One-Game Agreement With PPL Park a Beginning?

Is this the start? has been strongly and openly campaigning hard to enter the Big East Conference in football, but league entanglements have prevented any immediate action from happening until possibly 2014 at the earliest.

A number of issues posed concerns for the conference, of which Villanova is a member in every sport except football. One of those issues is the venue in which the Wildcats play. Villanova Stadium is considered too small for a Division I or Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program.

But Villanova Athletic Director Vince Nicastro announced on Thursday that the Wildcats will be hosting Delaware, on November 19 at PPL Park in Chester, which was thought to be a viable venue for Villanova home games if the Wildcats did move to the Big East.

“This is a nice trial run to see what happens and how everything is run,” said a source close to Villanova. “I’m sure both schools are going to build it up, and it’s a great fit, right there for Delaware fans and right there for Villanova fans. Above everything else, the Big East will be watching to see how it all goes.”

PPL Park is a 18,500-seat capacity stadium where the Philadelphia Union soccer club plays. The facility boasts 29 Luxury Suites and an 11,000-square foot full-service club restaurant. For Villanova and Delaware fans alike, it is also surrounded by “expansive grass areas and large promenades surrounding the stadium for tailgating.”

In an official statement released by Nicastro and Villanova: “This gives us the opportunity to move this great rivalry game to a larger stage. PPL Park is an incredible venue and it will provide a truly memorable experience for both the teams and the fans. We are honored to be a part of the first-ever American football game at PPL Park.”

The Union are certainly pleased the possible first step is being taken. In a statement released by the Union:

“On behalf of our entire organization we welcome Villanova University into our Union family and are delighted to join forces to bring this event to magnificent PPL Park in November,” said Philadelphia Union CEO & Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz. “We are honored to be building a long term relationship with such a world class university and are very excited about our partnership and the future.”

The all-time series between Villanova and Delaware dates back more than 100 years to the first meeting between the teams in 1895. The Wildcats lead the series by a margin of 23-20-1 and have won five straight against the Blue Hens since the inception of the Battle of the Blue Trophy in 2006. As conference rivals, the teams have met each season since 1988 and Villanova head coach Andy Talley is 12-11 in his career versus Delaware.

The rivalry game appears to be a great experiment in seeing where Villanova Wildcats’ football is heading.