No Cheesesteaks Allowed: Boston Park Bans 'Philadelphia-Themed' Items Ahead of Super Bowl
If you happen to have a cracked copper bell on your person—whether it's a model of the Liberty Bell or not—you are persona non grata in a specific Boston park.
That's because anything even remotely tied to Philadelphia has been banned from the 3.5-mile Charles River Esplanade ahead of the Super Bowl LII matchup between the Patriots and Eagles.
Any apparel of a Philadelphia sports team is banned. So are Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, Philly cheesesteaks and anything midnight green.
Will Smith and Sylvester Stallone, two actors associated with the City of Brothery Love? Also not welcome.
The Esplanade Association, which looks after the public park, announced the set of rule changes on Tuesday. They'll last until Feb. 5, the day after the Super Bowl. For those of you who also have no idea what an esplanade is, Merriam-Webster defines it as "a level open stretch of paved or grassy ground; especially one designed for walking or driving along a shore."
Not even the bald eagle, the critically endangered mascot of America, are exempt. The second word of "bald eagle" is eagle, after all.
As if these rule changes weren't petty enough, check out this quote from the Esplanade Association's executive director, Michael Nichols. Per the Boston Globe:
“We realized that appearing in a Super Bowl for only the third time — and first time since losing to the Patriots in 2005 — was disorienting for Philadelphia fans and that clarity on acceptable items to bring in our park should be offered. Given the Patriots are appearing in their record-extending 10th Super Bowl, we understand this information may not be needed by most park visitors.”
Eagles fans mocked the Vikings' Skol chant last week, so don't be shocked if you see a mob of them setting up a campsite at the Esplanade should the Eagles pull out a victory.
