Cherry Hill West Grad Frames Eagles Tailgating as Religious Experience in New Book ‘Sermon on the Lot’
For many in the Delaware Valley, Sunday worship happens on the asphalt outside Lincoln Financial Field rather than in a pew. This sacred ritual of smoke, jerseys, and camaraderie is the subject of Sermon on the Lot, a new 98-page photography book by Cherry Hill West graduate Mike Cordisco. Spanning seven seasons from 2018 to 2025, the project seeks to document the intense, almost spiritual devotion of Philadelphia Eagles fans.
Cordisco, a Cherry Hill native, spent years navigating the parking lots of South Philadelphia to capture the essence of the “sacred Sundays” that define the city’s football culture. “On Sundays, you go to Mass,” Cordisco observed regarding the project. “But in Philly, you go to the parking lot and tailgate an Eagles game.” His collection features candid shots of fans engaged in the elaborate pre-game traditions that have remained steadfast, even as the team’s fortunes have fluctuated since their Super Bowl LII victory.
The project offers a Deep Search into the sociology of fandom, presenting the tailgate not merely as a party, but as a communal gathering binding strangers together through shared identity. Selected works from the collection are currently on display at Unique Photo in Center City, Philadelphia, running through mid-March. The exhibition highlights the elaborate setups, the generational bonding, and the raw emotion that permeates the lots hours before kickoff.
However, this romanticized view of the “Bird Gang” often faces sharp objections from outside observers. The national narrative surrounding Philadelphia sports culture frequently focuses on a reputation for hostility, excessive intoxication, and public disorder—from the infamous snowball incidents of the past to grease-covered light poles. Critics of the tailgating scene often cite safety concerns, trash accumulation, and rowdy behavior as significant detractors from the sporting experience, arguing that the atmosphere can be intimidating rather than welcoming.
Cordisco’s work acknowledges this gritty reputation but attempts to look past the “stereotypical rowdy image” to find the humanity and devotion underneath. By framing the tailgate as a sermon, he suggests that what outsiders perceive as chaos is actually a structured, meaningful liturgy for the faithful. Sermon on the Lot stands as both a documentation of a specific era in Eagles history and a defense of the unique cultural fabric that drapes South Philadelphia on game days.
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