9:39 a.m.: Comcast Spectacor has officially announced the plan, a joint venture between them and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, to see a new arena for the Flyers and 76ers open in 2031 at the latest. They’re also investing “in the revitalization of Market East in Center City,” where the 76ers were previously set to construct a new home.
8:33 a.m.: The Flyers, along with ownership group Comcast Spectacor, are expected to announce plans to construct a new arena in South Philadelphia later today in conjunction with the NBA’s 76ers, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.
After recently completing major renovations of theirs and the 76ers’ current home, the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers’ future in the South Philly district was somewhat murky after the latter announced plans to build a new home downtown. Our sister site, Hoops Rumors, relayed a report from Jake Blumgart and Sean Collins Walsh of the Philadelphia Inquirer yesterday that the 76ers had reversed course and reached a deal with Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Wells Fargo Center, to remain in the complex.
The Flyers have called the South Philadelphia Sports Complex for the entirety of their 58-year existence, playing at The Spectrum from their inaugural season in 1967-68 until moving into the newly-constructed, nearby Wells Fargo Center (then the CoreStates Center) in 1996.
After nearly 30 years in their second home, the Flyers’ third home will remain at 3601 S. Broad St. A new arena would come in conjunction with a $2.5B renovation of the entire complex that Comcast Spectacor announced in conjunction with MLB’s Phillies in March 2024, following in the footsteps of many other NHL markets with non-downtown arena in creating more living and retail space immediately adjacent to arena property.
I’d hardly call the Wells Fargo Center an outdated building. Seems unnecessary.
If you think it’s just about the building then you haven’t been following the story at all. The Wells Fargo Center was created when Comcast Spectacor owned both the Flyers and Sixers. When HBSE bought the Sixers they became tenants they don’t own the arena. It means that they don’t make as much money from games and they get second choice of dates for home games after the Flyers. The area with the arenas also lacks the whole dynamic of a bunch of restaurants and shops and other things most modern stadiums and arenas want like the whole area around Truist in Atlanta.
This new agreement will allow them to build up that area for more revenue and entertainment options. It also will be a 50/50 partnership between Spectacor and HBSE.
Do you think Harris used the 76ers and the downtown arena agreement with the City of Philadelphia as leverage to gain approval for a new football stadium for the Washington Commanders? The sequence of events seems interesting if unrelated.
Well the guy owns rivals in other leagues so it’s obvious whose best interests are at the forefront here. Certain the local folks will end up paying dearly to replace an arena that doesn’t need to be replaced, and then won’t be able to afford to take the family there.
My comment pertains to the state of the current arena, not any of the behind the scenes intrigue. It’s a perfectly good arena.
The Flyers are good enough to make the playoffs, And they have one of the top five coaches in all of hockey, So why are Briere, And Jones, Sitting on there hands day after day, And not pursuing a goaltender that can actually stop enough pucks to get the team into the playoffs? As for the arena plans. Just not necessary.
Neither of those two things are true