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The Philadelphia 76ers are changing course on their plans for a new home. After recently getting approval for a downtown arena that took several years to put together, the Sixers' new arena will be in the South Philadelphia stadium district as part of a partnership with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers. This new agreement could bring a WNBA team to the City of Brotherly Love.
According to Kevin Kinkead of Crossing Broad, the parent companies of the 76ers (Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment) and the Wells Fargo Center (Comcast Spectacor, which also owns the Flyers) will join forces to bid on an expansion team. The Sixers will lead the effort, Kinkead reports, while Comcast Spectacor will have a stake in it.
76ers, Flyers ownership groups looking to bring WNBA team to Philadelphia
A new WNBA team has been mentioned among the many ways a new arena would impact Philadelphia. The 76ers have been interested in using their new arena to lure WNBA expansion to Philadelphia, as has Mayor Cherelle Parker.
“I know you've noticed we don’t have a WNBA team here in the city of Philadelphia,” she said in September. “Any of y’all ever noticed that? Y’all know y’all’s mayor don’t like that.”
Having two ownership groups bid together could be a game-changer as the WNBA looks to add a 16th team. The Golden State Valkyries will begin play in the 2025 season while the Toronto Tempo and a team in Portland are scheduled to begin the next season. Philadelphia is one of several other cities trying to add a new team. Others include Cleveland, Houston, Nashville and Denver.
The league wants to reach 16 teams by 2028 and, if the new arena won’t finished until later, Philadelphia may have to wait for the next round of expansion. Kinkead reports that the new arena will be constructed “ahead of the 2031 season,” which is when the 76ers' lease at the Wells Fargo Center ends. Nonetheless, the Sixers and Flyers agreeing on a new home strengthens the city's efforts and pitch to the league.
Basketball fans in Philadelphia are thrilled at the idea of the WNBA coming to their city, which has been home to teams in other women's basketball leagues but never the W.
