The Philadelphia 76ers have dropped plans for a new arena in Center City and will instead partner with Comcast for a venue in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The team will share a building with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, who are also owned by Comcast Spectacor. A press conference is scheduled for Monday to officially announce the plan.
The 76ers currently lease Wells Fargo Center until 2031 and have spent two years preparing for a new NBA arena in downtown Philadelphia. However, they will maintain a similar partnership structure with Comcast as part of this new agreement. The partnership will be a 50-50 venture between the team owners, Josh Harris and David Blitzer, and Comcast Spectacor.
In December, the city council approved the 76ers’ plan for a $1.3 billion arena in Center City, but faced significant opposition due to potential disruptions. The new agreement means the Sixers will continue with real estate developments in Market East of Center City.
Comcast has joined forces with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment on this partnership. The media giant already owns the 76ers and serves as their local media partner through NBC Sports Philadelphia. Comcast secured broadcast rights for its channels as part of an NBA deal worth $77 billion, which also includes ESPN and Amazon.
As part of this agreement, Comcast will join the 76ers in bidding for a WNBA expansion team. The WNBA has hired Allen & Company to lead the expansion process for a new 16th team, with an expected expansion fee of around $100 million.
Source: https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2025/philadelphia-76ers-new-arena-comcast-wnba-bid-1234823618