Why the Sixers’ new stadium proposal is the right decision

The Wells Fargo Center, known by a few different names since its’ inception in 1996, is the only Sixers stadium I have known in my life. It’s the team’s home and in my mind always would and should be. When the idea of a Center City stadium was first announced, I was sick. But after a couple months, I surprisingly have a new outlook on the proposal.

3601 South Broad Street, Philadelphia PA forever has a place in my heart. It is where I watched my first Sixers game, where I saw Kobe play his last game in the city that raised him, and where I saw Meek Mill ring the pregame bell having been flown directly from prison prior to a game.

There are so many amazing memories I have of this arena and to see the Sixers leave it for a new home would be tough. Although sometimes the hardest decisions are the right ones. If you take emotions out of it and look at this through strictly a business sense it makes sense.

For those that do not know, Comcast Spectacor, a subsidiary of the Philadelphia based cable giant, owns the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center. Up until 2011, Spectacor also owned the Philadelphia 76ers.

Over the last 11 years the 76ers have been a tenant at the Wells Fargo Center and Spectacor has tried to entice the franchise to remain playing in South Philly through a number of stadium enhancements, but it is still not enough. Philadelphia is a big city that deserves a top of the line stadium that is a destination for more than just city residents. On the following slides, I’ll explain why the proposed Center City location would be just that.

Priority scheduling for the Sixers

This may be the least well known, but by far the most important, reason that the Sixers should move out of the Wells Fargo Center. Higher priority for arena scheduling is given to both the Philadelphia Flyers and the Disney on Ice show from Christmas through New Years Day.

Have you ever wondered why the Sixers never have a home game on Christmas Day? Or even have a home game during the week between Christmas and New Years when many families and kids have time off and would love to see a Sixers basketball game? The answer is Disney on Ice.

That is correct, the Philadelphia 76ers, a prominent sports franchise in a top 5 city market in the United States, get bumped in scheduling games by Disney on Ice. It is almost unfathomable and that is something that will never change while the team still plays at the Wells Fargo Center. Every year when the schedule comes out and the Sixers happen to have a Christmas Day game, you immediately know it’s an away game.

Disney on Ice has the scheduling priority for one week, but the the Philadelphia Flyers also have higher scheduling priority than the Sixers all year long. This does make sense as the Flyers and Wells Fargo Center are both owned by Comcast, but it is still another hurdle the Sixers would not have to jump through if they had their own arena.