The Philadelphia 76ers are in the process of figuring out where their new home will be when their Wells Fargo Center lease expires in 2031. The possibility of moving East across the Delaware River to New Jersey has been speculated previously and apparently remains in play.
The Sixers are looking to construct a new arena, 76 Place at Markest East, in downtown Philadelphia. The city recently released studies into the project and legislation is expected to be drafted this fall. But as the team faces backlash from the Wells Fargo Center's parent company, Comcast Spectacor, and local activists who don’t want an arena so close to the city's Chinatown neighborhood, New Jersey is trying to get in on the bidding.
The state has drafted a plan that includes incentives for the Sixers to build its new arena in Camden, where its practice facility has been located since 2016. According to Tom Bergeron of ROI-NJ, the Sixers will look “seriously” at the proposal.
The 76ers spokesperson's statement to ROI-NJ reads as follows: “We have worked tirelessly for the past five years to build an arena in Philadelphia, and negotiations remain ongoing with city leadership regarding our proposal at Market East. The reality is, we are running out of time to reach an agreement that will allow the 76ers to open our new home in time for the 2031-32 NBA season. As a result, we must take all potential options seriously, including this one.”
76ers considering New Jersey proposal amid hopes to build arena in Philadelphia
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Although Camden is only a 15-minute ride away from Philadelphia — and thus the Sixers being there would be similar to the New York Giants and Jets being located in a part of New Jersey just outside of New York City — the team would alienate fans by leaving its home city. Moving the team out of its eponymous city will chop at the root of its identity. Traffic going over the bridges from Philly to Camden and back could be messy, too, and the Sixers would be the only major professional Philly team located outside of the city.
The 76ers have said multiple times that they are committed to Philadelphia and have no intentions to leave. The plan for its arena in downtown Philly requires construction to begin very soon for it to open up on time. Those construction jobs have led to heavy support for the arena, though concerns about the impacts on Chinatown, city traffic and more remain. With time running out, the team is hearing out its options.
