The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to build a new arena in South Philly. They have been playing in Xfinity Mobile Arena since 1996, and they share it with the Philadelphia Flyers. However, they are looking for something newer.
This new arena that they are looking to build does not have any public money attached to it. That means it would be the largest privately funded arena in the country. The Sixers released some renderings of what the new arena will look like for the first time.
76ers Release Photos of New Stadium for the First Time
ESPN’s Shams Charania released the images of the new joint arena. It is expected to be open sometime in 2030, so there is still a lot of time for construction and changes to be made.
It would continue to house both the 76ers and the Flyers for the foreseeable future. This arena will be built on the grounds where the old Spectrum Arena stood. Having the arena away from downtown is a choice that will likely divide fans of both teams.
Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated in the second round by the Knicks after being swept. The invasion of Knicks fans into their arena for their two home games was embarrassing, and they are hoping a new arena will entice fans to keep that from happening again.
LeBron James just signed a two-year deal to play with the 76ers for the next two years. That should bring an influx of new fans in that time period. Philly is hoping that the added popularity of the team with James and Jaylen Brown on the roster gives them some extra money.
That money can be used to help fund the new arena. Josh Harris is hoping to make the Sixers the most exciting team in the area. This will be the most anticipated season for the team in quite a while. They are considered one of the favorites to win the NBA championship.
The Sixers Need to Stay Healthy to Make Their Dreams Come True
Health is something that the 76ers will be focused on all season long. Keeping Joel Embiid upright for the playoffs will be the key to their title hopes. There is a good chance that both Embiid and James are rested a lot during the regular season.
Both of them have major injury history over the last few years, so getting them to April healthy is key. Embiid has played in just 57 games over the last two seasons. Allowing him to come in late in the year and be healthy is not something Embiid has been able to do.
Having real postseason success will get fans even more excited for this new arena, even though it won’t open for another four more years. Winning a title in before it opens would be even sweeter.
76ers Show Renderings of Future Arena for the First Time