There have been rumors for years about the Philadelphia 76ers moving out of the Wells Fargo Center at some point. While it had been looking at other areas in the city, it’s possible the NBA franchise could move out of the state, entirely.
The Sixers rent the Wells Fargo Center, owned by Comcast Spectacor, which is why the team is looking for a new home. With a state-of-the-art practice facility and corporate headquarters located in Camden, NJ, Sixers ownership might believe that could be a destination for a brand new arena.
If the team does end up moving to Camden, which the Garden State is pushing hard to make happen, the Sixers will still be Philadelphia’s team. Though, a move across the Delaware River could make fans upset, and rightfully so.
New Jersey officials trying to convince 76ers to move
The Sixers are essentially tenants of the Wells Fargo Center. It is not new news that the team wants out of that arrangement. The franchise had been exploring an arena in the Chinatown section of downtown Philadelphia.
While those plans are up in the air as the proposal faced opposition from business owners and residents, the Garden State is trying to swoop in and make a new home for the Sixers.
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns the Sixers, along with the Washington Commanders and the New Jersey Devils. It helps that the ownership group already operates a professional franchise in the Garden State.
New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, has a “good relationship” with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, he said. He also brought up the idea of bringing the Sixers to New Jersey with Sixers ownership.
“We’ve been observing the lack of progress in Philadelphia and we said, ‘You know what, we’re going to raise this with them.’ And we’re serious about it and they seem to be serious about it,” Murphy said, according to Action News.
While Murphy said the team “seem to be serious” about a move to New Jersey, the Sixers sung a different tune to Action News. A Sixers spokesperson said:
“We remain focused on bringing a state-of-the-art arena to Philadelphia as we have been for the last four years. We are hopeful to reach an agreement with the city this summer to ensure legislation is introduced in early September, which will allow the 76ers to open our new home in time for the 2031-32 NBA season.”
The Sixers are on the record of wanting to stay in Philadelphia. A move across the state border to Camden wouldn’t be far, but it would make fans upset.
Sixers moving to Camden would still be Philadelphia’s team
Attaching an arena to the Sixers’ corporate headquarters and practice facility in Camden is not totally out of the question.
But, it would be odd for a Philadelphia team to not be playing in Philadelphia. However, there are plenty of franchises that represent a city or state, but play elsewhere.
Look no further than the New York Jets and Giants. Even casual fans know that both teams play in East Rutherford, NJ, which is approximately 10 miles from the closest point in New York. Since it is in the name, New Yorkers obviously claim both teams despite the fact they are geographically located in New Jersey.
Another example is the San Francisco 49ers. Its home field, Levi Stadium, is in Santa Clara, CA, which is 30 miles south of the San Francisco airport. The stadium is roughly seven miles from downtown San Jose.
Even though the Jets and Giants are only 10 miles from New York, the Sixers moving to Camden would would be even closer. The Sixers’ practice facility is 0.8 miles from Penn’s Landing, which is the most eastern point of Center City. From experience, you can actually see the Sixers practice facility from Penn’s Landing.
Being less than a mile from Philadelphia would still make the Sixers Philly’s team even if they move into Camden.
Fans would have a right to be upset should Sixers move
Philadelphia is a special place when it comes to sports. It’s one of the few cities that has all four major sports teams in the same complex, which is called the Stadium District.
Philadelphia fans take that as a badge of pride, knowing that the teams are within walking distances to each other. Since the teams are in such close proximity, each franchise supports each other. Recently retired Eagle, Fletcher Cox, joined the Phillies postgame celebration after eliminating the Braves in last year’s NLDS for the second straight year.
Cox, along with another retired Eagle, Jason Kelce, then threw out the first pitch before a Phillies game on March 30. There is an evident bond between each team, along with the fans.
A potential move to New Jersey would be a tough pill to swallow for fans, because it would break up the closeness of each team. It would also force many Philadelphians to cross over the bridge, which requires a toll, to watch the Sixers.
While it would still be the Philadelphia 76ers, and still only less than a mile from the city, it definitely wouldn’t be the same feeling. I wouldn’t blame fans for being upset over a potential move into New Jersey.
