How Adam Silver got involved in the 76ers’ new arena plan in South Philly

The Philadelphia 76ers are changing course on their plans for the arena, choosing not to move to downtown Philly and instead stay at the sports complex in South Philly. Having just received approval for a project years in the making, they stay where they are. NBA commissioner Adam Silver played a notable role in these developments.

The 76ers will build a brand new arena in partnership with Comcast Spectacular, owner of the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center, where the Sixers have played since 1996. The team, under the ownership of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, was looking for a place and a way to revitalize downtown Philadelphia. With their proposed new home, called 76 Place at Market East, they hoped to achieve just that.

And then they turned to partnering with a company they had long disagreed with.

“We it is not indeed to change ours mind, actually,” 76ers manager Josh Harris said at a town hall press conference in Philadelphia announcing the new arrangement. “We they were indeed committed yes Market East, but…Ohed North Star was works the right thing would Philly.”

In a 2023 interview, David Adelman, 76ers co-owner and architect of the arena project, said the team he had no other option than his original proposal. Faced with opposition from local activists concerned about the arena’s impact on Chinatown and from Comcast over how the team planned to separate from the Sports Complex, the project took on a Market East or bust mentality, making the drastic change in plans all the more surprising.

Harris explained that Silver went in to talk to him and Comcast, easing tensions and leading to new negotiations. Just as 76 Place was headed for a vote at City Hall, the 76ers and Comcast began discussing a new deal that has now officially arrived.

“Deals don’t come together exactly when you i want them,” Harris added. “Adam Silver said ‘Look guys, you are fight, come on try it yes come together.’ We felt we could to build a better arena. We could also to revitalize Market East. I we felt that that was and 1+1=3 situation an.d so, we pivoted. That’s it a a little more complicated for everything of us. Comcast was willing generously – even nevertheless they had to put a lot of money into the existing arena yes to make that great — yes to move up theirs time frame. AII of us made compromises yes to do the right thing would Philly.”

76ers, Flyers to build new arena in South Philly

Silver joined the meeting via video chat to discuss his enthusiasm for the new deal.

“That mine friends WHO are there from Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment and Comcast — especially Josh Harris, David Blitzer and Brian Roberts — tHank you for yours very intense involvement and readiness yes partner together on this exciting development,” said the NBA commissioner.

Silver mentioned a meeting between him and Mayor Cherelle Parker last July, where the mayor said he wanted to keep the 76ers in Philadelphia in a world-class arena, bring a VNBA team to town and “ensure that the economic benefits of a new arena they were far away bigger rather basketball and hockey games.” He believes that the new agreement has a positive effect on each goal.

“I to have no doubts that the the team from Harris Blitzer Sports and Comcast are it goes yes to build a indeed special facility,” Silver said.

Comedian Wanda Sykes and her wife Alex spoke more about the city’s desire to bring a VNBA team. The two have long been part of the effort to bring The V Team to Philly and, with the announcement of a new arena, the odds of landing a bid for the team have never been better.

“Like the the mayor said I don’t to think ours quotas could to be any, any one more favorable rather position we are in right now,” Sykes said. She ended her time on the podium hitting Harriswhose company owns the Washington Commanders, and says “Go Birds.”

The VNBA wants to expand to 16 teams by 2028 and is just one of its goals, so either the new arena would have to be completed by then or the team would have to play at the Wells Fargo Center for several years. The Sixers have been hesitant to sign another lease on the building, but they may look at that option more favorably now that they are on better terms with their landlord.

The 76ers staying at the Sports Complex and partnering with Comcast would have been considered impossible for most of the 76 seat timeline. Both companies were at odds with each other and the Sixers seemed dead set on moving to a downtown location. In the end, they will stay where they are and promise to support other methods of revitalizing the East market.

“It wasn’t planned,” Harris said, “but it happened.”