The Philadelphia 76ers might get to stay within the city limits of Philadelphia after Mayor Cherelle Parker announced plans for a new arena in the city for the franchise with a video on social media. This arena plan is pending City Council approval but indicates that the Mayor is trying to keep the 76ers in Philadelphia.
“An agreement has been reached to ensure that our 76ers will be staying home. Yes, you heard me correctly. My administration has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers for an arena in Center City, and I will be transmitting the related legislative package to the City Council of Philadelphia, where it must be approved.”
“This is a historic agreement. It is the best financial deal ever entered into by a Philadelphia mayor for a local sports arena. I wholeheartedly believe it is the right deal for the people of Philadelphia.”
As your Mayor, I'm speaking from my City Hall office with a very important announcement. I am proud to share that I have made my decision, and an agreement has been reached to ensure that our Sixers are staying home.
I wholeheartedly believe this is the right deal for the People… pic.twitter.com/Fnj19mrBOV
— Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (@PhillyMayor) September 18, 2024
The 76ers were heavily considering a move to Camden, New Jersey, where the team’s practice facility already exists.
“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, that 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.”
While Camden is about an hour away from Philadelphia, ensuring local support could stay, it would be a massive blow to have a historic franchise with one of the most passionate fanbases in the NBA moved away from its host city.
Mayor Parker’s public backing of a new arena project will be great news to 76ers diehards who didn’t want to lose their team, but a whole host of other political concerns are likely going to come up before the arena project is fully approved. The planned site for the arena is adjacent to Philadelphia’s Chinatown area, with residents already sharing concerns about possible displacement from their neighborhood.
This announcement is merely an endorsement and the outline of a political plan to get a new arena for the 76ers, but the actualization of this plan will take a longer time.
The 76ers Are Hoping To Win A Championship This Season
The 76ers have been one of the most aggressive teams this offseason, reshaping their roster around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, most notably adding Paul George as a free agent this summer.
If they win a title this season, they’re winning it for the city of Philadelphia. It’s hard to imagine them letting the 76ers leave for Camden if they win a title, so a successful season has a lot more at stake than just a championship ring for the franchise.
The players won’t be affected by the noise of a possible relocation six years from now, so the focus will be purely on basketball. Joel Embiid will pray his health holds up this season as the team won’t have many more years of Embiid or even Paul George performing at the highest level.
The East presents a lot of challenges, primarily from the Boston Celtics and new contender New York Knicks. Hopefully, the 76ers can navigate these waters and at least make a Conference Finals appearance.
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