The construction timeline for a new arena in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex could accelerate now that the city has been awarded a WNBA expansion team.
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News about the franchise set to debut in the 2030 season came in a Monday press release. It will be owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The WNBA is also adding new teams in Cleveland and Detroit. All three cities paid a $250M expansion fee, five times the $50M the Golden State Warriors paid to bring the Valkyries to the Bay Area in October 2023. All three teams plan to invest in building practice facilities and other amenities, though few specifics were available Monday.
“Philadelphia is a city with unmatched passion, rich basketball tradition, and an unwavering love for its teams,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “It’s only fitting that this iconic sports town is finally home to a WNBA franchise.”
Other cities that bid on a hometown franchise include St. Louis, Austin, Nashville, Miami, Denver, Charlotte, Houston and Kansas City, Missouri.
Philly's new team will play at the same new venue set to house the Sixers and the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers.
Construction is set to wrap up in 2031, but HBSE Managing Partner Josh Harris told The Philadelphia Inquirer he would like to expedite the project so the new team can play there during its inaugural season.
If that doesn’t come to fruition, the team will debut at the Wells Fargo Center, where the Sixers and Flyers play now.
“Philadelphia is one of the most storied basketball cites in the world and our region is home to some of the best women’s players and coaches to ever grace the hardwood,” Harris said in a statement. “It’s only right that this city gets the WNBA franchise it deserves, and we’re humbled to help usher in a new era of Philadelphia basketball.”
Professional basketball dominated headlines in Philadelphia much of last year as the Sixers worked to garner support for a controversial new arena on Ninth and Filbert streets in Center City.
The team ultimately gained city council approval before pivoting back to South Philly in January.
The arena replacing the Wells Fargo Center is a joint venture between HBSE and Comcast Spectacor, which used to own the Sixers and regained a small stake in the team through the agreement.
The pivot away from Center City raised big questions about the future of the struggling Market East corridor, most of which remain unanswered six months later.
City officials have announced a master-planning process for the neighborhood, but few details have been shared with the public.
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