Xfinity Mobile Arena

Lore & Background

The arena, initially called Spectrum II during planning, was completed in 1996 to replace the Spectrum as the home arena of the 76ers and Flyers, on the former site of John F. Kennedy Stadium at a cost of $210 million, largely privately financed (though the city and state helped to pay for the local infrastructure). It is owned by Comcast Spectacor, which also owns the Flyers. Comcast Spectacor managed the arena until 2021, when the Oak View Group acquired Comcast Spectacor's Spectra division, and with it management of the arena, Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies and Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles. Since opening, it has been known by a number of different names through naming rights deals and bank mergers, including CoreStates Center from 1996 to 1998, First Union Center from 1998 to 2003, Wachovia Center from 2003 to 2010, and Wells Fargo Center from 2010 to 2025. Naming rights were originally held by CoreStates Financial Corporation, which was acquired by First Union, which later also purchased Wachovia National Bank to rename itself Wachovia Corporation; the combined company was acquired by Wells Fargo in 2008. On July 24, 2024, Wells Fargo announced that it would not renew its naming rights deal once it expired in August 2025. On May 6, 2025, Comcast Spectacor and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment announced the arena's new name would be Xfinity Mobile Arena, and lasting through the 2030–2031 season. The name change was made official on August 14, 2025.

Reader's Guide

The arena has been the site of a number of notable athletic events, including games of the 1997 and 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, three games of the 2001 NBA Finals, and various collegiate events for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It has hosted two political conventions, hosting the 2000 Republican National Convention and 2016 Democratic National Convention. The arena is a regular venue for concerts and WWE events. On January 12, 2025, Comcast Spectacor, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the City of Philadelphia announced a deal to replace the arena with a new $1.3 billion privately financed arena to open by 2030. Comcast Spectacor and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment will jointly own the new arena. Demolition will follow once the new project is complete. The arena's significance lies in its long tenure as a major sports and entertainment venue in Philadelphia, its multiple name changes reflecting corporate mergers, and its role as the home of two major professional sports franchises. Its legacy includes hosting championship finals and political conventions, and it is set to be replaced by a new arena by 2030.

Did You Know?

• The arena set a record for highest attendance for an indoor hockey game in Pennsylvania (20,103) on June 10, 2005, when the Philadelphia Phantoms won the Calder Cup.
• On June 9, 2010, the arena set another attendance record of 20,327 for game six of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.
• The arena's public address announcer for Flyers games is Lou Nolan, who moved with the team from the Spectrum, where he worked since 1972.
• On December 6, 2002, a Guns N' Roses concert was canceled after the band did not appear, fueling a riot and causing about $30,000 to $40,000 in damage.