Wells Fargo Center is Granted Permission to Allow Sixers Fans Back
The Philadelphia 76ers will soon have fans back in the stands at the Wells Fargo Center at a limited capacity. A little under a year ago was the last time Sixers fans were able to attend a game. As the Sixers hosted the Detroit Pistons on March 11, 2020, the NBA was shut down roughly about a half-hour after the game concluded.
Although COVID-19 still has the world in a pandemic, certain states and cities within the United States are slowly lifting restrictions. All last week, the City of Philadelphia was in discussion to possibly allow Philly sports fans back in the stands. On Tuesday, the Wells Fargo Center received permission to make it official.
Although the Sixers won't have fans in the stands for their matchup against the Western Conference's top team, the Utah Jazz, on Wednesday, the arena will admit a limited number of fans to attend the San Antonio Spurs matchup on March 14.
"We are thrilled to finally welcome home the best fans in the world," said 76ers team President Chris Heck. "Our team feeds off of our fans' incredible energy, so it's no coincidence the 76ers have been the best home team in the NBA over the last several years. Over the past 12 months, we've learned many new ways to stay connected with our fans, but there's no replacing their physical presence. We are all looking forward to the return of 76ers fans to the building as we continue our quest toward an NBA title."
This year, the Sixers once again have the top home record in the league at 15-3. With the presence of fans, they are likely to do even better during the second half of the season.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.