Pennsylvania

Sixers $1.5B arena plan stokes ‘rendering wars’ across N.J., Del. and Pa.

Published

1 year ago

September 16, 2024

Sixers .5B arena plan stokes ‘rendering wars’ across N.J., Del. and Pa.

The Camden Sixers

A swath of Camden Riverfront, where Riverfront State Prison once stood (that’s since been demolished), where the New Jersey Economic Development Authority is pitching the 76ers to build its $1.5 billion sports arena, in addition to a mixed-use development as an entertainment hub across the river from Philadelphia. (Courtesy New Jersey Economic Development Authority and State of New Jersey)

Next up: New Jersey’s bet to revitalize the Camden Delaware River waterfront.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority and State of New Jersey pitched $800 million in economic incentives to the 76ers to redevelop the site of the former Riverfront State Prison, which was demolished in 2010.

The state agency and the Sixers declined to be interviewed.

Plans show a glimmering multipurpose indoor arena on the Camden waterfront with public outdoor space, a parking garage, residential space and mixed-used commercial development towers.

“The rendering shows the potential transformation of Camden’s waterfront at the former state prison site north of the Ben Franklin Bridge [and across the river from Philadelphia],” said Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, in a statement. “The proposed project is more than just a state-of-the-art arena. It’s an open space, new housing, restaurants, and office space.”

The ultimate goal, Sullivan said, is that the project will “help bring new good-paying jobs to the city.”

In the state’s economic pitch for the sports arena, Sullivan touted, “when New Jersey commits to the success of a project, we deliver,” as its promise.

The state’s Aspire Program could offer two tax credit awards totaling $800 million, which would offset the cost of the arena and the parking garage, Sullivan said.

That Aspire program “would be subject to a standard Net Benefits Test ensuring that New Jersey taxpayers are more than paid back for their investment via incremental state, county and local tax revenues,” according to the pitch letter to the 76ers.

New Jersey is also offering to ask for $500 million in special purpose bonds from the state legislature to finance the project up front. The money would be repaid over the years via “fees and surcharges on tickets, concessions and parking” remitted by the team owners.

The Garden State is already gearing up for a big sports event at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, with the FIFA soccer World Cup final in 2026.

“The World Cup will be held here which is going to bring the world to focus on the state of New Jersey,” said Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce. “Getting the 76ers to move to New Jersey [would be] very significant to boost our state’s image and perception. And that means a lot when you’re talking about trying to make the state a good place to live and work and retain businesses.”

Bracken said Camden could really benefit from a Sixers relocation.

“Camden has come a long way over the last bunch of years, going from a town that was really distressed and significantly impacted negatively and it has had a revival. There’s still work to do,” he said. “Something like this would just accelerate that momentum. The stronger you can make the urban areas of New Jersey, the better off it is for the entire state.”

Camden’s mayor Victor Carstarphen called the state’s proposal “a generational investment” in the city.

“A lot of work is being done here, infrastructure, parks, improvement, our police department,” he said. “We are home to corporate entities like Campbell Soup … to the executive headquarters of Subaru. I think we’re prime for a project like the 76ers arena. We’ve been building and building and building for a situation like this.”

There’s a $300 million plan to overhaul the Walter Rand Transportation Center downtown. Coincidentally, there’s a brand new PATCO train station near Independence Mall in Center City Philadelphia.

The team’s owners have roots in New Jersey. In 2013, 76ers owners Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment purchased the New Jersey Devils, who play in Newark’s Prudential Center. In 2016, the company opened a 76ers practice complex in Camden.

“The governor’s full steam ahead with leading this charge. The Sixers of course have been tremendous partners with our city, just very much engaged,” Carstarphen said. “This is by no means a competitive thing with the city of Philadelphia. I have a great amount of respect for Mayor Parker and sympathize with the potential impact on Chinatown. We just have this space shovel ready.”

But, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy didn’t project confidence in landing the 76ers in Camden during the “Ask the Governor” show Sept. 12, despite the hefty incentive package floated by his team.

”I want to say up front, it’s not clear that we’re going to win this. The Philadelphia 76ers, they’ve been there a long time. [But] this will transform Camden,” Murphy said.

If the Sixers do choose Camden, Murphy promised there would be a community benefits agreement for that neighborhood, too.

“We deliberately went out to the community [to a] bunch of the leaders there who we’ve worked with over the years and made sure that they knew that we had their back,” Murphy said. “If we get this, this is a game changer. Generational game changer.”

In response, the Sixers said they are weighing their options as their lease is slated to expire in the coming years.

“We appreciate Governor Murphy and the NJEDA for presenting a thoughtful and compelling vision for the revitalization and economic growth of Camden, a city we are already committed to through our Training Complex,” the 76ers said in a statement. “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 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.”

The Delaware Sixers

Delaware’s outgoing Gov. John Carney — who will be the incoming Wilmington, Delaware mayor in 2025 — publicly pitched the 76ers to build its arena on social media. (Courtesy State of Delaware)

Details about the state of Delaware’s pitch for the next Sixers stadium are scant, save for a social media post in mid-August by outgoing Gov. John Carney.

Gov. Carney touted that the Sixers have a “large fan base” in the state with the “best community around” in the city of Wilmington, in addition to the state’s lack of sales tax.

Gov. Carney’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Choose Delaware, the state’s economic development arm, deferred comments to the governor’s office, citing that the agency is not involved in such a pitch.

The Comcast Sixers

In late August, representatives of Comcast Spectacor approached the Washington Square West Civic Association board about a new NBA basketball arena for redevelopment on Market Street, east of City Hall.

The board agreed to a closed-door meeting, according to the Washington Square West Civic Association’s president Tami Sortman.

As of Sept. 6, the civic association’s board has endorsed neither the Comcast vision nor the Sixers’ arena proposal.

Comcast Spectacor pitched its presentation to the association board with several graphic renderings. Its vision includes a biomedical hub inside the less popular section of the Fashion District.

“Our hope is that the 76ers will remain in South Philadelphia as a partner in the Wells Fargo Center,” said Dan Hilferty, chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor, in a statement.

Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly where the 76ers play now, pitched to the community a biomedical hub in Market East as an alternative to the new arena. (Courtesy Comcast Spectacor)

As it stands, the Fashion District is owned and operated by Macerich, a Santa Monica, California-based real estate business. Macerich told WHYY News that the company is “very excited” to be working with the Sixers on its new arena.

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Pennsylvania

Top Pennsylvania 2027 quarterback enrolls into Coatesville (Pa.)

Published

2 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Top Pennsylvania 2027 quarterback enrolls into Coatesville (Pa.)

One of the top 2027 Pennsylvania high school quarterbacks from the 2025 season has announced that he’s leaving for a new home.

Per an announcement by Class of 2027 signal caller Mikal Shank Jr., the quarterback has left Harrisburg (Pa.) and is now at Coatesville (Pa.) for his senior season. Shank Jr. last season started 14 games for the Cougars and is arguably one of the state’s top returning players behind center heading into the 2026 campaign.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania High School Wrestling Rankings Before 2026 PIAA States – FloWrestling

Published

15 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania High School Wrestling Rankings Before 2026 PIAA States – FloWrestling

Is Pennsylvania the most wrestling-centric state in the country? Does the Keystone State have the most talent? Or even the top talent? Is it harder to win a state title there than anywhere else?

These all are terrific questions, and the answers may vary depending on who you ask and where they’re from, much like our nation’s great pizza debate, where the answers will vary by region.

What we do know for sure, is that Pennsylvania is well-represented in the 2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings, but with the 2026 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships on the horizon, where do the competitors rank amongst their peers?

If you follow high school wrestling, you’ve probably already heard many of the names, whether it was at past PIAA events, national tournaments, international competition, college recruiting news or signings, etc.

Now, here they are listed by weight class in FloWrestling’s latest Pennsylvania-only rankings.

Among the most recognizable are Bishop McCort senior Bo Bassett (152 pounds), his brother and teammate Melvin Miller (172 pounds) and Adam Waters (189 pounds) from rival school Faith Christian Academy.

As you get ready to see who takes home the titles at the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships, set for March 5-7 at GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, here’s a look at where everyone falls in the pecking order:

What Are The Weight Classes For High School Wrestling In Pennsylvania?

Boys: 107, 114, 121, 127, 133, 139, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215, 285
Girls: 100, 106, 112, 118, 124, 130, 136, 142, 148, 155, 170, 190, 235

Pennsylvania High School Wrestling Rankings Before 2026 PIAA State Championships

As of Feb. 22, 2026

Boys

Girls

When Are The 2026 PIAA Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships?

The 2026 PIAA Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships will take place March 5-7, live on FloWrestling and the FloSports app.

The first girls wrestling champions in PIAA action were determined in 2024.

The road back to GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, began with regional competition across 12 sites (eight boys, four girls) in February (Feb. 20-21; Feb. 22; Feb. 27-28; Feb. 28)

Among the highlights at the 2025 event was Bassett winning his second individual PIAA state championship and helping Bishop McCort to a Class AA runner-up finish behind Faith Christian.

Read more: 2025 PIAA Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets

How To Watch The 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships

Live coverage of the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships on March 5-7 will be broadcast on FloWrestling and the FloSports app, with news, notes, stats and more available on both platforms.

Archives will be available immediately following the conclusion of each match.

If you’re going to be in the area and want to catch the action in person, click here for spectator and ticket information.

Read more: 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Schedule & Brackets

2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Brackets

Here’s where you’ll be able to find the brackets for the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships:

2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Schedule

Here’s a look at when everything is going down:

All Times Eastern

Wednesday, March 4

4-7 p.m. – Media registration
4-7 p.m. – School registration (AA/Girls/AAA)
4-7 p.m. – Qualifying wrestlers’ workout (AA/Girls/AAA) (six mats)
6 p.m. – Officials’ meeting

Thursday, March 5 (Session 1)

7:30 a.m. – Media registration
7:30 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA)
7:30 a.m. – Late school registration (AA)
7:45 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA)
8 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA)
9 a.m. – Preliminaries and first round (AA), six mats (52/104 matches)
12:30 p.m. – First-round consolations (AA), six mats
12:30 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (Girls)
12:30 p.m. – Late school registration (Girls)
12:45 p.m. – Skin condition check (Girls)
1 p.m. – Weigh-ins (Girls)
2 p.m. – First round (Girls), six mats (104 matches)
3 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AAA)
3 p.m. – Late school registration (AAA)
3:15 p.m. – Skin condition check (AAA)
3:30 p.m. – Weigh-ins (AAA)
3:30 p.m. – First-round consolations (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
4:30 p.m. – Preliminaries and first round (AAA), six mats (52/104 matches)
8 p.m. – First-round consolations (AAA), six mats (52 matches)

Friday, March 6 (Session 2/Session 3)

6:30 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA)
6:45 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA)
7 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA)
8 a.m. – Quarterfinals (AA), three mats (52 matches)
8 a.m. – Second-round consolations (AA), three mats (52 matches)
10:15 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (Girls)
10:30 a.m. – Third-round consolations (AA), three mats (52 matches)
10:30 a.m. – Skin condition check (Girls)
10:45 a.m. – Weigh-ins (Girls)
11:45 a.m. – Quarterfinals (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
12:45 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AAA)
1 p.m. – Skin condition check (AAA)
1:15 p.m. – Weigh-ins (AAA)
1:15 p.m. – Second-round consolations (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
2:15 p.m. – Quarterfinals (AAA), three mats (52 matches)
2:15 p.m. – Second-round consolations (AAA), three mats (52 matches)
4:45 p.m. – Third-round consolations (AAA), six mats (52 matches)
6:15 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
7 p.m. – Semifinals (AA/Girls/AAA), 2/2/2 mats (26/26/26 matches)
9 p.m. – Fourth-round consolations (AA/AAA), 2/2 mats (26/26 matches)
9 p.m. – Third-round consolations (Girls), two mats (26 matches)

Saturday, March 7 (Session 4/Session 5)

8 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
8:15 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA/Girls/AAA)
8:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA/Girls/AAA)
8:45 a.m. – Skin condition check, finalists (AA/Girls/AAA)
9 a.m. – Weigh-in, finalists (AA/Girls/AAA)
9:30 a.m. – Fifth-round consolations (AA/AAA), 2/2 mats (26/26 matches)
9:30 a.m. – Fourth-round consolations (Girls), 2 mats (26 matches)
11:30 a.m. – Third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches (AA/Girls/AAA), 2/2/2 mats (39/39/39 matches)
11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
3:40 p.m. – Parade of Champions (AA/Girls/AAA)
4 p.m. – Championship Finals (AA/Girls/AAA), 1/1/1 mats (13/13/13 matches)

When Was The 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships?

The 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships took place Feb. 6-7 at the 1st Summit Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and included 20 teams that survived the preliminary and first round of the tournament, which was held Feb. 3 at host schools across the state.

The advancing teams made their way to Johnstown for two more days of intense competition, with the 1st Summit Arena hosting the quarterfinals through the championship matches.

In Pennsylvania this year, there were 475 schools participating in boys wrestling.

They were divided into two classifications – 228 schools in AA and 247 schools in AAA – which are further split into 12 districts. Class AA is for schools with 1-308 male enrollees, and Class AAA wrestling includes schools with 309-9999 male students.

Read more: 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships Schedule & Brackets

Did You Know: PIAA Wrestling Has A Long History

The first state wrestling championships in Keystone State happened in 1938, while the girls were added to the action in 2024. The PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships debuted in 1999.

There are 14 four-time individual state champions in Pennsylvania. Another 30 have won three times.

2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings

Top 20 as of Feb. 18, 2026

Curious about how the top wrestlers from each state stack up against competitors from across the country?

Click here to see the latest high school rankings from FloWrestling.

FULL DUAL: Bishop McCort vs. Faith Christian | 2026 PIAA AA Team State Finals

Faith Christian has been dominant in team wrestling in Pennsylvania, and Bishop McCort keeps falling just short.

Trackwrestling Has Joined The New FloWrestling

Trackwrestling officially has merged with FloWrestling, bringing its powerful tournament tracking tools and live data into a modern, all-in-one platform.

Fans can follow every bout with pro-grade brackets, mat schedules, team rosters and detailed wrestler profiles—all seamlessly integrated within FloWrestling.

This move delivers a faster, smarter and more connected experience for the wrestling community. Through the updated FloSports app, users can track live results, explore brackets and even sign up for free alerts so they never miss a match.

FloWrestling Archived Footage

Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

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Pennsylvania

Man cited after abandoning car in frozen pond at Pennsylvania country club: Police

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Man cited after abandoning car in frozen pond at Pennsylvania country club: Police

A man has been cited after police said he drove a vehicle into a frozen pond at a country club in Pennsylvania, left the scene, then spent the night in a hotel.

According to the East Lampeter Township Police Department, on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, around 10:38 a.m., officers were called to the Lancaster Country Club after receiving reports about a vehicle in a pond.

Police said that, through an investigation, it was learned that Sung Chun, a 50-year-old man from Hoboken, New Jersey, had driven onto the property the day before around 8:30 p.m., crossed portions of the golf course, and ultimately ended up in a pond.

Chun then exited the vehicle and walked away without reporting the incident and spent the night at a nearby hotel, according to police.

Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Police said Chun returned to the location while police were on scene investigating the incident and was ultimately cited with “Trespass by Motor Vehicle.”

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