Why is former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce unhappy about 76ers’ plans for new arena?
As an icon of the Eagles, the former NFL star is a favored son in Philly which is why his opinion of the 76ers’ potential arena rebuild does carry some weight.
It’s a case of ‘tell us how you really feel’ when it comes to the former Philadelphia Eagles defensive star. Indeed, the now-retired center didn’t hold back when addressing the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the franchise’s plans for a new arena.
Jason Kelce doesn’t like the 76ers’ plans
The Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly set to build a new arena in downtown Center City. Needless to say, such a move would have a significant effect on Philadelphia’s sporting and commercial landscape. Now, while the idea was officially endorsed by Mayor Cherelle Parker on Wednesday, the relocation from South Philly is not a venture that is loved by all and certainly not one of the city’s most famous faces. Indeed, Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Kelce has now made it clear that it’s the last things that he would like to see.
To be clear, the proposed arena would open ahead of the 2031-32 NBA season and would still require approval from the city council, but understandably has caused intense debate. Speaking during an appearance on the “WIP Morning Show” on Thursday, Kelce showcased that by speaking directly to his concerns about the displacement of Chinatown residents. “I would prefer it stays in South Philly, unquestionably,” Kelce said. “I’ll say this, when it does get built in Center City and all of these people are displaced, at the end of the day people are probably going to love it. In 10 years, all of this is gonna be different, and we’re probably going to be really happy that there’s this beautiful complex that was developed down there in a thriving part of the city. Right now, I really hate it.”
As always, there is context here which is to say as a native of Cleveland, Ohio, Kelce witnessed the controversy that surrounded the proposed move of the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore by then-owner Art Modell. According to Kelce, he was “scarred” by the experience such that the idea of ownership making such a decision without considering citizens is simply too much to tolerate. “All of these people have devoted all of their time, all of their efforts, all of their money, and a lifetime of fandom toward this team, and now you’re going to strong-arm people against what the city wants,” Kelce said. “I really have a hard time being OK with that. I’m not OK with it. I think it’s wrong.”
It’s at that point that Kelce got a little more specific, referencing the idea that the 76ers’ ownership is led by Josh Harris and his Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment Group, none of which is locally based and owns a variety of other major sports teams including the Washington Commanders the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. “The ownership group isn’t Philadelphian!” Kelce said. “It’s got a New Jersey Devils team, a Philadelphia team, and now a Washington team! Now they’re forcing the city to do what this guy wants, and it sucks.”
As you can imagine, Kelce’s comments left a lot of room for interpretation which is probably why it wasn’t long before he took to social media to clear the air i.e., he acknowledged that fans will inevitably come to love the Sixers’ new home. On the other hand, he maintained his stance that the idea of an ownership group forcing something on people that they don’t want is simply not OK. When one considers the idea that only 18% of registered voters in Philadelphia indicated they support the idea in a recent poll, Kelce may have a point. Ultimately, there is still a long way to go in this one with the 76ers’ lease with the Wells Fargo Center not coming to an end until 2031. That said, organizations such as the Save Chinatown Coalition and No Arena Washington Square West have been frank in their condemnation of the plan since the mayor’s endorsement. This is all to say, watch this space.