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{{Short description|Former indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania}}
{{Infobox_Stadium |
{{About|the former arena in Philadelphia|the arena in Charlotte|Spectrum Center|the arena in Oslo|Oslo Spektrum}}
stadium_name = Wachovia Spectrum|
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
nickname = The Spectrum|
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
image = ]<br>]|
{{Infobox venue
location = 3601 S Broad St<br>Philadelphia, PA 19148|
| stadium_name = The Spectrum
broke_ground = June, 1966|
| nickname = "America's Showplace"<br/>"]"
opened = October 19, 1967|
closed = | | logo_image = ]
| image = ]
demolished = |
| caption = The Spectrum, then named the Wachovia Spectrum, in 2008
owner = ]|
| address = 3601 South ], ], ], U.S.
operator = Global Spectrum|
| location = ], ], U.S.
surface = |
| coordinates = {{Coord|39|54|15|N|75|10|16|W|type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-PA|display=it}}
construction_cost= $7 million|
| broke_ground = June 1, 1966<ref name="groundbreaking">{{cite news |title=Snider-Wolman Feud Outliving Spectrum|first=Stan|last=Hochman|url=http://articles.philly.com/2009-03-17/sports/24998008_1_ed-snider-spectrum-training-camp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311111549/http://articles.philly.com/2009-03-17/sports/24998008_1_ed-snider-spectrum-training-camp|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 11, 2011|newspaper=]|date=March 17, 2009|access-date=April 25, 2012}}</ref>
architect = |
| opened = September 30, 1967
former_names = The Spectrum (1967-1994)<br>CoreStates Spectrum (1994-1998)<br>First Union Spectrum (1998-2003)|
| closed = October 31, 2009
tenants = ] (]) (1996-present)<br> ] (]) (1995-present)<br> ] (]) (2004-present; Saturday home games)<br> ] (]) (1967-1996)
| demolished = November 23, 2010 – May 2011
] (]) (1967-1996)
| renovated = 1986
] (]) (1987-1996)|
| owner = ]
seating_capacity = 18,169 (basketball)<br>17,380 (hockey & AFL)
| operator = ]
}}
| surface = Multi-surface
{{otheruses|The Spectrum (disambiguation)}}
| construction_cost =
The '''Wachovia Spectrum''' (formerly known as the '''Spectrum''' (1967-1994), '''CoreStates Spectrum''' (1994-1998) and '''First Union Spectrum''' (1998-2003) is an ] located in ]. Completed in ], it seats 18,136 for ] and 17,380 for ], arena ], indoor ], and indoor ].
| architect = ]
| general_contractor = ]
| former_names = {{ubl|Spectrum (1967–1994)|CoreStates Spectrum (1994–1998)|First Union Spectrum (1998–2003)|Wachovia Spectrum (2003–2009)}}
| seating_capacity = Concerts:<br>*End stage: 18,369<br>*Center stage: 19,456<br>*Theater: 5,000–8,000<br/>Basketball: 18,168<br/>Ice Hockey: 17,380
| tenants = ] (]) (1967–1996)<br/>] (]) (1967–1996, 2009)<br/>] (]) (1974)<br/>] (]) (1974–1975)<br/>] (]) (1978–1981)<br>] (]) (1987–1996)<br/>] (]) (1994–1996)<br/>] (]) (1996–2004, 2005–2009)<br/>] (]/]/]) (1996–2009)<br/>] (]) (1996–1998)<br />] (]) (2004–2008) (select games)
}}

The '''Spectrum''' (later known as '''CoreStates Spectrum''', '''First Union Spectrum''' and '''Wachovia Spectrum''') was an ] in ], ]. The arena opened in September 1967 as part of what is now known as the ]. After several expansions of its ], it accommodated 18,168 for ] and 17,380 for ], ], ], and ].

The final event at the Spectrum was a ] ] on October 31, 2009.<ref name="billboard-cohen">{{cite magazine |last1=Cohen |first1=Jonathan |title=Pearl Jam Closes Philly Spectrum With Epic Set |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266851/pearl-jam-closes-philly-spectrum-with-epic-set |access-date=22 May 2020 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media, LLC. |date=2 November 2009 |ref=billboard-cohen}}</ref> The arena was demolished between November 2010 and May 2011.


==History== ==History==
Opened as "The Spectrum" in the Fall of 1967, Philadelphia's first modern indoor sports ] was originally built to be the home of the expansion ] of the ], and also to accommodate the existing ] of the ]. The building was the second major sports facility built at the South end of ] in an area previously known as "]" and now referred to simply as the "]." Opened as the Spectrum in September 1967, Philadelphia's first modern indoor sports ] was built to be the home of the expansion ] of the ], and also to accommodate the existing ] of the ]. The building was the second major sports facility built at the south end of ] in an area previously known as East League Island Park and now referred to simply as the ].


===Early years=== ===Early years===
Ground was broken on the arena on June 1, 1966, by ] and then-Philadelphia Mayor ] as the home of the NHL's expansion ].<ref name="groundbreaking" /> The first event at the arena was the Quaker City Jazz Festival on September 30, 1967,<ref>{{cite news |title=Bulls game at Wachovia Spectrum highlights Sixers 2008–09 schedule|publisher=]|url=http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/schedule_080806.html|access-date=August 15, 2008}}</ref> produced by Larry Magid.<ref>{{cite news|first=Michael |last=Klein |title=Inqlings: Spectrum Last Blasts: Deafening, of Course |date=September 15, 2008 |newspaper=] |url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/michael_klein/20080918_Inqlings__Spectrum_last_blasts__Deafening__of_course.html |access-date=October 19, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023230911/http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/michael_klein/20080918_Inqlings__Spectrum_last_blasts__Deafening__of_course.html |archive-date=October 23, 2008 }}</ref>
The Spectrum was conceived and built to accommodate expansion of the NHL into Philadelphia which was awarded an expansion team for the ]. Ground was broken on the arena in June, ], and finished in 16 months at a cost of $7 million. The 76ers moved there from ]. On ], ], high winds blew a portion of the covering of the Spectrum's roof off during a performance of the ] forcing the building to close for a month while the damage was repaired. (Similarly in 1993, the Flyers played a day game against the Los Angeles Kings during a blizzard. A piece of flying debris smashed out one of the concourse windows causing cancellation of the game just after the first period was finished. {{Fact|date=December 2007}}) While the 76ers were able to move their home games to Convention Hall or to the ], neither of those arenas had ice rinks at the time and there were no other NHL-quality sites in the Philadelphia area. Thus the Flyers hurriedly moved their next home game (against the ]) to ] in ] followed by a meeting with the ] played at ] in ] before establishing a base at ] in ], home of their top minor league team, the ] ], for the remainder of their regular season home schedule. (The roof was repaired in time to permit the Flyers to return to the Spectrum to open their first ever ] play-offs against the ] on April 4, 1968.)<ref>PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, </ref> Because of its location the Flyers of the ] soon became popularly known as the "Broad Street Bullies."


The first sporting event at the arena was an October 17, 1967 boxing match featuring ] vs. Tony Doyle.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Spectrum|publisher=phillyboxinghistory.com|url=http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/venues/venue_spectrum.htm|access-date=April 28, 2018}}</ref> From 1967 through 1972, fifteen fight cards were held at the Spectrum. The NBA's 76ers also moved there from ] as a second major league sports tenant. Lou Scheinfeld, former President of the Spectrum, explained that the name "Spectrum" was selected to evoke the broad range of events to be held there: "The 'SP' for 'sports' and ']', 'E' for 'entertainment', 'C' for 'circuses', 'T' for 'theatricals', 'R' for 'recreation', and 'UM' as 'um, what a nice building!'" Scheinfeld also said that a seat in the city's first superbox initially cost $1,000 a year: "For every Flyers game, Sixers game, circus, you name it, you got 250 events for $1,000."<ref>October 19, 2009, Talk Philly, CBS3.</ref> The Flyers won their first ever home game in this arena by defeating the ], 1–0. ] scored the arena's first goal.
===Flyers and Sixers' championships and All-Star Games hosted===

]
On March 1, 1968, wind blew part of the covering off the Spectrum's roof during a performance of the ], forcing the building to close for a month while Mayor Tate fought with then-Philadelphia County District Attorney ] over responsibility for the construction of the roof, and the damage was repaired.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=William|last=Johnson|title=A Heavy Blow In A Windy City|date=April 1, 1968|magazine=]|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1968/04/01/a-heavy-blow-in-a-windy-city/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719011049/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1081004/1/index.htm|url-status=live|archive-date=July 19, 2012|access-date=March 18, 2009}}</ref> The 76ers moved their home games to Convention Hall and to the ], but neither of those arenas had ice rinks at the time, and there were no other NHL-quality sites in the Philadelphia area. The Flyers hurriedly moved their next home game against the ] to ] in ] followed by a meeting with the ] played at ] in ] before establishing a base at ] in ], home of their top minor league team, the ] ], for the remainder of their regular season, marking the first NHL games in Quebec City in over four decades, and years before the ] joined the NHL. The roof was repaired in time to permit the Flyers to return to the Spectrum to open their first ] playoffs against the ] on April 4, 1968; the opening faceoff came just as the ] was transpiring in ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=434641|title=This Date In Flyers History&nbsp;... March 1|date=March 1, 2005|access-date=December 20, 2012|publisher=PhiladelphiaFlyers.com}}</ref> Similarly, in 1993, the Flyers played a day game against the Los Angeles Kings during a blizzard. A piece of flying debris smashed out one of the concourse windows, cancelling the game just after the first period.
The Flyers won their first ] at the Spectrum on ], ], defeating the ], 1-0, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in front of a then-capacity crowd of 17,007. Perhaps the most important and emotional hockey game -- or sporting event of any kind -- ever held there, however, came at the height of the ] on ], ], when the Flyers became the first NHL team to defeat (by 4-1) the then vaunted hockey team of the Soviet Central Red Army (ЦСКА). Ten NHL or NBA playoff championship series were hosted at the Spectrum with the Flyers competing in the ] in ], ], ], ], ], and ], and the 76ers playing in the ] in ], ], ], and ]. The ] and ] ], and ] and ] ]s were also held here. The AHL Phantoms also won their first ] title on Spectrum ice before a sell-out crowd of 17,380 on ], ], by defeating the ], 6-1.

In the 1970s, the venue's location near Broad Street and the reputation for ] that the Flyers had developed led to the nickname "Broad Street Bullies".

In 1976, the local pay television service ] (so-named in part as you could see "the spectrum" via a prism) was launched by Spectacor, carrying home games of the Flyers and 76ers (as well as the Phillies); PRISM's technical and studio operations were based out of the event level of the Spectrum (though PRISM's administrative offices were instead located in ]). PRISM's successor, ], is based out of the present-day Wells Fargo Center in a similar arrangement.

A plaque inside The Spectrum stated that it held the world record for the fastest conversion from Hockey to Basketball.

The Spectrum, along with the ] and ], was one of the first sports arenas to have a scoreboard with a messageboard. Furthermore, the messageboards on the Spectrum scoreboard were the first dot matrix screens in pro hockey or basketball, capable of photos, animation, and replays as well as messages. This was replaced in 1986 with ArenaVision, which consisted of six {{convert|9|by|12|foot|adj=on}} ] at the top and a four-sided American Sign and Indicator scoreboard at the bottom. Inside the videoscreens were ] projectors located {{convert|15|ft}} away from each screen.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1986-09-16/sports/26072413_1_new-scoreboard-clear-picture-spectrum|author=Juliano, Joe|title=Spectrum to Unveil New Scoreboard|work=]|date=September 16, 1986|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913230703/http://articles.philly.com/1986-09-16/sports/26072413_1_new-scoreboard-clear-picture-spectrum|archive-date=September 13, 2015}}</ref>

===Seating capacity===
{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Basketball
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|Years
! style="{{NBA color cell|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|Capacity
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1967–1971
| 15,244<ref>{{cite news |title=Bucks Trounce 76ers, 156–120, on Record Playoff Score and Lead Series, 2–1|first=George|last=Vecsey|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/03/31/archives/bucks-trounce-76ers-156120-on-record-playoff-score-and-lead-series.html|newspaper=]|date=March 31, 1970|access-date=February 25, 2013|page=45}}</ref>
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1971–1972
| 15,304<ref>{{cite news |title=Ailing Bulls Wallop 76ers 116–99|first=Bob|last=Logan|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/614249742.html?dids=614249742:614249742&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+25%2C+1972&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Ailing+Bulls+Wallop+76ers+116-99&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411181533/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/614249742.html?dids=614249742:614249742&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+25,+1972&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Ailing+Bulls+Wallop+76ers+116-99&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2013|newspaper=]|date=March 25, 1972|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1972–1973
| {{center|17,300}}
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1973–1981
| 18,276<ref>{{cite news |title=Dawkins Keys Sixers|first=Doyle|last=Dietz|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TTQxAAAAIBAJ&pg=5174,1704604&dq=en|newspaper=]|date=May 12, 1980|access-date=February 25, 2013|page=20}}</ref>
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1981–1982
| 18,364<ref>{{cite news |title=Sixers Finally Lose to Hawks, 106–99|first=George|last=Shirk|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29362EFD44EFF&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=]|date=November 7, 1981|access-date=February 25, 2013|page=C01}}</ref>
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1982–1985
| 17,921<ref>{{cite news |title=Sixers Ring in Season|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DN&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI%7CDN&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB295DE28BB7B15&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=]|date=October 29, 1983|access-date=February 25, 2013|page=48}}</ref>
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1985–1987
| 17,941<ref>{{cite news |title=76ers Double-Team Events to Contain Attendance Slide|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29A33EC7D4C7C&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=]|date=December 7, 1985|page=D11}}</ref>
|-
! style="{{NBA color cell2|Philadelphia 76ers}}"|1987–2009
| 18,168<ref name="1990cap" />
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ice Hockey
|-
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#F74902 5px solid; border-bottom:#000000 5px solid;"|Years
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#F74902 5px solid; border-bottom:#000000 5px solid;"|Capacity
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1967–1968'''
| 14,646<ref>{{cite news |title=Philadelphia 4, Toronto 1|agency=]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZetHAAAAIBAJ&pg=1191,4452855&dq=en|newspaper=]|location=Meriden, CT|date=February 5, 1968|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1968–1969'''
| 14,558<ref>{{cite web |title=1968–69 Philadelphia Flyers Schedule and Results|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/team_results.php?tid=53&sid=1969|publisher=Hockeydb.com|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1969–1970'''
| 14,606<ref>{{cite news |title=Flvers No. 1 Attraction for Philly's Sports Fans|first=Tom|last=Fitzgerald|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1936375002.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+07%2C+1970&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+(1960-1979)&desc=Flvers+No.+1+attraction+for+Philly%27s+sports+fans&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411155857/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1936375002.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+07,+1970&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+(1960-1979)&desc=Flvers+No.+1+attraction+for+Philly's+sports+fans&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2013|newspaper=]|date=March 7, 1970|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1970–1971'''
| 14,620<ref>{{cite news |title=Flyers Gain Tie on Hillman Goal|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1953855562.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+14%2C+1970&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+(1960-1979)&desc=Flyers+gain+tie+on+Hillman+goal&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411155833/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1953855562.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+14,+1970&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+(1960-1979)&desc=Flyers+gain+tie+on+Hillman+goal&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2013|newspaper=]|date=December 14, 1970|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1971–1972'''
| 14,626<ref>{{cite web |title=1971–72 Philadelphia Flyers Schedule and Results|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/team_results.php?tid=53&sid=1972|publisher=Hockeydb.com|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1972–1973'''
| 16,600<ref>{{cite web |title=1972–73 Philadelphia Flyers Schedule and Results|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/team_results.php?tid=53&sid=1973|publisher=Hockeydb.com|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1973–1975'''
| 17,007<ref>{{cite web |title=Flyers, Phantoms Doubled Philly's Hockey Pleasure|first=Mike G.|last=Morreale|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=385429|publisher=]|date=October 7, 2008|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1975–1981'''
| 17,077<ref>{{cite news |title=Flyers Rally, Tie Penguins—and Record|first=Al|last=Morganti|author-link=Al Morganti|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1996215282.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+21%2C+1979&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+(1960-1979)&desc=Flyers+rally%2C+tie+Penguins--and+record&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411161450/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1996215282.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+21,+1979&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+(1960-1979)&desc=Flyers+rally,+tie+Penguins--and+record&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2013|newspaper=]|date=December 21, 1979|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1981–1983'''
| 17,147<ref>{{cite news |title=Flyers Fixing No-Shows Problem|first=Al|last=Morganti|author-link=Al Morganti|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB2935AC7D910DF&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=]|date=October 13, 1981|access-date=February 25, 2013|page=C03}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1983–1985'''
| 17,191<ref>{{cite news |title=Hungry Isles Devour Flyers Before 17,191|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB2966B8FF7006F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=]|date=October 31, 1983|access-date=February 25, 2013|page=E01}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1985–1986'''
| 17,211<ref>{{cite news |title=Win or Lose, Rangers Still Drawing a Crowd|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29A45462CA218&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=]|date=December 24, 1985|access-date=February 25, 2013|page=C03}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1986–1987'''
| 17,222<ref>{{cite news |title=Flyers Make Opening Night A Winner Tip Oilers, 2–1, With Late Rally|first=Joe|last=Juliano|url=http://articles.philly.com/1986-10-10/sports/26059612_1_flyers-coach-mike-keenan-ron-hextall-outstanding-job|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108013629/http://articles.philly.com/1986-10-10/sports/26059612_1_flyers-coach-mike-keenan-ron-hextall-outstanding-job|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 8, 2016|newspaper=]|date=October 10, 1986|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1987–1990'''
| 17,423<ref>{{cite news |title=Newest Flyers Get Into Swing|first=Jay|last=Greenberg|url=http://articles.philly.com/1987-10-09/sports/26212788_1_magnus-roupe-jay-snider-newest-flyers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108013629/http://articles.philly.com/1987-10-09/sports/26212788_1_magnus-roupe-jay-snider-newest-flyers|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 8, 2016|newspaper=]|date=October 9, 1987|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1990–1991'''
| 17,382<ref name="1990cap">{{cite news |title=The Tenants Can't Lose New Arena Offers Big Benefits To Both The Flyers And Sixers|first=Les|last=Bowen|url=http://articles.philly.com/1991-06-11/sports/25787412_1_luxury-seating-sixers-new-arena/2|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411152246/http://articles.philly.com/1991-06-11/sports/25787412_1_luxury-seating-sixers-new-arena/2|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2013|newspaper=]|date=June 11, 1991|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style=text-align:center|'''1991–2009'''
| 17,380<ref>{{cite news |title=Flyers To Hike Ticket Prices|first=Les|last=Bowen|url=http://articles.philly.com/1992-06-09/sports/26029684_1_ticket-prices-jay-snider-gm-russ-farwell|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108013629/http://articles.philly.com/1992-06-09/sports/26029684_1_ticket-prices-jay-snider-gm-russ-farwell|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 8, 2016|newspaper=]|date=June 9, 1992|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref>
|}
{{col-end}}

===Flyers and 76ers' championships and All-Star Games hosted===
]
The Flyers won their first ] at the Spectrum on May 19, 1974, defeating the ], 1–0, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in front of a then-capacity crowd of 17,007. Perhaps the most important and emotional hockey game—or sporting event of any kind—ever held there, however, came at the height of the ] on January 11, 1976, when the Flyers became the first NHL team to defeat (by 4–1) the vaunted hockey team of the ] (ЦСКА). Two games in the inaugural ] hockey tournament were also held at the Spectrum in September of that year, as the ] took on ] and the ].

Ten NHL or NBA playoff championship series were hosted at the Spectrum. The Flyers competed in the ] in {{scfy|1974}}, {{scfy|1975}}, {{scfy|1976}}, {{scfy|1980}}, {{scfy|1985}}, and {{scfy|1987}}. The 76ers played in the ] in {{nbafy|1977}}, {{nbafy|1980}}, {{nbafy|1982}}, and {{nbafy|1983}}. The 1976 and 1992 ], and 1970 and 1976 ]s were also held here. The AHL Phantoms also won their first ] title on Spectrum ice before a sellout crowd of 17,380 on June 10, 1998, by defeating the ], 6–1.

The only visitors to win the Stanley Cup and NBA championship at the Spectrum were the ] (1976) and the ] (1980) respectively.

The Spectrum is the only venue to host the NBA and NHL All-Star Games in the same season, doing so in 1976, when it also hosted that year's ]. It is also one of a handful of venues to host the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals at the same time, doing so in 1980 (all four major Philadelphia teams would reach the championship round of their respective sport in 1980).


===College basketball tournaments=== ===College basketball tournaments===
The Spectrum is frequently used for many basketball tournaments, including ] games, eight ] tournaments (1977, 1983, 1997-2002), the ] ] East Regional (site of the famous last-second shot by ] of ] to beat ]), and the ] and ] ]s (both won by ]'s ] Hoosiers). Smaller conferences still prefer holding tournament games at this venue over the larger Center nearby. The Spectrum was used for many basketball tournaments, including ] games, eight ] tournaments (1977, 1983, 1997–2002), the 1975, 1980 and 1992 ] East Regional (site of the famous last-second shot by ] of ] to beat ]), and the 1976 and 1981 ]s (both won by ]'s ]). Smaller conferences preferred holding tournament games at this venue over the larger Center nearby.


===Music concerts=== ===Bull riding===
In 2003 and 2004, the ] brought their ] tour to the Spectrum.
Popular music concerts have been staged at the Spectrum since the 1960s. The ] played the Spectrum 53 times, by far the most of any musical act. ] played here in 1972 and 1975 (Some footage of the second show has been seen in recent bootleg videos). ] performed two nights at this venue on their 1977 ] tour. On the second night, Floyd member ] fell ill and did most of the show after a painkiller injection. However, the painkiller wore off and was taken to the hospital and missed the final encore of "]" where second guitarist ] had to fill in on bass guitar. Unbeknownst to the crowd, this was the first time that the rest of Pink Floyd (guitarist/vocalist ], drummer ] and keyboard player ]) performed a song live without Waters (they would go on without him as of 1986). Roger's experience whilst performing ill at this venue would be documented on "]". ] played at this venue in 1977 (2 shows), 1978, 1980 and 1982, and they played as ] here again on their ] of North America. ] performed at the Spectrum throughout the 1970's. The 1973 show was documented in a famous audio bootleg of their Quadrophenia performance.

===Notable concerts===
{{more citations needed|section|date=February 2018}}
]
Many concerts were staged at the Spectrum, often praised for its acoustic properties, beginning in the 1960s. In the 1970s, Electric Factory Concerts became the prominent concert promoter for the facility.<ref name="A Philly Guide's Guide">{{cite book |first=Julie P. |last=Curson |title=A Guide's Guide to Philadelphia |year=1991 |page= |location=Philadelphia, PA, US |publisher=Curson House |edition=6th |isbn=0913694061 |oclc=894776363 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/guidesguidetophi0000curs/page/256 }}</ref>
*] performed there during their farewell tour, supported by ].
*The First Quaker City Rock Festival was an early all-star show there, featuring ], ], ], ], and ] among other acts.
*] performed at the venue on March 3, 1984, during their ] world tour.
*] performed at the venue six times between 1988 and 1998.
*] performed on their ] in July 1969.
*] performed on April 12, 1969, with ] opening.
*] performed a 103-minute show, a recording of which was released years later as '']''.
*The ] played the Spectrum 53 times, by far the most of any musical act. Live albums recorded here include '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''.
*] performed during his Waking Up The World tour on May 15, 1994.
*] performed at the venue nine times between 1995 and 2003, most notably two shows on December 2–3, 1997, as part of their "Phish Destroys America" tour.
*] played the Spectrum 28 times between 1971 and 2004, including a matinee show in 1974 for their '']'' Tour, as well as two dates (August 3, 1989 and March 19, 1990) as "Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe".<ref name="rememberthespectrum.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.rememberthespectrum.com/300/concerts.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080812203747/http://rememberthespectrum.com/300/Concerts.asp |archive-date=August 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |title=::: Remember the Spectrum :: History : Concerts}}</ref> Yes keyboardist ] also performed solo shows at the Spectrum in 1974 and 1975.
*] played the Spectrum for five shows between 1971 and 1977, his final performance there was May 28, 1977, just months before his death.<ref name="rememberthespectrum.com"/>
*] played at the venue on June 20, 1975, and June 5, 1978, in support of his Natty Dread and Kaya Tour respectively.
*] played the venue 23 times between 1976 and 1994, including a few notorious performances in the late 1970s in which rowdy fans injured the band members with glass bottles and M-80s.
*] played the Spectrum in 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1977. They last played two shows there on June 28–29, 1977, during their '']'' Tour. On the second night (June 29, 1977), Floyd member ] fell ill and did most of the show after a painkiller injection. However, the painkiller wore off and was taken to the hospital and missed the final encore of ] where second guitarist ] had to fill in on bass guitar. Unbeknownst to the crowd, this was the first time that the rest of Pink Floyd (guitarist/vocalist ], drummer ] and keyboard player ]) performed a song live without Waters (they would go on without Waters as of 1986). Waters' experience performing while ill at this venue would be documented on "]".
*] performed at the Spectrum throughout the 1970s. The 1973 show was documented in a famous audio bootleg of their ] performance. A CD has been released of ]'s performance on March 15, 1975, when he opened for ].
*1978 saw the last tour of the original ] lineup. Opening for them was ].
*] regularly played the venue during the ] era from 1977 to 1986 (they would play ] on their 1992 '']'' tour and the ] on their 2007 ] and 2021 ] reunion tours). Their three November 1983 performances on the band's ] were recorded for a US FM radio broadcast and was released as a bootleg entitled "Three Nights in Philly". Collins would play the Spectrum on his own in September 1985, during his No Jacket Required Tour, in a concert rescheduled from May 18 of that year due to an ] game between the 76ers and the ].
*] performed at the Spectrum on August 22, 1980, during ].
*] performed at the Spectrum multiple times between 1971 and 1981.
*] performed at the Spectrum in 1984, with ] as opener. This concert was filmed for the video release '']''. Dio returned to the Spectrum in 1986; this concert was also filmed, for the video release '']''.
*] regularly performed at the Spectrum in the 1980s, playing six shows there during their ] and three concerts on the ].
*] appeared at the arena on May 9, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lit Hooks Up With Kid Rock For Arena Shows|date=May 10, 2002 |url=https://idobi.com/news/lit-hooks-up-with-kid-rock-for-arena-shows/}}</ref>
*] performed live during the ] in 1987. The concert can be seen on the third disk of '']'', although footage is incomplete.
*] performed with ], ], ] and ] on June 25, 1989.
*] performed there in 1989 during the ]. The band also played at the Spectrum in 1986 and 1992.
*] performed in 1990 and 1992.
*] recorded the "]" music video at their November 6, 1990 show.
*] performed two shows in 1988, opening for ], another three shows in 1991 and a later show was cancelled in 2002.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gnrontour.com/sets2002/20021206articles.html|title=Guns N' Roses fails to show in Philadelphia|last=Associated|first=Press|date=December 6, 2002|agency=Reuters|access-date=November 7, 2009}}</ref> On June 13, 1991, during the show, ] erupted after a fan had gotten into a fight with Guns N' Roses photographer ] when the fan kicked the camera out of his hands. Axl cursed out the fan, and challenged him to a fight. After the fan was ejected from the concert, the show continued.
*On the night of December 9, 1980, after learning of the assassination of ] following a performance there the night before, ] opened the show with a statement regarding Lennon and said, "It's a hard thing to come out and play but there's just nothing else you can do." With members of the ] in tears, Springsteen and his band put on a 34-song marathon which ended nearly 3½ hours later, with a cover of "]". The Spectrum was the first arena Springsteen ever played at in 1976. In the following years, Springsteen would become one of the Spectrum's most popular concert acts, performing 42 shows between 1976 and 2009, thanks in part to the singer's large and devoted fan base in Pennsylvania.
*] performed at the Spectrum as part of their ''Grace Under Pressure'' tour on November 5, 1984.
*] played a sold-out show at the Spectrum on January 13, 1987, as part of ] in support of ].
*] performed at the Spectrum with ] on May 24, 1998.
*] performed at the arena on June 23, 1994, during her ]. The concert included her performing a medley of ]'s classics and duetting with then-husband ] on their R&B hit "]".
*]' ill-fated ] kicked off at the Spectrum on June 14, 2000. The tour would be canceled a few weeks later.
*During the Spectrum's final year, ] performed at the arena as part of her ], while ] performed there as part of her ]. P!ink is a Philadelphia-area native, while Swift was born in Pennsylvania and spent part of her childhood there.
*The last public events at the arena took place on October 27–28 and 30–31, 2009, with ] playing four concerts. The band came to the stage each night after a video montage of memorable Spectrum moments followed by the '']'' theme music. Over the four nights, Pearl Jam performed 103 different songs, with its final night on ] lasting over 3 hours and 35 minutes and including 41 songs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/reviewsNews/idUSTRE5A25FC20091103|title=Pearl Jam closes Philly Spectrum with epic set|last=Cohen|first=Jonathan|date=November 3, 2009|work=Reuters|access-date=November 7, 2009}}</ref>
*The final event was a large private cocktail party organized by ] chairman ] on January 16, 2010. Musical acts included a recorded ] and a live ] performing a duet of "]" , headliner ], with the last set being a performance by ] interpreter Johnny Seaton.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Spectrum_goes_out_with_a_bang.html|title=Spectrum goes out with a bang|last=Klein|first=Michael|date=Jan 17, 2010|work=Philadelphia Daily News|access-date=January 17, 2010}}</ref>

] groups that performed at the Spectrum include ] in '71 and ] in '83. ] (they were signed to ]) performed there in '73, and ] (also signed to Philly International) performed there in '69. ] from Philly performed there in '95.

] performed at the Philadelphia Spectrum on August 4, 1988; August 5, 1988; June 13, 1991; December 16, 1991; and December 17, 1991.<ref name="setlist.fm">{{cite web | url=https://www.setlist.fm/search?query=guns+n+roses+philadelphia+spectrum | title=Search for setlists: Guns n roses philadelphia spectrum &#124; setlist.fm | website=setlist.fm }}</ref>

===Spectrum Theater===
The Spectrum Theater was a venue for acts not big enough to fill the entire Spectrum arena. The stage was placed in the middle of the Spectrum floor, and the other half of the arena behind the stage was closed off with curtains, creating a theater-like environment. Some of the acts that played in this configuration included ] in 1973, 1976 and 1977; David Bowie's ] in 1974; ]' Soap Opera Tour in May 1975, ]'s ] in 1975 and ] in 1978; ] in 1976; The ] in 1979; ]'s tour in 1982; ] in 1985 and ] with Chris Bliss on June 20, 1986.


===The Flyers and 76ers' move=== ===The Flyers and 76ers' move===
Although both the Flyers and 76ers moved across the parking lot to the new and larger ] in ], the arena remains in place and is still used by the ] of the ], the ] (2007 ] champions), the ] of the ] for Saturday home games, and a variety of other sporting events and concerts. The 1995–96 ] and ] seasons were the final ones for the Flyers and the 76ers at the Spectrum. The 76ers' last game was a 112–92 loss to the ] on April 19; on May 12, ] scored the arena's final Flyers goal in the 2nd period, and ] of the ] scored the arena's final official NHL goal in the 2nd overtime of Game 5 of the ], a 2–1 Flyers loss. Although both the Flyers and 76ers moved across the parking lot to the new and larger ] (then CoreStates Center), the arena remained in place and was used by the ] of the ], the ] of the ], the ] of the ] for Saturday home games, and a variety of other sporting events and concerts.


The Spectrum had relatively few luxury suites or other amenities common in newer arenas. Additionally, the arena's sight lines were cited as a concern. Some seats in both the hockey and basketball configurations (especially those added in the upper level over the years) had badly obstructed views. There was only one ] for all three levels, making for somewhat cramped conditions whenever attendance was anywhere near capacity.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
===End of an Era?===
On ], ], news surfaced that preliminary plans were being considered to demolish the Spectrum to make way for an entertainment complex or a hotel.<ref>{{cite web | title=Is the Spectrum in final period? | publisher=Philadelphia Daily News | url=http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080114_Is_the_Spectrum_in_final_period_.html | accessdate=2008-01-14 }}</ref>


===Final season===
]''' (''right''), its newest (2004) facility, tree lined S. Broad St. (''left''), and the city's expansive skyline along the horizon to the North, as viewed from the roof of the ''']''' (1996). (Composite panoramic digital image by Bruce C. Cooper, ''DigitalImageServices.com'')]]
]
On July 14, 2008, ] Chairman ] officially announced that the Spectrum would be shuttered and torn down to make way for '']'', a proposed retail, dining and entertainment hub. "This has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," said Snider. "The Spectrum is my baby. It's one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me."


The Phantoms commemorated the final season of the Spectrum by wearing a special patch on their uniforms, as illustrated on the right. The team also celebrated some of the building's memorable moments throughout the season. The Flyers marked the last season by playing two pre-season games at the Spectrum. They played the ] in an NHL pre-season game on September 27, 2008, and the Phantoms on October 7 of that same year. Before the game against Carolina, the Flyers honored the team captains in the franchise's history. Those honored in the ] were ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite news |first=Sam|last=Carchidi|title=Flyers Captains Bid Farewell to Spectrum|date=September 28, 2008|newspaper=]|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080928_Flyers_captains_bid_farewell_to_Spectrum.html|access-date=March 13, 2009}}</ref>
==The Spectrum's "Sports Complex" neighbors==
The Spectrum is now the oldest of the four currently existing arenas and stadiums (of the six built overall between ] and ]) which make up Philadelphia's massive "Sports Complex" located at the South end of Broad Street. The Complex now occupies roughly a quarter of the ] site of Philadelphia's ], a massive 184-day ] which ran from May 31 to November 30, ], on grounds bounded by 10th Street, Packer Ave., 23rd Street, and the U.S. Navy Yard (Terminal Avenue). The Spectrum now occupies the portion of the original Exposition grounds located on the south side of Pattison Avenue between Broad and 11th Streets that in 1926 was the site of the fair's expansive main trolley station operated by the ].


]
When opened in ], the Spectrum sat just north of the then existing 100,000+ seat ''']''' (originally known from ] to ] as '''"Municipal Stadium"'''<ref>{{cite book| author=E.L Austin and Odell Hauser| title=The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition (Chapter XXX "MUNICIPAL STADIUM") pp 419-423; Philadelphia, PA (1929)}}</ref>) which had been built more than four decades earlier (opened April 15, ]). On September 23, 1926, an announced crowd of 120,557 packed the then new Stadium -- in the rain -- to witness ] capture the world's heavyweight boxing title from ], and for decades the monolith also served as the "neutral" venue for a total of 42 annual ]s. JFK Stadium was demolished in ] to make way for a new indoor arena, the ''']''', which opened in August, ]. Originally known as the "CoreStates Center" (1996-1998) and then the "First Union Center" (1998-2003), the 20,000+ seat facility replaced the Spectrum as home to the ] ], ] ] and ] ].


The last NCAA basketball game the Spectrum hosted saw the ] defeat the ] on January 28, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|first=Mike |last=Kern |title=Nice Parting Gift for Spectrum: Villanova Beats No. 3 Pitt |date=January 29, 2009 |newspaper=] |url=http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20090129_Nice_parting_gift_for_Spectrum__Villanova_beats_No__3_Pitt.html |access-date=March 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130122510/http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20090129_Nice_parting_gift_for_Spectrum__Villanova_beats_No__3_Pitt.html |archive-date=January 30, 2009 }}</ref> The Sixers played one regular season game against ] on March 13, 2009, winning by a score of 104–101 in the final NBA game in the Spectrum.<ref name=76erscloseSpectrum>{{cite news |first=Dan|last=Gelston|title=76ers Close Spectrum With Win Over Bulls|date=March 13, 2009|publisher=]|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20090313/CHIPHI/recap.html|access-date=March 16, 2009}}</ref><ref name=Sayinggoodbye>{{cite news |title=Saying goodbye to the Spectrum|date=March 14, 2009|publisher=]|url=http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/03/13/ata.0313/index.html|access-date=March 16, 2009}}</ref> The game was sold-out and attendance was 17,563.<ref name=76erscloseSpectrum/><ref>{{cite news|first=Bernard |last=Fernandez |title=Sixers Edge Bulls for Thrilling Spectrum Finale |date=March 14, 2009 |newspaper=] |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20090314_Sixers_edge_Bulls_for_thrilling_Spectrum_finale.html |access-date=March 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317065947/http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20090314_Sixers_edge_Bulls_for_thrilling_Spectrum_finale.html |archive-date=March 17, 2009 }}</ref>
For thirty-three years, ''']''' (opened ], closed ], demolished ]), the third facility built at the complex to accommodate the ] ] and ] ], was located immediately north of the Spectrum directly across Pattison Avenue. The "Vet" was replaced by two new facilities: a purpose built football/soccer stadium, ''']''' (opened 2003), which is located directly across 11th Street from the Wachovia Center, and a new dedicated baseball stadium, ''']''' (opened 2004), located at the northeast corner of Pattison Ave. and Citizens Bank Way (11th St.) immediately east of the former Veterans Stadium site which is now occupied by a parking lot for the sports complex.


]
==The "Rocky" statue==

{{portalpar|Philadelphia|Libertybell alone small.jpg}}A ] of ], depicting him in his famous role of Philadelphia ] ], stood for many years in front of the main (Pattison Avenue) entrance of the Spectrum which had been represented in the movie to be the site of Rocky's first and second fights with Apollo Creed. (The arena in which the fight sequences were actually filmed was the ].) The statue was removed several times over the years to be used in the filming of sequels to the original film. In September, 2006, however, it was given a permanent new home in an area near the base of the steps of the ] not far from where it had appeared in a spot on the plaza at the top of the Museum's steps in the film Rocky III.
The Phantoms' last regular season game at the Spectrum was played April 10, 2009, against the ], as the Phantoms won the game, 5–2, while the last Kixx game was against the ] on March 22. The Kixx moved onto the ] campus and played the 2009–10 season at the ]. The Phantoms were sold to a Pittsburgh-based ownership group, and moved to ], for the 2009–10 season, and subsequently moved to ], where they became the Flyers-affiliated ].

"With this season being the final season of the Wachovia Spectrum, we will celebrate the history of the Spectrum with an exciting, year-long, celebration of events," Comcast Spectacor President Peter Luukko said. ] was rumored to be among the acts to commemorate the closing of the arena. "It is our hope and intent to bring back many of the musical acts and entertainers who have made the Spectrum 'America's Showplace.{{' "}} ] and the E Street Band played two shows at The Spectrum on April 28 and 29 as part of their ], and returned on October 13–14 and 19–20 for their Spectrum swan song. Springsteen debuted a specially-written version of the song ], which he had written in honor of the demolition of ], with revised lyrics to honor the Spectrum.

A scheduled concert with ] on October 22 was moved to the ] in ], instead. On October 23, 2009, Philadelphia area musicians ], ] and ] headlined a concert titled "Last Call".<ref>{{cite news |title=Philly pop stars rock hard at the Spectrum |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20091024_Philly_pop_stars_rock_hard_at_the_Spectrum.html |work=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=October 24, 2009}}</ref> Tickets were as low as $6.00. The remaining members of the ]; including Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann performed their final set of shows at the Spectrum on May 1 and 2, 2009; the show of May 2 was their 54th consecutive sell-out at the Spectrum. The Dead closed the show of May 2 with the song "]". The song contains the fitting refrain "If I had my way, I would tear this old building down." The lyric was changed by the band's singer ] to say "I wouldn't tear this old building down." With the demolition of The Spectrum, all venues at which The Grateful Dead played through their career within the City of Philadelphia, except for the Irvine Auditorium, have succumbed to the wrecking ball.

On October 27, 28, 30, and 31, American rock band ] played over one hundred unique songs across the four days. On the final night, the band played 34 songs over nearly four hours before ending with their hit "]".

==The Spectrum and the South Philadelphia Sports Complex==
] with the Spectrum at center left]]
Opened in 1967 as the first of the five modern facilities to be built at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex between 1967 and 2004, by the time it closed in 2009 the Spectrum was the oldest of the four venues still standing of the two indoor arenas and four outdoor stadiums built at the South end of Broad Street since 1926. The complex's total area expanded with the addition of each new facility and now takes up the entire southeast quadrant of the grounds occupied in 1926 by Philadelphia's ], a massive 184-day ] built on 700+ acres of until then largely undeveloped city-owned swamp and park land, including ] adjacent to the ] bounded by 10th Street, Packer Ave., 23rd Street, and Terminal Avenue. The Spectrum itself occupied the portion of the Exposition's grounds on the south side of Pattison Avenue between Broad and 11th Streets that in 1926 served as the fair's main trolley terminal operated by the ].<ref>{{cite book |last=Austin|first=E.L.|author2=Odell Hauser |title=The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition|year=1929|location=Philadelphia}}</ref>

] above it and ] below it]]
For its first 25 years, the Spectrum overlooked the 102,000-seat ], known prior to 1964 as "Municipal Stadium", located roughly {{convert|600|ft}} south of the indoor arena. Opened on April 15, 1926, the stadium was also the Sesqui-Centennial Exposition's only intentionally permanent facility.<ref>{{cite book |last=Austin|first=E.L.|author2=Odell Hauser |title=The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition|chapter=Chapter XXX "MUNICIPAL STADIUM"|year=1929|location=Philadelphia|pages=419–423}}</ref> The site of 42 ]s between 1936 and 1979, JFK Stadium eventually fell into disuse in favor of the newer nearby Veterans Stadium, was condemned in 1989, and demolished in 1992 to make way for the ] which opened four years later in August 1996. Known earlier as the "CoreStates Center" (1996–1998), the "First Union Center" (1998–2003), and the "Wachovia Center" (July 2003 – June 2010), the 20,000-plus-seat indoor arena replaced the Spectrum as the home of the Flyers, 76ers, and ] of the ] beginning with each club's 1996–97 season. With the demolition of the Spectrum, the Wells Fargo Center has now become the oldest of the complex's three current venues.

The Spectrum's closest sports complex neighbor was ] (opened 1971, closed 2003, demolished 2004), which was located north of the arena directly across Pattison Avenue. The 60,000-plus-seat "Vet" accommodated ]'s ] and the ]'s ] for just over three decades before it was itself replaced by two new facilities. In 2003 the Eagles moved to ], a purpose-built football/soccer stadium located SE of the Spectrum site directly across 11th Street from the Wells Fargo Center. The following year, the Phillies relocated to ], a dedicated baseball stadium completed in 2004 and located diagonally across from the Spectrum site at the northeast corner of Pattison Ave and Citizens Bank Way (11th St.), immediately east of the former Veterans Stadium site which now serves as a parking lot for the entire complex. In 2017, the Phillies' spring training complex in ] was renamed ] after ] was purchased by ]. While named for Charter's residential service, the name invoked memories of the Spectrum arena.<ref>Todd Zolecki. . ]. Retrieved March 4, 2017.</ref>

Another NBA arena (], the home of the ]) currently includes "Spectrum" in its name, although again it refers to the Charter residential service whose naming rights are attached to that building.

]''' (1996). ''']''' (''right'') is the complex's newest (2004) facility while '''Lincoln Financial Field''' (2003) is just out of view to the far right.]]

==Demolition==
Although the Spectrum formally closed on October 31, 2009, demolition of the structure did not begin for more than a year with internal work commencing on November 8, 2010.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/news.aspx?story=908|title=Preparations For Spectrum Demolition To Begin On November 8|publisher=Wells Fargo Center|date=November 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101107153435/http://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/news.aspx?story=908 |archive-date=November 7, 2010}}</ref> Two weeks later a public "wrecking ball ceremony" attended by some of the athletes who made the building famous such as ]rs ] and ] of the Flyers and ] ] of the 76ers, was held in the adjacent parking lot "H" on November 23, 2010, to formally begin its external demolition.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/11/24/news/doc4cec92b74a553571921980.txt|title=With pomp and circumstances (and a wrecking ball), the Spectrum starts to come down|work= The Delaware County Daily Times|date=November 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330022951/http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/11/24/news/doc4cec92b74a553571921980.txt|archive-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref> However, unlike Veterans Stadium, its one-time neighbor, which had been located immediately across Pattison Avenue from the Spectrum before it was imploded on March 21, 2004, the almost half-year process of demolishing the then-44-year-old arena, done without the use of explosives, was completed in May 2011. This was done to protect its other sports facilities from dust. Water was used to prevent dust from spreading.

] (demolished in 2004). The bottom image is how the site appeared in September 2011 after it had been converted to a parking lot. All three images were taken from the same location in the Wells Fargo Center, the arena that replaced the Spectrum. The tallest building visible in the distant Philadelphia skyline (just to the left of the Spectrum site) in the 2011 images is the 59-story ] (completed in 2008), the headquarters building of the ] which owns both the Spectrum and Wells Fargo Center.]]

A 300-room hotel is planned to eventually be built on the demolished Spectrum's site, which is now occupied by a parking lot, as an adjunct to the ] project, the first portion of which opened in April 2012, at the southwest corner of 11th Street and Pattison Avenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rememberthespectrum.com/pdf/PhillyReview_PhillyLive-10-9-08.pdf|title=Going Live! A hotel will take the Spectrum's place as details of the retail/dining/entertainment district to come are unveiled|work=]|date=October 9, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825232435/http://rememberthespectrum.com/pdf/PhillyReview_PhillyLive-10-9-08.pdf |archive-date=August 25, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://xfinitylive.com/|title=XFINITY Live! – Philadelphia's Entertainment & Dining Destination|access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref>

==Statues==
{{Portal|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania}}
A ] of ], depicted in his role of Philadelphia ] ], stood for many years in front of the main Pattison Avenue entrance of the Spectrum, which had been represented in the movie as the site of Rocky's ] and ] fights with ]. (The fight sequences were actually filmed at the ].) The statue was removed several times over the years to be used in the filming of sequels to the original film.

In September 2006, it was given a new home in an area near the base of the steps of the ] not far from where a spot on the plaza at the top of the Museum's steps where it had appeared in the film '']''. Since the statue was not deemed "art,"{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} it was moved around the corner of the museum on Kelly Drive. Other statues that stood in the arena area included:

*"Score!", a statue depicting Flyers' right-wing ]'s game-winning overtime goal in Game 5 of the 1973 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals against the ];
*A ], the Flyers' ], whose rendition of "]" is believed to have helped the Flyers become back-to-back ] Champions in 1974 and 1975;
*A statue of ], who played for the ] from 1976 to 1987.

The statues have been incorporated into the design of '']''.<ref>{{cite news|author=Caldwell, Dave|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/sports/hockey/28spectrum.html?pagewanted=1|title=The Spectrum Still Has a Hold|work=The New York Times|date=April 27, 2010}}</ref>

==Former tenants==
===Full-time===
*] of the ]
*] of the ]
*Two of the three incarnations of the Philadelphia Wings (] ] and ] ])
*] of the ]
*] of the ]
*] of the ]
*] of ] (1974)
*] of the ]

===Part-time===
*] of the ] ]; some high-attendance ] home games which the on-campus arena, ], was too small to accommodate.
*] of the ] (when the Wells Fargo Center was not available, typically on Saturday home dates)


==Notable events== ==Notable events==
===Basketball===
* ] All-Star Game - 1970, 1976
* ] – 1970, 1976
* ] Stanley Cup Finals - 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1985, 1987
* ] – ] and ] Men's Final Four (both won by ]); ] East Regional (won by ]) and ] East Regional (won by ])
* NHL All-Star Game - 1976, 1992
* ] – ], ], ], ]
* ] - Men's Final Four, 1976, 1981 (both won by ])
** The ] won the ] at the Spectrum, winning Game 6 and the series, 4–2.
* NBA Finals - 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983

* MILL Championship - 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995
===Hockey===
* ] ] - 1990
* ] ] – ], ], ], ], ], ]
* NCAA Tournament, East Regional (won by ]) - 1992
** The Flyers won the ] at the Spectrum, defeating the ] in Game 6 and winning the series, 4–2.
* WWF ] - 1995
** The ] won the ] at the Spectrum, winning Game 4 and the series, 4–0.
* AHL Calder Cup Finals - 1998
* ] – ], ]
* NPSL Championship - 2001
* ] vs. Soviet Central Red Army Hockey Team (exhibition) – ]
* MISL Championship - 2002
* ] (two games)
* ] ] Finals – 1998
** The Phantoms won the Calder Cup at the Spectrum, defeating the ] in Game 6 and winning the series, 4–2.

===Soccer===
* NPSL Championship – 2001
* MISL Championship – 2002

===Wrestling===
* ] ] – 1990
* WWF ] – 1995
* ] (April 14, 1997 / November 3, 1997 / March 3, 1998 / October 18, 1999)
* ] (June 18, 1998 / February 16, 2000)

===Concerts===
* ] – 1970
* ], 1971, 1974, 1976, 1977<ref name="philly/doc/spectrum092208">{{cite web |author1=Spectrum (arena) |title=Concerts (as of 2008-09-22) |url=https://media.philly.com/documents/spectrum092208.htm |website=philly.com |publisher=] |access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref>
* ]: The Doors '']'' – 1970
*] 1969, 1972, 1975
*] – ''Quadrophenia'' tour 1973
*] – 1973
*] – 1973
*] – 1973
*]- 1973
*] – 1973
*] – 50+ shows, including '']''
*] – 1973
*] – 1973
*] – 1973
* ]- 1974
*] – 1977
* ]: ] – 1977
*], including songs recorded for '']''- 1980
*] – ] and ] – 1980 and 1982
* ]: '']'' – 1984
* ]: ] – 1986
* ]: '']'' – 1986
* ]: ] tour - 1986
* ]: ] – 1987
* ]: ] 1988
*] – ] tour 1989
*] – '']'' tour 1992
* ]: ] – 1993
* ]: Further Down The Spiral Tour – 1994
* ]: ] – 1994
* ]: ] – 1990 and ] – 1993
*]: '']'' tour – 2009
*] and the ]: ] – 2009
*]; ] – August 4, 1988, August 5, 1988, and ] – June 13, 1991, December 16, 1991, December 17, 1991.<ref name="setlist.fm"/>

===Fictional events===
* ] vs. ], Heavyweight Championship ], ]

===Other events===
* ] – 1968
* ] Championship – 1989, 1992, 1995
* Nightmares Xtreme Scream Park – 2004,<ref name="comcast-spectacor.com 2004 x692">{{cite web |title=Nightmares On Broad Street Adds Performances |website=comcast-spectacor.com |date=2004-10-29 |url=http://www.comcast-spectacor.com/pressbox/323.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041211102655/http://www.comcast-spectacor.com/pressbox/323.asp |archive-date=2004-12-11 |url-status=dead |access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref> 2005, 2006
* Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church Resurrection Sunday Worship Service 2000
* Monster Jam ???–2009


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist|2}}


==Further reading==
{{start}}
*{{cite web |author1=Spectrum (arena) |title=Concerts (as of 2008-09-22) |url=https://media.philly.com/documents/spectrum092208.htm |website=philly.com |publisher=] |access-date=1 November 2023}}
{{succession box
*{{cite news |first=Sam|last=Donnellon|title=Forever Young, Inside the Old Spectrum|date=March 14, 2009|newspaper=]}}
| title = Home of the<br>]
*{{cite news |first=Frank|last=Fitzpatrick|title=A list of Spectrum Moments to Remember|date=March 13, 2009|newspaper=]|url=http://www.rememberthespectrum.com/400/NewsClips.asp|access-date=March 13, 2009}}
| years = ] &ndash; ]
*{{cite news |first=Rich|last=Hoffman|title=Rich Hofmann: It took a While for Big 5 Fans to Warm Up to Spectrum|date=January 29, 2009|newspaper=Philadelphia Daily News}}
*{{cite news |first=Patrick|last=Rapa|title=Top 20 Spectrum Moments: The Building Wanted Blood|date=November 3, 2009|newspaper=Philadelphia City Paper|url=http://citypaper.net/articles/2009/11/05/top-20-spectrum-moments|access-date=November 5, 2009}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wachovia Spectrum}}
*
* – a tribute to the arena

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{Succession box
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| years = 1967–1996
| before = first arena | before = first arena
| after = ]<br>] &ndash; present | after = ]
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| years = 1967–1996
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{{succession box {{succession box
| title = Home of the<br>] | title = ]<br/> Final Venue
| years = ] &ndash; ] | years = ]
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{{succession box {{succession box
| title = Home of the<br>] | title = ]<br/> Final Venue
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}} }}
{{succession box
| title = ] ] <br>]<br>Finals Venue
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{{La Salle Explorers men's basketball navbox}}
{{La Salle Explorers women's basketball navbox}}
{{Villanova Wildcats men's basketball navbox}}
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Latest revision as of 05:36, 6 January 2025

Former indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This article is about the former arena in Philadelphia. For the arena in Charlotte, see Spectrum Center. For the arena in Oslo, see Oslo Spektrum.

The Spectrum
"America's Showplace"
"Broad Street"
Wachovia SpectrumThe Spectrum, then named the Wachovia Spectrum, in 2008
Former names
  • Spectrum (1967–1994)
  • CoreStates Spectrum (1994–1998)
  • First Union Spectrum (1998–2003)
  • Wachovia Spectrum (2003–2009)
Address3601 South Broad Street, South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
LocationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates39°54′15″N 75°10′16″W / 39.90417°N 75.17111°W / 39.90417; -75.17111
OwnerComcast Spectacor, L.P.
OperatorGlobal Spectrum
CapacityConcerts:
*End stage: 18,369
*Center stage: 19,456
*Theater: 5,000–8,000
Basketball: 18,168
Ice Hockey: 17,380
SurfaceMulti-surface
Construction
Broke groundJune 1, 1966
OpenedSeptember 30, 1967
Renovated1986
ClosedOctober 31, 2009
DemolishedNovember 23, 2010 – May 2011
ArchitectSkidmore, Owings & Merrill
General contractorMcCloskey & Company, Inc.
Tenants
Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) (1967–1996)
Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) (1967–1996, 2009)
Philadelphia Freedoms (WTT) (1974)
Philadelphia Wings (NLL) (1974–1975)
Philadelphia Fever (MISL) (1978–1981)
Philadelphia Wings (NLL) (1987–1996)
Philadelphia Bulldogs (RHI) (1994–1996)
Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL) (1996–2004, 2005–2009)
Philadelphia KiXX (NPSL/MISL/NISL) (1996–2009)
La Salle Explorers (NCAA) (1996–1998)
Philadelphia Soul (AFL) (2004–2008) (select games)

The Spectrum (later known as CoreStates Spectrum, First Union Spectrum and Wachovia Spectrum) was an indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The arena opened in September 1967 as part of what is now known as the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. After several expansions of its seating capacity, it accommodated 18,168 for basketball and 17,380 for ice hockey, arena football, indoor soccer, and box lacrosse.

The final event at the Spectrum was a Pearl Jam concert on October 31, 2009. The arena was demolished between November 2010 and May 2011.

History

Opened as the Spectrum in September 1967, Philadelphia's first modern indoor sports arena was built to be the home of the expansion Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, and also to accommodate the existing Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA. The building was the second major sports facility built at the south end of Broad Street in an area previously known as East League Island Park and now referred to simply as the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

Early years

Ground was broken on the arena on June 1, 1966, by Jerry Wolman and then-Philadelphia Mayor James Tate as the home of the NHL's expansion Philadelphia Flyers. The first event at the arena was the Quaker City Jazz Festival on September 30, 1967, produced by Larry Magid.

The first sporting event at the arena was an October 17, 1967 boxing match featuring Joe Frazier vs. Tony Doyle. From 1967 through 1972, fifteen fight cards were held at the Spectrum. The NBA's 76ers also moved there from Convention Hall as a second major league sports tenant. Lou Scheinfeld, former President of the Spectrum, explained that the name "Spectrum" was selected to evoke the broad range of events to be held there: "The 'SP' for 'sports' and 'South Philadelphia', 'E' for 'entertainment', 'C' for 'circuses', 'T' for 'theatricals', 'R' for 'recreation', and 'UM' as 'um, what a nice building!'" Scheinfeld also said that a seat in the city's first superbox initially cost $1,000 a year: "For every Flyers game, Sixers game, circus, you name it, you got 250 events for $1,000." The Flyers won their first ever home game in this arena by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins, 1–0. Bill Sutherland scored the arena's first goal.

On March 1, 1968, wind blew part of the covering off the Spectrum's roof during a performance of the Ice Capades, forcing the building to close for a month while Mayor Tate fought with then-Philadelphia County District Attorney Arlen Specter over responsibility for the construction of the roof, and the damage was repaired. The 76ers moved their home games to Convention Hall and to the Palestra, but neither of those arenas had ice rinks at the time, and there were no other NHL-quality sites in the Philadelphia area. The Flyers hurriedly moved their next home game against the Oakland Seals to Madison Square Garden in New York followed by a meeting with the Boston Bruins played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto before establishing a base at Le Colisée in Quebec City, home of their top minor league team, the AHL Quebec Aces, for the remainder of their regular season, marking the first NHL games in Quebec City in over four decades, and years before the Quebec Nordiques joined the NHL. The roof was repaired in time to permit the Flyers to return to the Spectrum to open their first Stanley Cup playoffs against the St. Louis Blues on April 4, 1968; the opening faceoff came just as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. was transpiring in Memphis, Tennessee. Similarly, in 1993, the Flyers played a day game against the Los Angeles Kings during a blizzard. A piece of flying debris smashed out one of the concourse windows, cancelling the game just after the first period.

In the 1970s, the venue's location near Broad Street and the reputation for fisticuffs that the Flyers had developed led to the nickname "Broad Street Bullies".

In 1976, the local pay television service PRISM (so-named in part as you could see "the spectrum" via a prism) was launched by Spectacor, carrying home games of the Flyers and 76ers (as well as the Phillies); PRISM's technical and studio operations were based out of the event level of the Spectrum (though PRISM's administrative offices were instead located in Bala Cynwyd). PRISM's successor, NBC Sports Philadelphia, is based out of the present-day Wells Fargo Center in a similar arrangement.

A plaque inside The Spectrum stated that it held the world record for the fastest conversion from Hockey to Basketball.

The Spectrum, along with the Met Center and The Forum, was one of the first sports arenas to have a scoreboard with a messageboard. Furthermore, the messageboards on the Spectrum scoreboard were the first dot matrix screens in pro hockey or basketball, capable of photos, animation, and replays as well as messages. This was replaced in 1986 with ArenaVision, which consisted of six 9-by-12-foot (2.7 by 3.7 m) rear-projection videoscreens at the top and a four-sided American Sign and Indicator scoreboard at the bottom. Inside the videoscreens were General Electric projectors located 15 feet (4.6 m) away from each screen.

Seating capacity

Basketball
Years Capacity
1967–1971 15,244
1971–1972 15,304
1972–1973 17,300
1973–1981 18,276
1981–1982 18,364
1982–1985 17,921
1985–1987 17,941
1987–2009 18,168
Ice Hockey
Years Capacity
1967–1968 14,646
1968–1969 14,558
1969–1970 14,606
1970–1971 14,620
1971–1972 14,626
1972–1973 16,600
1973–1975 17,007
1975–1981 17,077
1981–1983 17,147
1983–1985 17,191
1985–1986 17,211
1986–1987 17,222
1987–1990 17,423
1990–1991 17,382
1991–2009 17,380

Flyers and 76ers' championships and All-Star Games hosted

The Spectrum's ice rink

The Flyers won their first Stanley Cup at the Spectrum on May 19, 1974, defeating the Boston Bruins, 1–0, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in front of a then-capacity crowd of 17,007. Perhaps the most important and emotional hockey game—or sporting event of any kind—ever held there, however, came at the height of the Cold War on January 11, 1976, when the Flyers became the first NHL team to defeat (by 4–1) the vaunted hockey team of the Soviet Central Red Army (ЦСКА). Two games in the inaugural Canada Cup hockey tournament were also held at the Spectrum in September of that year, as the U.S. took on Czechoslovakia and the USSR.

Ten NHL or NBA playoff championship series were hosted at the Spectrum. The Flyers competed in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1985, and 1987. The 76ers played in the NBA Finals in 1977, 1980, 1982, and 1983. The 1976 and 1992 NHL, and 1970 and 1976 NBA All-Star Games were also held here. The AHL Phantoms also won their first Calder Cup title on Spectrum ice before a sellout crowd of 17,380 on June 10, 1998, by defeating the Saint John Flames, 6–1.

The only visitors to win the Stanley Cup and NBA championship at the Spectrum were the Montreal Canadiens (1976) and the Los Angeles Lakers (1980) respectively.

The Spectrum is the only venue to host the NBA and NHL All-Star Games in the same season, doing so in 1976, when it also hosted that year's Final Four. It is also one of a handful of venues to host the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals at the same time, doing so in 1980 (all four major Philadelphia teams would reach the championship round of their respective sport in 1980).

College basketball tournaments

The Spectrum was used for many basketball tournaments, including Big Five games, eight Atlantic 10 Conference tournaments (1977, 1983, 1997–2002), the 1975, 1980 and 1992 NCAA East Regional (site of the famous last-second shot by Christian Laettner of Duke to beat Kentucky), and the 1976 and 1981 Final Fours (both won by Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers). Smaller conferences preferred holding tournament games at this venue over the larger Center nearby.

Bull riding

In 2003 and 2004, the PBR brought their Built Ford Tough Series tour to the Spectrum.

Notable concerts

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Billboard ad for the arena in 1974

Many concerts were staged at the Spectrum, often praised for its acoustic properties, beginning in the 1960s. In the 1970s, Electric Factory Concerts became the prominent concert promoter for the facility.

Philadelphia soul groups that performed at the Spectrum include LaBelle in '71 and Hall & Oates in '83. The O'Jays (they were signed to Philadelphia International) performed there in '73, and Lou Rawls (also signed to Philly International) performed there in '69. Boyz II Men from Philly performed there in '95.

Guns N' Roses performed at the Philadelphia Spectrum on August 4, 1988; August 5, 1988; June 13, 1991; December 16, 1991; and December 17, 1991.

Spectrum Theater

The Spectrum Theater was a venue for acts not big enough to fill the entire Spectrum arena. The stage was placed in the middle of the Spectrum floor, and the other half of the arena behind the stage was closed off with curtains, creating a theater-like environment. Some of the acts that played in this configuration included Frank Zappa in 1973, 1976 and 1977; David Bowie's Diamond Dogs Tour in 1974; The Kinks' Soap Opera Tour in May 1975, Bob Marley's Natty Dread Tour in 1975 and Kaya Tour in 1978; Bruce Springsteen in 1976; The Bee Gees in 1979; Peter Gabriel's tour in 1982; Howard Jones in 1985 and Julian Lennon with Chris Bliss on June 20, 1986.

The Flyers and 76ers' move

The 1995–96 NHL and NBA seasons were the final ones for the Flyers and the 76ers at the Spectrum. The 76ers' last game was a 112–92 loss to the Orlando Magic on April 19; on May 12, Eric Lindros scored the arena's final Flyers goal in the 2nd period, and Mike Hough of the Florida Panthers scored the arena's final official NHL goal in the 2nd overtime of Game 5 of the 1996 Eastern Conference semifinals, a 2–1 Flyers loss. Although both the Flyers and 76ers moved across the parking lot to the new and larger Wells Fargo Center (then CoreStates Center), the arena remained in place and was used by the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL, the Philadelphia KiXX of the NISL, the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League for Saturday home games, and a variety of other sporting events and concerts.

The Spectrum had relatively few luxury suites or other amenities common in newer arenas. Additionally, the arena's sight lines were cited as a concern. Some seats in both the hockey and basketball configurations (especially those added in the upper level over the years) had badly obstructed views. There was only one concourse for all three levels, making for somewhat cramped conditions whenever attendance was anywhere near capacity.

Final season

A special logo was used for the final season of the Spectrum's use, featuring the arena's original pre-1994 logo and nickname.

On July 14, 2008, Comcast Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider officially announced that the Spectrum would be shuttered and torn down to make way for Philly Live!, a proposed retail, dining and entertainment hub. "This has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," said Snider. "The Spectrum is my baby. It's one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me."

The Phantoms commemorated the final season of the Spectrum by wearing a special patch on their uniforms, as illustrated on the right. The team also celebrated some of the building's memorable moments throughout the season. The Flyers marked the last season by playing two pre-season games at the Spectrum. They played the Carolina Hurricanes in an NHL pre-season game on September 27, 2008, and the Phantoms on October 7 of that same year. Before the game against Carolina, the Flyers honored the team captains in the franchise's history. Those honored in the pre-game ceremony were Lou Angotti, Ed Van Impe, Bob Clarke, Mel Bridgman, Bill Barber, Dave Poulin, Ron Sutter, Kevin Dineen, Éric Desjardins, Keith Primeau and Derian Hatcher.

Wachovia Spectrum during demolition in 2010.

The last NCAA basketball game the Spectrum hosted saw the Villanova Wildcats defeat the Pittsburgh Panthers on January 28, 2009. The Sixers played one regular season game against Chicago Bulls on March 13, 2009, winning by a score of 104–101 in the final NBA game in the Spectrum. The game was sold-out and attendance was 17,563.

Banners for the final regular season hockey game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, PA, on April 10, 2009. (Philadelphia Phantoms vs. Hershey Bears, 5–2).

The Phantoms' last regular season game at the Spectrum was played April 10, 2009, against the Hershey Bears, as the Phantoms won the game, 5–2, while the last Kixx game was against the Massachusetts Twisters on March 22. The Kixx moved onto the Temple University campus and played the 2009–10 season at the Liacouras Center. The Phantoms were sold to a Pittsburgh-based ownership group, and moved to Glens Falls, New York, for the 2009–10 season, and subsequently moved to Allentown, where they became the Flyers-affiliated Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

"With this season being the final season of the Wachovia Spectrum, we will celebrate the history of the Spectrum with an exciting, year-long, celebration of events," Comcast Spectacor President Peter Luukko said. Phish was rumored to be among the acts to commemorate the closing of the arena. "It is our hope and intent to bring back many of the musical acts and entertainers who have made the Spectrum 'America's Showplace.'" Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played two shows at The Spectrum on April 28 and 29 as part of their Working on a Dream Tour, and returned on October 13–14 and 19–20 for their Spectrum swan song. Springsteen debuted a specially-written version of the song "Wrecking Ball", which he had written in honor of the demolition of Giants Stadium, with revised lyrics to honor the Spectrum.

A scheduled concert with Leonard Cohen on October 22 was moved to the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, instead. On October 23, 2009, Philadelphia area musicians The Hooters, Todd Rundgren and Hall & Oates headlined a concert titled "Last Call". Tickets were as low as $6.00. The remaining members of the Grateful Dead; including Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann performed their final set of shows at the Spectrum on May 1 and 2, 2009; the show of May 2 was their 54th consecutive sell-out at the Spectrum. The Dead closed the show of May 2 with the song "Samson and Delilah". The song contains the fitting refrain "If I had my way, I would tear this old building down." The lyric was changed by the band's singer Bob Weir to say "I wouldn't tear this old building down." With the demolition of The Spectrum, all venues at which The Grateful Dead played through their career within the City of Philadelphia, except for the Irvine Auditorium, have succumbed to the wrecking ball.

On October 27, 28, 30, and 31, American rock band Pearl Jam played over one hundred unique songs across the four days. On the final night, the band played 34 songs over nearly four hours before ending with their hit "Yellow Ledbetter".

The Spectrum and the South Philadelphia Sports Complex

An 2008 aerial view of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex with the Spectrum at center left

Opened in 1967 as the first of the five modern facilities to be built at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex between 1967 and 2004, by the time it closed in 2009 the Spectrum was the oldest of the four venues still standing of the two indoor arenas and four outdoor stadiums built at the South end of Broad Street since 1926. The complex's total area expanded with the addition of each new facility and now takes up the entire southeast quadrant of the grounds occupied in 1926 by Philadelphia's Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition, a massive 184-day World's fair built on 700+ acres of until then largely undeveloped city-owned swamp and park land, including League Island Park adjacent to the U.S. Navy Yard bounded by 10th Street, Packer Ave., 23rd Street, and Terminal Avenue. The Spectrum itself occupied the portion of the Exposition's grounds on the south side of Pattison Avenue between Broad and 11th Streets that in 1926 served as the fair's main trolley terminal operated by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company.

The Spectrum, with John F. Kennedy Stadium above it and Veterans Stadium below it

For its first 25 years, the Spectrum overlooked the 102,000-seat John F. Kennedy Stadium, known prior to 1964 as "Municipal Stadium", located roughly 600 feet (180 m) south of the indoor arena. Opened on April 15, 1926, the stadium was also the Sesqui-Centennial Exposition's only intentionally permanent facility. The site of 42 Army–Navy Games between 1936 and 1979, JFK Stadium eventually fell into disuse in favor of the newer nearby Veterans Stadium, was condemned in 1989, and demolished in 1992 to make way for the Wells Fargo Center which opened four years later in August 1996. Known earlier as the "CoreStates Center" (1996–1998), the "First Union Center" (1998–2003), and the "Wachovia Center" (July 2003 – June 2010), the 20,000-plus-seat indoor arena replaced the Spectrum as the home of the Flyers, 76ers, and Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League beginning with each club's 1996–97 season. With the demolition of the Spectrum, the Wells Fargo Center has now become the oldest of the complex's three current venues.

The Spectrum's closest sports complex neighbor was Veterans Stadium (opened 1971, closed 2003, demolished 2004), which was located north of the arena directly across Pattison Avenue. The 60,000-plus-seat "Vet" accommodated MLB's Philadelphia Phillies and the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles for just over three decades before it was itself replaced by two new facilities. In 2003 the Eagles moved to Lincoln Financial Field, a purpose-built football/soccer stadium located SE of the Spectrum site directly across 11th Street from the Wells Fargo Center. The following year, the Phillies relocated to Citizens Bank Park, a dedicated baseball stadium completed in 2004 and located diagonally across from the Spectrum site at the northeast corner of Pattison Ave and Citizens Bank Way (11th St.), immediately east of the former Veterans Stadium site which now serves as a parking lot for the entire complex. In 2017, the Phillies' spring training complex in Clearwater, Florida was renamed Spectrum Field after Bright House Networks was purchased by Charter Communications. While named for Charter's residential service, the name invoked memories of the Spectrum arena.

Another NBA arena (Spectrum Center, the home of the Charlotte Hornets) currently includes "Spectrum" in its name, although again it refers to the Charter residential service whose naming rights are attached to that building.

The Spectrum (center) was the oldest (1967) of the four venues which made up the South Philadelphia Sports Complex in this 2004 view from the Wells Fargo Center (1996). Citizens Bank Park (right) is the complex's newest (2004) facility while Lincoln Financial Field (2003) is just out of view to the far right.

Demolition

Although the Spectrum formally closed on October 31, 2009, demolition of the structure did not begin for more than a year with internal work commencing on November 8, 2010. Two weeks later a public "wrecking ball ceremony" attended by some of the athletes who made the building famous such as Hockey Hall of Famers Bernie Parent and Bob Clarke of the Flyers and Hall of Famer Julius Erving of the 76ers, was held in the adjacent parking lot "H" on November 23, 2010, to formally begin its external demolition. However, unlike Veterans Stadium, its one-time neighbor, which had been located immediately across Pattison Avenue from the Spectrum before it was imploded on March 21, 2004, the almost half-year process of demolishing the then-44-year-old arena, done without the use of explosives, was completed in May 2011. This was done to protect its other sports facilities from dust. Water was used to prevent dust from spreading.

Composite before, during and after image of the Spectrum site. The top image was taken in April 2004, five and a half years before the arena was closed. The middle image was taken seven years later as its demolition was being completed in April 2011. The white areas seen at ground level of this image were the back walls of the hockey and basketball locker rooms used by the Flyers, 76ers, Phantoms, Kixx, and Wings and visiting teams. The parking lot across Pattison Avenue from the Spectrum was the former site of Veterans Stadium (demolished in 2004). The bottom image is how the site appeared in September 2011 after it had been converted to a parking lot. All three images were taken from the same location in the Wells Fargo Center, the arena that replaced the Spectrum. The tallest building visible in the distant Philadelphia skyline (just to the left of the Spectrum site) in the 2011 images is the 59-story Comcast Center (completed in 2008), the headquarters building of the Comcast Corporation which owns both the Spectrum and Wells Fargo Center.

A 300-room hotel is planned to eventually be built on the demolished Spectrum's site, which is now occupied by a parking lot, as an adjunct to the Xfinity Live! project, the first portion of which opened in April 2012, at the southwest corner of 11th Street and Pattison Avenue.

Statues

A statue of Sylvester Stallone, depicted in his role of Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa, stood for many years in front of the main Pattison Avenue entrance of the Spectrum, which had been represented in the movie as the site of Rocky's first and second fights with Apollo Creed. (The fight sequences were actually filmed at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.) The statue was removed several times over the years to be used in the filming of sequels to the original film.

In September 2006, it was given a new home in an area near the base of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art not far from where a spot on the plaza at the top of the Museum's steps where it had appeared in the film Rocky III. Since the statue was not deemed "art," it was moved around the corner of the museum on Kelly Drive. Other statues that stood in the arena area included:

The statues have been incorporated into the design of Xfinity Live!.

Former tenants

Full-time

Part-time

Notable events

Basketball

Hockey

Soccer

  • NPSL Championship – 2001
  • MISL Championship – 2002

Wrestling

Concerts

Fictional events

Other events

  • U.S. Figure Skating Championships – 1968
  • MILL Championship – 1989, 1992, 1995
  • Nightmares Xtreme Scream Park – 2004, 2005, 2006
  • Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church Resurrection Sunday Worship Service 2000
  • Monster Jam ???–2009

References

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  32. ^ "::: Remember the Spectrum :: History : Concerts". Archived from the original on August 12, 2008.
  33. "Lit Hooks Up With Kid Rock For Arena Shows". May 10, 2002.
  34. Associated, Press (December 6, 2002). "Guns N' Roses fails to show in Philadelphia". Reuters. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
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Further reading

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Preceded byfirst arena Home of the
Philadelphia Flyers

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Succeeded byWells Fargo Center
Preceded byPhiladelphia Arena Home of the
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Succeeded byWells Fargo Center
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