PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Another sign of normalcy is happening at the South Philadelphia sports complex.
As with Citizens Bank Park, Wells Fargo Center is permitted to increase its capacity. According to officials with the arena and the Sixers, Wells Fargo Center can now allow 20% of maximum capacity for hockey and basketball games, up from 15%.
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That means Wells Fargo Center can host about 4,000 fans for each team, according to the officials. The official box score for Sunday night's 116-100 Sixers loss to the Memphis Grizzlies had the official attendance at 4,094 -- which, these days, is legitimately a "sellout."
Prior to the change, the venue had been limited to 3,100.
Attendance numbers for Sixers and Flyers games could vary, because the setup for hockey is different for basketball.
The Inquirer was first to report over the weekend that the Sixers will also now allow fans to sit courtside. Those fans must take a rapid COVID-19 tests and register a negative result before entering the building.
Capacity limits in the rest of Pennsylvania remain 50% for outdoor events and 25% for indoor events. Philadelphia is taking a more conservative approach, while COVID-19 infection rates are rising.
Many fans have been eager to return to Philadelphia sporting events after the COVID-19 pandemic kept them out of attendance for many, many months — in most cases over a year.
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Since March 7, the Flyers have welcomed paying fans to eight games this season. Unfortunately, their record during those games is 2-5-1, which of course, has nothing to do with people being in the seats. After a brutal March, the Flyers are trying to get back in the playoff picture. There are 10 more scheduled regular season home games left through May 10.
The Sixers have been able to host fans for six games this season, going 4-2 in that span.
“It’s amazing,” Danny Green said after the 76ers' 122-113 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. “It’s great to have them back … Each game, it looks like the fan base is growing and growing. They’re allowing more fans in, so it’s a lot of fun to hear them and have them behind us. It helps us a ton, whether making shots or giving us that extra boost, adrenaline.”
They have 11 more regular season home games scheduled through May 16, including their next one — April 14 against the Brooklyn Nets. That game will follow their upcoming four-game road trip, and it’s a big deal.
As of Monday morning, the Sixers and Nets are tied for first place in the Eastern Conference. Unlike the Flyers, the 76ers are a virtual lock to make the playoffs, as they’re presently battling with Brooklyn for the all-important No. 1 seed in the East. It was take a beyond historic collapse for the Sixers to miss the postseason.
“Hopefully when we get to playoffs, they can open the whole thing up for everybody to come in if it’s safe, and we can have a great little run here,” Tobias Harris said during Saturday’s postgame session.
Getting the No. 1 seed — home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs — is really important, because the Sixers play exceptionally well at home. Aside from their 4-2 record with fans, they’re 20-5 overall at home this season. Of course, the addition of fans makes it even tougher for road teams to win at Wells Fargo Center on most nights.