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Spectrum (arena)

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The Spectrum
Company typeIndoor arena
IndustrySports and entertainment venue
FoundedSeptember 1967; 59 years ago (1967-09)
FounderJerry Wolman, James Tate
DefunctMay 2011 (2011-05)
FateDemolished
Headquarters
Philadelphia
,
United States
Area served
Philadelphia metropolitan area
ProductsSports events, concerts, entertainment

The Spectrum—which was subsequently known as CoreStates Spectrum, First Union Spectrum, and Wachovia Spectrum—served as an indoor arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Debuting in September 1967 within the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, the venue's seating capacity grew to accommodate 18,168 spectators for basketball events and 17,380 for ice hockey, arena football, indoor soccer, and box lacrosse.

Prominent tenants included the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, along with various indoor soccer and lacrosse franchises. For more than forty years, the Spectrum stood as a central hub for sports and entertainment in Philadelphia.

The venue's final event was a Pearl Jam concert held on October 31, 2009. Demolition took place between November 2010 and May 2011.

History

The Spectrum opened its doors in September 1967 as Philadelphia’s inaugural modern indoor sports arena. Constructed to accommodate the newly established NHL team, the Philadelphia Flyers, alongside the existing NBA team, the Philadelphia 76ers, it became the second major sports facility situated on Broad Street within what is now known as the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

Early years

Construction began on June 1, 1966, spearheaded by Jerry Wolman and then-Mayor James Tate to provide a home for the NHL expansion franchise, the Philadelphia Flyers. The arena’s inaugural event was the Quaker City Jazz Festival on September 30, 1967, produced by Larry Magid. The first sporting contest took place on October 17, 1967—a boxing match featuring Joe Frazier versus Tony Doyle. Between 1967 and 1972, the Spectrum hosted fifteen boxing cards. The NBA’s 76ers transitioned from Convention Hall (Philadelphia Civic Center) to become a co-primary tenant.

Lou Scheinfeld, a former president of the Spectrum, described the arena’s name as symbolizing a wide array of activities: "SP" standing for sports and South Philadelphia, "E" representing entertainment, "C" for circuses, "T" indicating theatricals, "R" for recreation, and "UM" humorously interpreted as "um, what a nice building!" He also noted that an annual superbox seat in the city’s first such facility cost $1,000 and granted access to approximately 250 events. The Flyers secured their first home victory at the arena with a 1–0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins; Bill Sutherland scored the opening goal.

On March 1, 1968, strong winds damaged part of the Spectrum’s roof during an Ice Capades show, necessitating closure for about a month while disputes arose between Mayor Tate and District Attorney Arlen Specter over construction responsibility. During this period, the 76ers temporarily relocated home games to Convention Hall and the Palestra—neither of which had ice rinks. Meanwhile, Flyers games were moved to Madison Square Garden in New York City and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto before concluding their season at Le Colisée in Quebec City—hosting NHL matches there long before Quebec Nordiques joined the league. Repairs were completed in time for the Flyers’ return for their first Stanley Cup playoff series against the St. Louis Blues on April 4, 1968.

In 1993, a blizzard caused debris to break a concourse window during a Flyers game versus the Los Angeles Kings, resulting in cancellation after just one period.

During the 1970s, due to its location near Broad Street and the Flyers’ physical playing style, the team earned the nickname "Broad Street Bullies."

In 1976, PRISM—a local pay-TV channel named partly after viewing “the spectrum” through a prism—was launched under Spectacor ownership. It broadcasted home games of both Flyers and 76ers while maintaining technical studios at event level inside the Spectrum; administrative operations were based in Bala Cynwyd. PRISM's successor channel, NBC Sports Philadelphia, continues similar operations from Xfinity Mobile Arena.

A plaque inside commemorated that the Spectrum held a world record for fastest conversion time from hockey setup to basketball configuration.

The Spectrum was among pioneering arenas featuring a scoreboard with integrated messageboards; its dot matrix displays were innovative in professional hockey and basketball for presenting images, animations, replays, and messages. In 1986, this system was upgraded to ArenaVision with six rear-projection video screens mounted atop a four-sided American Sign and Indicator scoreboard. General Electric projectors were installed at each screen location.

Seating capacity

Basketball
style="Template:NBA color cell"|Period style="Template:NBA color cell"|Seating Capacity
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1967–1971 15,244
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1971–1972 15,304
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1972–1973 Template:Center
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1973–1981 18,276
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1981–1982 18,364
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1982–1985 17,921
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1985–1987 17,941
style="Template:NBA color cell2"|1987–2009 18,168
Ice Hockey
Period Seating 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

On May 19, 1974, the Flyers secured their inaugural Stanley Cup at the Spectrum by defeating the Boston Bruins with a score of 1–0 in Game 6 before a full house of 17,007 spectators. A historic moment took place on January 11, 1976, when the Flyers became the first NHL squad to triumph over the Soviet Central Red Army hockey team—a notable event during the Cold War. Additionally, the Spectrum was the venue for two matches of the first-ever 1976 Canada Cup hockey tournament featuring teams from the U.S., Czechoslovakia, and the USSR.

The arena was the site of ten playoff championship series across NHL and NBA competitions. The Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in multiple years: , , , , , and . Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers reached the NBA Finals in , , , and . The facility also hosted prestigious events such as the NHL All-Star Games in both 1976 and 1992 as well as NBA All-Star Games in 1970 and again in 1976. The AHL Phantoms celebrated their first Calder Cup victory at this location on June 10, 1998, witnessed by a sold-out crowd of 17,380.

Only two visiting franchises clinched championships at this arena: the Montreal Canadiens with their 1976 Stanley Cup and the Los Angeles Lakers capturing the NBA title in 1980.

Notably, the Spectrum stands out as one of the few venues to have hosted both NBA and NHL All-Star Games during a single season (1976), while also accommodating that year's NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four. In addition, during the year 1980 it was among a select group of arenas hosting simultaneous Stanley Cup and NBA Finals series as all four major Philadelphia sports teams competed in their respective championship rounds.

College basketball tournaments

The Spectrum played a significant role as a venue for basketball tournaments, hosting games for the Philadelphia Big 5, eight Atlantic 10 Conference championships (in 1977, 1983, and consecutively from 1997 to 2002), as well as NCAA East Regional rounds in 1975, 1980, and 1992—the latter memorable for Christian Laettner's iconic buzzer-beater for Duke. It was also the site of the Final Four in both 1976 and 1981, with Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers claiming victory on both occasions. Smaller collegiate conferences often favored the Spectrum over larger nearby arenas when staging their tournament contests.

Bull riding

The Professional Bull Riders' Built Ford Tough Series included stops at the Spectrum during the years 2003 and 2004.

Notable concerts

From the 1960s onward, the Spectrum was renowned for hosting a vast array of concerts, celebrated especially for its sound quality. Throughout the 1970s, Electric Factory Concerts emerged as its principal promoter.

  • Cream performed on their farewell tour, supported by Lee Michaels.
  • The First Quaker City Rock Festival showcased artists such as Moby Grape, The Chambers Brothers, and Buddy Guy.
  • On March 3, 1984, Duran Duran appeared during their Sing Blue Silver world tour.
  • Between 1988 and 1998, Depeche Mode took the stage six times.
  • Led Zeppelin's July 12, 1969 concert featured supporting acts like Buddy Guy and Jethro Tull.
  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed on April 12, 1969.
  • The Doors delivered a 103-minute performance later released as Live in Philadelphia '70.
  • With a record of 53 performances—the most by any artist—Grateful Dead held numerous shows at the Spectrum; several live albums were recorded there.
  • Bryan Adams appeared on May 15, 1994, during his Waking Up The World tour.
  • Between 1995 and 2003, Phish played nine concerts, including two notable shows in December 1997.
  • Yes performed at the venue 28 times from 1971 to 2004; keyboardist Rick Wakeman also held solo performances there.
  • Elvis Presley held five concerts between 1971 and May 1977; his final show occurred shortly before his passing.
  • Bob Marley and The Wailers toured in support of Natty Dread and Kaya during shows in 1975 and 1978.
  • Aerosmith appeared on stage twenty-three times from 1976 to 1994, including infamous late-70s concerts marked by crowd disturbances.
  • Between 1972 and 1977, Pink Floyd performed multiple times; notably, their June 29, 1977 show was the first live appearance without Roger Waters.
  • Throughout the 1970s, The Who frequently played at the Spectrum; a memorable March 15, 1975 concert featured bassist John Entwistle opening for Humble Pie.
  • The original lineup of Black Sabbath toured there in 1978 with opening act Van Halen.
  • During Phil Collins’ tenure with Genesis, they regularly performed from 1977 through 1986; Collins also held solo concerts in 1985.
  • On August 22, 1980, Queen appeared as part of The Game Tour.
  • The Jacksons gave multiple performances between the years of 1971 and 1981.
  • Concerts by Dio in both 1984 and 1986 were recorded for video releases.
  • Bon Jovi held several shows during their Slippery When Wet and New Jersey Syndicate tours.
  • On May 9, 2002, Kid Rock took to the Spectrum stage.
  • During their Crazy Nights World Tour in 1987, KISS performed; footage from these shows appears in Kissology Volume Two.
  • On June 25, 1989, acts such as N.W.A, along with artists like Eazy-E and Public Enemy, performed at the venue.
  • Major tours brought Metallica to the Spectrum in years including 1986, 1989, and 1992.
  • MC Hammer appeared twice at the arena—in both 1990 and again in 1992.
  • The "Moneytalks" video by AC/DC was filmed during their November 6, 1990 concert there.
  • Between their initial rise and early '90s peak, Guns N' Roses played several shows at the Spectrum; a planned concert in 2002 was ultimately canceled.
  • A significant December 9, 1980 performance by Bruce Springsteen, held shortly after John Lennon's assassination, featured an extended set. Springsteen became one of the venue’s most frequent artists with a total of forty-two appearances through to 2009.
  • On November 5, 1984, Rush performed during their Grace Under Pressure tour.
  • Iron Maiden sold out a January 13, 1987 show supporting Somewhere in Time.
  • With Gary Cherone fronting vocals, Van Halen played on May 24, 1998.
  • Whitney Houston appeared during her Bodyguard World Tour on June 23,1994.
  • In June of the year 2000, Diana Ross & the Supremes launched their Return to Love Tour at the Spectrum before it was canceled weeks later.
  • In its final year of operation, performers such as Philadelphia native P!nk, touring with Funhouse Tour, and Taylor Swift, on her Fearless Tour, graced the stage there.
  • The last public events consisted of four Pearl Jam concerts in October of2009 featuring a repertoire exceeding one hundred songs across those shows.
  • A private farewell event took place on January16,2010 hosted by Comcast Spectacor chairman Ed Snider, which included performances by Earth, Wind & Fire as well as Elvis Presley tribute artist Johnny Seaton.

Philadelphia soul legends who performed at the Spectrum included groups and artists like LaBelle, Hall & Oates, The O'Jays, Lou Rawls, alongside local ensemble Boyz II Men.

Guns N' Roses held concerts at the Spectrum on August4 &5 of1988; June13; December16 &17 in1991.

Spectrum Theater

The Spectrum Theater accommodated performances that were too intimate for the main Spectrum arena, featuring a centrally positioned stage on the floor with half of the arena sectioned off by curtains to establish a theater-like atmosphere. Distinguished artists who appeared there included Frank Zappa (1973, 1976, 1977), David Bowie during his Diamond Dogs Tour (1974), The Kinks (1975), Bob Marley on both his Natty Dread Tour (1975) and Kaya Tour (1978), Bruce Springsteen (1976), the Bee Gees (1979), Peter Gabriel (1982), Howard Jones (1985), and Julian Lennon accompanied by Chris Bliss (1986).

Relocation of the Flyers and 76ers

The 1995–96 seasons marked the final campaigns for the Flyers and 76ers at the Spectrum. The 76ers concluded their tenure with a defeat against the Orlando Magic on April 19, 1996, while the Flyers’ last goal at the venue was netted by Eric Lindros during the playoffs on May 12. Both franchises transitioned to the newer, larger Xfinity Mobile Arena, situated just across the parking area. Meanwhile, the Spectrum remained active as the home for teams like the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms, NISL's Philadelphia KiXX, AFL's Philadelphia Soul, along with other events.

Although rich in history, the Spectrum lacked contemporary features such as luxury boxes, and visibility was often compromised, especially from seats in the upper tiers. A single concourse serving all three levels led to congested conditions during sold-out events.

Final season

On July 14, 2008, Comcast Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider revealed intentions to close and demolish the Spectrum to make way for [[Stateside Live!|Philly Live!], a new complex combining retail, dining, and entertainment venues. Snider referred to this as "one of the hardest decisions" he had ever faced.

To honor its legacy during its final season, the Phantoms wore a commemorative patch on their uniforms and highlighted significant moments from the arena’s past. The Flyers held two preseason games at the Spectrum in 2008, paying tribute to franchise captains in a ceremony preceding their matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The last NCAA basketball contest at the venue saw the Villanova Wildcats triumph over the Pittsburgh Panthers on January 28, 2009. The Sixers’ concluding regular-season game at the Spectrum was a sold-out victory against the Chicago Bulls on March 13, 2009, drawing an audience of 17,563.

The Phantoms played their final game on April 10, 2009, defeating the Hershey Bears 5–2. The KiXX wrapped up their last Spectrum appearance on March 22 before relocating to Temple University’s Liacouras Center for subsequent seasons. Ownership of the Phantoms transferred to Pittsburgh-based investors, leading to moves first to Glens Falls, New York, and later to Allentown as the Flyers’ affiliate under the name Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Comcast Spectacor President Peter Luukko announced a year-long tribute celebrating the Spectrum’s history throughout its final season. Notable artists like Bruce Springsteen returned for farewell concerts in April and October 2009; during these shows Springsteen premiered an updated version of "Wrecking Ball," honoring both Giants Stadium’s demolition and the Spectrum’s closure.

A Leonard Cohen concert originally scheduled at the Spectrum was relocated to Upper Darby’s Tower Theatre. On October 23, Philadelphia musicians including The Hooters, Todd Rundgren, and Hall & Oates headlined an affordable farewell event titled "Last Call."

Members of the Grateful Dead, notably Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, performed their ultimate Philadelphia concerts at the Spectrum in May 2009. Their May 2 performance marked their 54th consecutive sell-out at this site and ended with "Samson and Delilah," featuring modified lyrics as a tribute to the arena.

In late October 2009, rock group Pearl Jam delivered four consecutive nights of performances featuring over one hundred distinct songs; their final evening included an almost four-hour set culminating with "Yellow Ledbetter."

The Spectrum and the South Philadelphia Sports Complex

Inaugurated in 1967, the Spectrum was the initial venue among five contemporary facilities constructed within the South Philadelphia Sports Complex from 1967 through 2004. By the time it closed in 2009, it was the oldest remaining structure out of four still standing. Over the years, the complex grew to encompass the entire southeastern section of land originally dedicated to Philadelphia's Sesquicentennial Exposition, a grand 184-day World's fair that occupied more than 700 acres of municipally owned property, including League Island Park adjacent to the U.S. Navy Yard. Positioned on the exposition grounds, the Spectrum was located south of Pattison Avenue, between Broad and 11th Streets, on what had once been the primary trolley terminal for the fair.

For its initial quarter-century, the Spectrum overlooked John F. Kennedy Stadium—initially named "Municipal Stadium"—which seated 102,000 and stood approximately 600 feet to its south. Constructed in 1926 as the sole permanent facility from the Sesquicentennial event, JFK Stadium hosted 42 Army–Navy Games before falling into disrepair and being demolished in 1992. Its replacement, now known as Xfinity Mobile Arena, opened in 1996 as a multi-purpose indoor venue with a seating capacity exceeding 20,000. This arena operated under various corporate titles such as CoreStates Center, First Union Center, and Wachovia Center. Starting with the 1996–97 season, it took over as home to the Flyers, 76ers, and Philadelphia Wings following the Spectrum’s retirement. After the Spectrum was razed, Xfinity Mobile Arena became the oldest active facility within the sports complex.

Adjacent to the Spectrum to the north across Pattison Avenue was Veterans Stadium (1971–2004), which accommodated over 60,000 spectators. Veterans Stadium served as home field for Major League Baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies and National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles for more than thirty years before both franchises relocated: football and soccer teams moved to Lincoln Financial Field in 2003—situated southeast of where the Spectrum stood—and baseball transitioned to Citizens Bank Park in 2004, located diagonally across Pattison Avenue at Citizens Bank Way. The area once occupied by Veterans Stadium has since been converted into parking space for the complex. In a nod to its legacy, the Phillies’ spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida was renamed Spectrum Field in 2017 after Charter Communications acquired Bright House Networks, thereby reviving association with the Spectrum brand.

Separately, another NBA venue—the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, home court for the Hornets—also incorporates "Spectrum" into its name through Charter Communications’ residential service branding.

Demolition

Although operations at the Spectrum ceased on October 31, 2009, dismantling did not commence until over a year later. Internal demolition began on November 8, 2010. Shortly thereafter, on November 23, a public "wrecking ball ceremony" took place featuring prominent sports figures such as Hockey Hall of Famers Bernie Parent and Bob Clarke alongside Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving to officially mark the start of exterior demolition. Unlike Veterans Stadium nearby—which was demolished via implosion in 2004—the Spectrum’s teardown extended over nearly six months and was carried out without explosives to minimize dust and safeguard neighboring sports venues by employing water suppression methods during debris removal.

The location where the Spectrum once stood has since been transformed into a parking area. Future development plans include constructing a 300-room hotel as part of Stateside Live!, a retail, dining, and entertainment project whose initial phase opened in April 2012 at the intersection of 11th Street and Pattison Avenue.

Statues

For many years, a statue of Sylvester Stallone portraying the Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa was positioned outside the Spectrum's primary entrance on Pattison Avenue. This location was featured in the film as the site of Rocky's initial two bouts with Apollo Creed, although those particular scenes were actually shot at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Occasionally, the statue was temporarily removed to accommodate filming of sequels.

In September 2006, the statue was moved to a spot near the foot of the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, reflecting its appearance in Rocky III. Later on, since it was not officially regarded as "art," it was relocated around the corner of the museum along Kelly Drive. Additional significant statues displayed at the arena included:

  • Score!, a tribute to Flyers' Gary Dornhoefer’s overtime goal during Game 5 of the 1973 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals against the Minnesota North Stars;
  • A statue honoring Kate Smith, recognized as a good luck emblem for the Flyers and credited with inspiring their consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975 through her performance of "God Bless America";
  • A statue commemorating Julius Erving, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers from 1976 until 1987.

These sculptures have since been incorporated into the architectural design of Stateside Live!.

Full-time

Part-time

Basketball

Boxing

Hockey

  • NHL Stanley Cup Finals – hosted in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1985, and 1987
    • The Flyers clinched the Stanley Cup for the 1973–74 season at this venue by defeating the Boston Bruins with a series score of 4–2.
    • The Montreal Canadiens secured the Stanley Cup in the 1975–76 season at the Spectrum by sweeping their opponent 4–0.
  • NHL All-Star Game – hosted twice, in 1976 and again in 1992
  • Exhibition games featuring Philadelphia Flyers versus Soviet teams: Soviet Central Red Army (1976), Soviet Wings (1979)
  • Hosted two games during the 1976 Canada Cup
  • AHL Calder Cup Finals – held in 1998
    • The Phantoms won the Calder Cup on home ice by defeating the Saint John Flames four games to two.

Soccer

  • 2001 NPSL Championship
  • 2002 MISL Championship

Wrestling

  • WWF SummerSlam '90 – 1990
  • WWF King of the Ring – 1995
  • WCW Monday Nitro (various dates from 1997 to 1999)
  • WCW Thunder (1998, 2000)

Concerts

  • Prominent artists who performed include:
    • Elvis Presley (1971, 1974, 1976, 1977)
    • The Doors – Live in Philadelphia '70 (1970)
    • The Rolling Stones (1969, 1972, 1975)
    • The Who – Quadrophenia tour (1973)
    • Alice Cooper, J Geils Band, Marshall Tucker Band, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Foghat, among others during the early to mid-1970s
    • Numerous concerts by the Grateful Dead, including those featured on Dick's Picks Volume 36
    • Elton John, Frank Sinatra, and Yes in the early through mid-1970s
    • Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd (In the Flesh Tour, 1977), and Billy Joel from the late 1970s into the early 1980s
    • Queen’s tours such as The Game Tour and Hot Space Tour (1980, 1982)
    • Mid-1980s performances by Dio, Rush, Cyndi Lauper, and Iron Maiden
    • Late 1980s to early 1990s appearances by Van Halen, Metallica, Skid Row, as well as pop stars like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Madonna across multiple tours
    • Later concerts featuring Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band during their Working on a Dream Tour (2009)
    • Several shows by Guns N' Roses including their Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion tours

This extensive roster highlights the venue’s vital function as a hub for premier entertainment across diverse sectors.

Fictional events

  • Heavyweight Championship bouts: Rocky Balboa versus Apollo Creed — depicted on January 1, 1976 (Rocky) and November 25, 1976 (Rocky II)
  • Rocky Balboa against Clubber Lang for the Heavyweight title — August 15, 1981 (Rocky III)

Other events

  • U.S. Figure Skating Championships – 1968
  • MILL Championship – years held: 1989, 1992, and 1995
  • Nightmares Xtreme Scream Park – events in 2004, 2005, and 2006
  • Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church’s Resurrection Sunday Worship Service – year 2000
  • Monster Jam events held until 2009
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