Wachovia Center Tickets

The South Philadelphia Sports Complex is the heartbeat of the city's sports & entertainment circuit. People have grown used to sellouts at the Complex's four major facilities: Wachovia Center, The Spectrum, Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field. While Lincoln Financial Field has grown a reputation for stellar NFL contests & the Citizens Bank Park has always sported enormous Phillies crowds, it is the Wachovia Center which has hogged the limelight recently. Wachovia Center houses the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, NHL's Philadelphia Flyers & the Philadelphia Wings of the NLL (lacrosse); also serving as occasional home turf for Villanova University Wildcats basketball team. While critics initially questioned how the facility would step into the considerable shoes of its illustrious predecessor, crowd favorite The Spectrum, the Wachovia Center has established an identity of its own in Philadelphia's relentlessly competitive sports market.

New investment to cater for increased crowds led to plans for "The Spectrum II", as it was known prior to its $210 million construction. Opened in 1996 as CoreStates Center, ownership changes have led to alterations in its name. Resultantly, it has been called CoreStates Center, First Union Center & Wachovia Center (presently), although a new merger will see Wells Fargo give its name to the arena in July 2010. There was ridiculous controversy when short-form usage of "First Union" gave rise to banter amongst fans with regards to games in the "F.U Center". It was quickly quashed. Wachovia Center sits amongst remains of some legendary structures holding up Philadelphia's sporting dignity, including JFK & Veterans Stadiums.

Architect Ellerbe Beckett's work makes sure that around 20,500 rowdy fans can pack into Wachovia Center to cheer on the Philadelphia 76ers, while modifications mean that hockey crowds can go up to 19,500. And the response has been heartening, leading to Pennsylvania state attendance records for hockey (20,291 for Flyers against Detroit Red Wings) & college basketball (20,859 for Villanova against University of Connecticut). The increased fanfare has led to further plans for investing in the state-of-the-art facilities, with a new Comcast Spectator center-hung scoreboard, additional suite flat screen HDTV's & LED displays bringing it on par with leading venues. And if it's not just the sports action that satisfies your appetite, then the AT&T Pavilion & PJ Whelihan's are open to all ticket-holders. Members can spoil themselves at the Cadillac Grille & plush Lexus Club, which offer top-drawer food & the best comfort with a high-end urban restaurant feel.

The multi-purpose arena also is host to various events like UFC 101, WWE & 2002's NBA All-Star Game. Wachovia Center has been a concert hub, with a 17 consecutive sellouts record for Billy Joel. Starting off from the inaugural Oasis concert, superstars of all genres have given fans plenty to cheer about.

The Wachovia Center is another reminder of how good investments benefit dynamic societies. Shunning the old for a glint of the new, administrators have retained Philadelphia's sporting pride in Wachovia Center, making Wachovia Center tickets a must-have for sports enthusiasts.