Spectrum (arena) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the former arena in Philadelphia. For the arena in Charlotte, see Spectrum Center. For the arena in Oslo, see Oslo Spektrum.

Quick facts for kids
The Spectrum
Construction
America's Showplace Broad Street

The 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)
Address	3601 South Broad Street, South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates	39°54′15″N 75°10′16″W / 39.90417°N 75.17111°W / 39.90417; -75.17111
Owner	Comcast Spectacor, L.P.
Operator	Global Spectrum
Capacity	Concerts: End stage: 18,369 Center stage: 19,456 *Theater: 5,000–8,000 Basketball: 18,168 Ice Hockey: 17,380
Surface	Multi-surface
Broke ground	June 1, 1966
Opened	September 30, 1967
Renovated	1986
Closed	October 31, 2009
Demolished	November 23, 2010 – May 2011
Architect	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
General contractor	McCloskey & Company, Inc.
Tenants
Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) (1967–1996) Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) (1967–1996) 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 was a famous indoor sports and concert arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was known by a few different names over the years, like CoreStates Spectrum and Wachovia Spectrum. The arena opened in September 1967 and was a big part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

It was a home for many sports teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers (hockey) and the Philadelphia 76ers (basketball). The Spectrum could hold over 18,000 fans for basketball and over 17,000 for hockey. The very last event at the Spectrum was a Pearl Jam concert on October 31, 2009. The building was taken down between November 2010 and May 2011.

History of the Spectrum Arena

The Spectrum was Philadelphia's first modern indoor sports arena. It was built to be the home for the new Philadelphia Flyers hockey team and the existing Philadelphia 76ers basketball team. The arena was the second major sports building in the area, which is now called the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

Building the Spectrum

Construction on the arena began on June 1, 1966. The first public event was a jazz festival on September 30, 1967. The first sports event was a boxing match on October 17, 1967, featuring Joe Frazier.

The name "Spectrum" was chosen to show all the different kinds of events it would host. "SP" stood for "sports" and "South Philadelphia," "E" for "entertainment," "C" for "circuses," "T" for "theatricals," "R" for "recreation," and "UM" for "um, what a nice building!" The Flyers won their first home game there, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0.

Early Challenges and Nicknames

On March 1, 1968, strong winds damaged part of the Spectrum's roof during an Ice Capades show. The arena had to close for a month for repairs. The Flyers had to play their home games in other cities, even as far as Quebec City. The roof was fixed in time for the Flyers to return for their first playoff game on April 4, 1968.

In the 1970s, the Flyers became known for their tough style of play, earning them the nickname "Broad Street Bullies." This name came from the arena's location near Broad Street and the team's reputation.

The Spectrum was one of the first arenas to have a scoreboard with a message board. In 1986, it got an upgrade with large video screens.

Seating Capacity Over Time

The number of seats in the Spectrum changed over the years as the arena was updated.

Basketball Seating
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 Seating
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

Championships and All-Star Games

The Spectrum's ice rink

The Flyers won their first Stanley Cup at the Spectrum on May 19, 1974. They beat the Boston Bruins 1-0 in Game 6. A very important hockey game happened on January 11, 1976. The Flyers became the first NHL team to defeat the strong Soviet Central Red Army team.

Many championship series were held at the Spectrum. The Flyers played in the Stanley Cup Finals six times. The 76ers played in the NBA Finals four times. The Spectrum also hosted the National Hockey League All-Star Game in 1976 and 1992. The NBA All-Star Game was held there in 1970 and 1976.

The Spectrum is the only venue to host both the NBA and NHL All-Star Games in the same season (1976). It also hosted the Final Four college basketball tournament in 1976 and 1981.

College Basketball and Other Events

The Spectrum was a popular place for college basketball games, especially for the Philadelphia Big 5 teams. It hosted several NCAA tournaments, including the East Regional in 1975, 1980, and 1992. The 1992 game saw a famous last-second shot by Christian Laettner of Duke.

In 2003 and 2004, the PBR brought their bull riding tour to the Spectrum.

Famous Concerts at the Spectrum

Billboard ad for the arena in 1974

Many famous musicians performed at the Spectrum. It was known for its great sound.

The Grateful Dead played at the Spectrum 53 times, more than any other musical act.
Elvis Presley performed five shows between 1971 and 1977.
Pink Floyd played several times, and a famous song, "Comfortably Numb," was inspired by an experience one of their members had performing there while ill.
Bruce Springsteen played 42 shows at the Spectrum, starting in 1976. He was one of the arena's most popular performers.
Pearl Jam played the final public events at the arena with four concerts in October 2009. On the last night, Halloween, they played 41 songs for over 3.5 hours.

The Spectrum Theater was a smaller setup within the arena. It was used for acts that didn't need the full large space. Artists like Frank Zappa and David Bowie performed there.

Moving to a New Arena

The 1995–96 seasons were the last for the Flyers and 76ers at the Spectrum. Both teams moved to the new Xfinity Mobile Arena (then called CoreStates Center) nearby. Even after the main teams left, the Spectrum was still used for other sports teams like the Philadelphia Phantoms (hockey) and the Philadelphia KiXX (soccer), as well as concerts.

The Spectrum had fewer modern features like luxury suites compared to newer arenas. Some seats also had blocked views, and there was only one main hallway for all the fans, which could get crowded.

The Final Season and Demolition

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, it was announced that the Spectrum would close and be torn down. The plan was to build a new entertainment area called Philly Live! in its place.

The Phantoms hockey team wore a special patch on their uniforms to remember the Spectrum's last season. The Flyers also played two pre-season games there in 2008 to honor the arena.

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 last college basketball game was on January 28, 2009. The 76ers played their final NBA game there on March 13, 2009. The Phantoms played their last regular season game on April 10, 2009.

Many artists returned for farewell concerts. Bruce Springsteen played several shows, even changing the lyrics of his song "Wrecking Ball" to honor the Spectrum. The final public events were the four Pearl Jam concerts in October 2009.

The Spectrum and the South Philadelphia Sports Complex

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

The Spectrum was the first of five modern sports buildings constructed in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. When it closed in 2009, it was the oldest of the four venues still standing. The complex grew over time, taking up a large area that was once a World's Fair site.

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

For its first 25 years, the Spectrum was near the huge John F. Kennedy Stadium. That stadium was torn down in 1992 to make way for the Xfinity Mobile Arena, which opened in 1996. The Xfinity Mobile Arena replaced the Spectrum as the home for the Flyers and 76ers.

Another neighbor was Veterans Stadium, which was across the street. It was home to the Philadelphia Phillies (baseball) and Philadelphia Eagles (football). It was replaced by Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles) and Citizens Bank Park (Phillies) in the early 2000s.

Demolition of the Spectrum

Wachovia Spectrum during demolition in 2010.

Even though the Spectrum closed in October 2009, the actual demolition didn't start until November 2010. A public "wrecking ball ceremony" was held with famous athletes like Bernie Parent and Julius Erving. Unlike Veterans Stadium, which was imploded with explosives, the Spectrum was taken down slowly over several months, finishing in May 2011. This was done to protect the other nearby sports buildings from dust.

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.

The site where the Spectrum once stood is now a parking lot. There are plans to build a hotel there in the future, as part of the Xfinity Live! entertainment complex.

Statues Honoring Legends

A statue of Sylvester Stallone as the movie character Rocky Balboa once stood outside the Spectrum. The movie Rocky showed the Spectrum as the place where Rocky fought Apollo Creed. This statue was later moved to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Other statues in the arena area included:

"Score!", showing Flyers player Gary Dornhoefer scoring a winning goal.
A statue of Kate Smith, whose singing of "God Bless America" was a good luck charm for the Flyers.
A statue of Julius Erving, a legendary player for the Philadelphia 76ers.

These statues have now been moved and are part of the design of Xfinity Live!.

Teams That Called the Spectrum Home

Full-time Teams

Philadelphia Flyers (NHL Hockey)
Philadelphia 76ers (NBA Basketball)
Philadelphia Wings (Lacrosse)
Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL Hockey)
Philadelphia KiXX (Indoor Soccer)
Philadelphia Bulldogs (Roller Hockey)
Philadelphia Freedoms (World Team Tennis)
Philadelphia Fever (Indoor Soccer)

Part-time Teams

Villanova University Wildcats (NCAA Basketball)
Philadelphia Soul (Arena Football)

Notable Events Held at the Spectrum

Basketball Highlights

NBA All-Star Game – 1970, 1976
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament – 1976 and 1981 Final Four
NBA Finals – 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983

Boxing Matches

Mike Tyson vs. Buster Mathis Jr. – 1995

Hockey Highlights

NHL Stanley Cup Finals – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1985, 1987
NHL All-Star Game – 1976, 1992
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Soviet Central Red Army Hockey Team (exhibition) – 1976
1976 Canada Cup (two games)
AHL Calder Cup Finals – 1998

Soccer Championships

NPSL Championship – 2001
MISL Championship – 2002

Wrestling Events

WWF SummerSlam '90 – 1990
WWF King of the Ring – 1995
WCW Monday Nitro (multiple dates)

Concerts by Famous Artists

Elvis Presley, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1977
The Rolling Stones 1969, 1972, 1975
The Who – Quadrophenia tour 1973
Grateful Dead – Over 50 shows
Elton John – 1973
Pink Floyd: In the Flesh Tour – 1977
Billy Joel, including songs recorded for Songs in the Attic- 1980
Queen – The Game Tour and Hot Space Tour – 1980 and 1982
Whitney Houston: The Bodyguard World Tour – 1994
Madonna: Blond Ambition World Tour – 1990 and The Girlie Show – 1993
Pearl Jam: Backspacer tour – 2009
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Working on a Dream Tour – 2009
Guns N' Roses; Appetite for Destruction Tour and Use Your Illusion Tour

Fictional Events from Movies

Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed, Heavyweight Championship — January 1, 1976, November 25, 1976
Rocky Balboa vs. Clubber Lang, Heavyweight Championship — August 15, 1981