The Philadelphia 76ers have been rumored to be playing home games in the state of New Jersey in the near future.
With its corporate headquarters and practice facility located in Camden, it’s not out of the question the franchise builds an arena nearby.
New Jersey officials, including Gov. Phil Murphy, are attempting to convince the Sixers to move into the Garden State. Murphy told Action News:
“We’ve been observing the lack of progress in Philadelphia and we said, ‘You know what, we’re going to raise this with them.’ And we’re serious about it and they seem to be serious about it.”
The Sixers – while an ever-popular team of Garden State residents and a favorite among NJ sports betting users – moving to Camden would not make it a New Jersey team, since they would be located less than a mile from Philadelphia. However, building an arena could enhance the Camden area.
Sixers would not be New Jersey’s team should it move to Camden
A potential move into the Garden State, especially if it’s Camden, would not mean the Philadelphia 76ers become a New Jersey team. The easternmost point in Philadelphia is Penn’s Landing, a popular attraction located a mere 0.8 miles away from the Sixers’ headquarters and practice facility.
There are plenty of scenarios of teams that represent a city or state and play home games elsewhere. Look no further than the New York Giants and Jets. Even casual fans know that both teams play home games in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Despite that fact, neither franchise is considered to be a New Jersey team. Both teams’ headquarters are even in the Garden State.
The San Francisco 49ers play home games at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California, which is 30 miles south of the San Francisco Airport. The 49ers’ home field is seven miles from downtown San Jose. However, nobody says it’s San Jose’s team.
The same can be said for the 76ers, should a move ever happen. The entire South Jersey area, including Camden, is considered to be an extension of the Philadelphia area. So, it would not be New Jersey’s basketball team by any means.
Crime has improved in Camden
Camden is considered one of the more dangerous cities in the country. According to SecurityGauge, it is safer than only 4% of all US cities. There are 15.86 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, compared to the 2.03 for all New Jersey cities.
However, the crime rate in New Jersey has improved over the last several years. City-Data graded Camden’s crime rate at 609.6 in 2022, which is a huge improvement since 2010. That said, it’s still well above the national average of roughly 250. Here is how the crime rate looked in Camden from 2010 to 2015:
- 2010: 958.1
- 2011: 1151.8
- 2012: 1107.6
- 2013: 1000.5
- 2014: 786.9
- 2015: 777.8
The rate had gotten as low as 467 in 2021 before coming back up to the 609.6 in 2022. City-Data has not reported 2023 totals.
While still higher than many would like, it at least appears that Camden officials have made progress in making the city safer.
Benefits of having a pro basketball team in Camden
A new basketball arena would certainly give Camden an economic boom, a welcome prospect considering the town has frequently been listed as among the most poverty-riddled in New Jersey.
The Golden State Warriors opened a $1.4 billion arena in downtown San Francisco in 2019. The next-newest arena – expected to open this year for the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, California – is costing the franchise $2 billion. The cost of a new NBA arena for the Sixers would be anywhere in the $1.5 billion to $2 billion neighborhood, or possibly more.
A new arena would be an economic boom for Camden it wouldn’t normally have. The addition of a new building of that size and impact would generate tax dollars for the city, which can be reinvested into the community to make it safer.
The Sixers technically operate out of Camden, but play their home games in Philadelphia. Should the team make a new arena, it’ll certainly make Camden a better place.
