- Comcast Spector and The Cordish Companies plan to build a $50 million arena for the Philadelphia Fusion, an esports team in the Overwatch League.
- The Fusion Arena will be located in the center of the Philadelphia Sports Complex, adjacent to the city’s NBA, NFL, and MLB venues.
- The venue will span 60,000 square feet and seat 3,500 guests in the main arena; the Philadelphia Fusion training facility, broadcast studio and team offices will be housed in the arena as well.
An esports team will soon have their very own $50 million arena in the heart of the Philadelphia Sports Complex, based on a proposal announced today by Comcast Spectacor and The Cordish Companies. Comcast wants to build the arena to house the Philadelphia Fusion, the team they built to compete in the Overwatch League.
The new venue, Fusion Arena, will span 60,000 square feet and seat up to 3,5000 guests. Comcast expects Fusion Arena to host a variety of live entertainment as well as competitive gaming events. Fusion Arena will be directly ajacent to the Xfinity Live! complex and will sit between the Philadelphia’s MLB, NBA, and NFL stadiums. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.
All 20 Overwatch League teams will start hosting home matches in 2020, but Fusion Arena will be the first dedicated team venue.
Philadelphia Fusion
Earlier this month Overwatch League Commissioner Nate Nanzer announced that all 20 teams will have an opportunity to play in their home cities during the 2020 season. The second season of the Overwatch League started in February, but so far all of the matches have been played at the Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California.
It’s unclear whether the Fusion Arena will be ready in time to host next season, but the Philadelphia Fusion is the first team to create their own dedicated arena.
Fusion Arena will house the team offices and offer top-of-the-line amenities.
Philadelphia Fusion
Like traditional sports venues, Fusion Arena will offer balcony, club and lodge seating and executive suites with top-of-the-line amenities. Outside of the main event space, the arena will have a dedicated training facility for the team, a broadcast studio, and team offices.
The Philadelphia Sports Complex is growing rapidly, and Fusion Arena is right in the center.
Philadelphia Fusion
“We are thrilled to bring this ambitious idea to life and celebrate the arrival of Fusion Arena with gaming enthusiasts throughout the region and beyond,” Joe Marsh, Chief Business Officer of Spectacor Gaming and the Philadelphia Fusion, said. “This project places esports alongside all the major traditional sports that call South Philadelphia home.”
The Philadelphia Sports Complex is currently in a state of renewal. The Wells Fargo Center, which houses the Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers, is currently undergoing a $250 million renovation. In February, Comcast Spectacor and The Cordish Companies announced plans for an $80 million office building in the complex called Pattison Place.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – kwebb@businessinsider.com (Kevin Webb)