It’s rare to see the Philadelphia 76ers’ arena taken over by another team’s fan base. Recently, the New York Knicks’ crowd attempted to turn the Wells Fargo Center into Madison Square Garden as the Knicks battled the Sixers for Games 3 and 4 in the NBA Playoffs.
Some Sixers downplayed the New York-heavy presence, while others admitted they felt some type of way.
“I love our fans. I think it’s unfortunate. I’m not calling them out, but it is disappointing,” Joel Embiid said after Game 4. “Obviously, we got a lot of Knicks fans, and they’re down the road, but I’ve never seen it. I’ve been here 10 years. It kinda pisses me off. Philly is considered a sports town. They’ve always shown up, and I don’t think that should happen. It’s not OK.”
As expected, Embiid’s comments held a lot of weight. At that point, it was unclear if the Sixers would be back at the Wells Fargo Center again this year, as their Game 5 battle at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday was an elimination game.
Despite looking down and out in the final minute of the fourth quarter, Tyrese Maxey put together a masterful sequence, helping the Sixers force overtime. At that point, the Sixers took care of business in the extra period, and forced a Game 6 at home.
Now, the Sixers are faced with a couple of challenges. One, they have to win to stay alive, forcing a Game 7 at MSG on Saturday. Two, they have to keep Knicks fans out of the crowd to avoid another takeover from their rivals.
How will the Sixers combat the challengers? For starters, some of the team’s current and former partners have worked together on a plan to ensure that thousands of tickets end up in the hands of those who are rooting for Philadelphia.
According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Josh Harris, David Blitzer, David Adelman, and Michael Rubin are teaming up to purchase more than 2,000 tickets to Game 6. They plan to offer the tickets to first responders, healthcare professionals, community groups, and other local organizations.
It’s a win-win for all parties involved.
In addition to distributing tickets to fans, the Sixers will also extend their popular in-game promotion, “Bricken for Chicken,” throughout the entire game. With consecutive free throw misses, fans in attendance have the opportunity to redeem prizes from Chick-Fil-A. Typically, the promotion only counts for misses in the second half.
With a potential prize at stake, fans tend to get more amped up and motivated to distract free throw shooters. For Game 6, the promotion is available throughout the entire outing. And if the Sixers advance beyond round one, that will remain the case for the rest of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
The Sixers and the Knicks will tip-off at 9 PM ET on Thursday. A win for Philly forces a Game 7, which would take place this weekend. A New York win puts an end to the Sixers’ season.
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