*By Brian Henry*
The Delaware Blue Coats will make their debut Wednesday night at the brand new Philadelphia 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Del., and the team will share the spotlight with an arena that boasts five stories, can seat 2,500 fans, and includes three NBA-regulation basketball courts.
But flashy as the arena may be, it was designed with a less glamorous intention ー to promote youth sports in the state of Delaware and the greater Philadelphia region.
"It's so different than anything that we've ever seen. On the other side of this basketball court in this arena we have a full-size football field, soccer field, lacrosse field, we have sports rehab," said Chris Heck, the president of the Philadelphia 76ers.
"It's all geared towards youth. We have retail shops, concessions, there's parking gear," he added.
According to Heck, the Fieldhouse is an ideal setup for an NBA development team like the Blue Coasts, members of the G League.
Heck said the stadium is such a draw that "when we're at the 76ers \[home stadium\] we sell out every game. There's an incredible demand for tickets. This gives us an opportunity, right down the road, about 26 miles from South Philadelphia, in Wilmington, Delaware, to actually cater to our fans with our G league affiliate."
Ninety-five percent of front row seats have already sold out for the season, which Heck attributes to the Fieldhouse.
"Its small enough where it's going to be a hard ticket to get but it's also small enough where you can really be a part of the action."
The 76ers Fieldhouse will also host adult leagues, tournaments, clinics, play-days and even serve as a concert venue.
Eighteen of the Blue Coats' 24 home games will be played at new 76ers Fieldhouse for the remainder of 2018-19 season.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-delaware-blue-coats-unveil-76ers-fieldhouse-as-their-new-home).
Chris Heck, president of business operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, discusses the NBA playing a game in London. He also talks the league's jump into esports.
The Philadelphia 76ers' President of Business Operations, Chris Heck, says that the NBA is a "truly international league."
The first tip is to not have an ego, "accept what you're not good at, and get help with those things."
2017 was not an easy year for Under Armour, as the stock fell over 50%. Jim Mollica, Head of Global Consumer Engagement and Digital Marketing at Under Armour, discusses how the company is using technology to revitalize the brand.
CEO and Founder of Chat Sports James Yoder talks Trump and the thrilling NCAA Football national championship. Yoder says some fans were delayed getting into the stadium by as much as 45 minutes thanks to the President's presence. Traffic also came to a standstill in downtown Atlanta.
College football championships kick off Monday evening. Alabama's Crimson Tide is taking on the Georgia Bulldogs. Last week's semifinals achieved one of cable history's highest viewerships, and ESPN saw double digit audience growth year-over-year. ThePostGame.com Senior Editor Jeff Eisenband and FiveThirtyEight's Senior Sportswriter Neil Paine explain their expectations for the final.
Professional Bull Riders is celebrating its 25th season with a huge event at Madison Square Garden January 5th. Sean Gleason, CEO of Professional Bull Riders, and two-time World Champion bull rider J.B. Mauney, aka "the John Wayne of PBR", join Cheddar to discuss the fast-growing sport.
Kalanick sells Uber shares, and Apple admits vulnerability. Plus Michael Wolff's controversial book "Fire and Fury" hits shelves today, and the east coast digs out from the "Bomb Cyclone."
Is there trouble in paradise for Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft? New reports out of ESPN chronicle a power struggle between Brady and his head coach. Nick Dimengo, Senior Editor at FHM Magazine, joins Cheddar to discuss how ego could impact the future of what some call America's most powerful team.
"At the end of the day, this relationship will end most likely with Belichick and Brady leaving together," Nick Dimengo, senior editor at FHM Magazine, told Cheddar.
Load More