Fresh from the realization there’s little chance for a new arena in the greater Philly area, Comcast-Spectacor has decided to sell the Philadelphia Phantoms — and the new owners are unlikely to keep the team in the area.Fresh from the realization there’s little chance for a new arena in the greater Philly area, Comcast-Spectacor has decided to sell the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL) — and the new owners are unlikely to keep the team in the area.
The Brooks Group of Pittsburgh is buying the franchise for an undisclosed sum. The future of the team came into play last year when it was announced that the team’s home, The Spectrum, would be torn down in favor of entertainment-related development. Comcast-Spectator first looked at a new home in the Philly suburbs and briefly explored a move to Atlantic City before concluding the prospects for finding an AHL-suitable arena was between slim and none — and in this economy, no one was going to jump up and build one.
So let the speculation begin on where the Phantoms will end up. It’s no secret many in the AHL see Lehigh Valley as a prime market: local officials saw the success of baseball’s Lehigh Valley IronPigs and would like to see something similar on the arena side, especially with hockey a success in nearby Hershey and Wilkes-Barre.
