More (name) changes are coming to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Gone are the days of the Wells Fargo Center — and now Xfinity Live!
The popular South Philly sports bar and entertainment venue will become Stateside Live! as part of a new partnership with Kensington-based distillery Stateside Brands. The name change is expected to take effect sometime this fall.
The name change comes a week after the Wells Fargo Center became the Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Stateside Brands co-founder Matt Quigley called the naming rights partnership a "full-circle crowning moment" in a press release.
"If you really look at the epicenter of our growth, it is rooted in Philadelphia, but particularly Philly sports," Quigley said. "We built our following one sporting event at a time, over a decade of tailgates and supporting our teams."
Stateside and Philly sports do have a little bit of history of crossing paths. The Philadelphia-based distillery collected more than 350 Ben Simmons jerseys in 2022 and donated them to shelters in Brooklyn, where the Sixers traded the 2016 No. 1 overall pick. Sixers fans received a $25 gift card to Stateside Vodka for the jerseys.
In a press release, Cordish Companies' Live! Hospitality and Entertainment and Stateside Brands said the partnership coincides with a $20 million expansion of the South Philly venue. The companies say the upgrades are expected to be completed in 2026.
"We couldn't be more excited to bring this unique and homegrown naming rights partnership to the city and continue delivering a world-class hospitality and entertainment experience for our millions of guests each year," Live! Hospitality & Entertainment VP Tony Monaco said in a press release.
Changes are coming to the sports complex over the next decade. A new shared arena with the Flyers, Sixers and likely the city's expansion WNBA team is planned to be ready in 2031.
In February 2024, Comcast Spectacor unveiled plans to transform the South Philly sports complex by adding a hotel, new retail shops, and an outdoor plaza, among other upgrades. A month later, the Phillies partnered with Comcast Spectacor.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has expressed interest in building a new stadium in South Philadelphia. The Birds recently emailed a survey to fans about a new stadium and renovations to Lincoln Financial Field.
Tom Dougherty
Tom Dougherty is a digital content producer for CBS Philadelphia. Before joining CBS Philadelphia, Tom covered sports for NBC Sports Philadelphia. He currently covers breaking news and sports.