New Sixers and Flyers partnership with Bank of America will include community initiatives
The Club Level is getting renamed, but Xfinity Mobile Arena will likely remain cashless.
It’s the Bank of America Club Level now.
The Flyers, Sixers, and Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday announced a new partnership with Bank of America, which will serve as the arena and teams’ banking partner this season. In addition to naming rights for the Club Level, the deal includes community efforts aimed at benefiting small businesses and youth sports.
“It just is historic on many levels, in that we’re three iconic brands coming together,” said Comcast Spectator chairman and CEO Dan Hilferty. “We’re focused on being key players in Xfinity Mobile Arena, and Bank of America will partner with us on doing some really, really fun things in the community.” Comcast Spectacor owns both the arena and the Flyers.
The deal, for which financial details were not disclosed, is “the most significant partnership” Bank of America has undertaken in its 20-plus years in the Philadelphia market, said Bank of America Greater Philadelphia president Jim Dever. Among its focuses is serving as a presenting partner in the Sixers’ small-business initiatives, such as the Spirit of Small Business Program and the Enrich Program, which benefit independent local businesses with aid and promotion.
“This is an area that’s a prime focus to us, to be able to drive further economic mobility through small business and amplify their mission, and draw more patronage their way,” Dever said.
The company will also head a youth-hockey-focused initiative in which it plans to donate up to $250,000 worth of hockey equipment to Philadelphia-area schools. Additional programs aimed at youth development and small business support will also be established, the organizations said in a statement, but details remain forthcoming.
Tad Brown, CEO of the Sixers and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, said the partnership would allow the organizations to come together to “amplify all of our resources to benefit our fans and the region.”
Despite its new banking partner, however, Xfinity Mobile Arena will likely remain cashless, and Dever said the organizations were not envisioning ATMs on the premises. Though, the partnership may create a small change for Hilferty.
“I’m going to have to go elsewhere to get my cash,” he joked. “But that’s OK.”