Philadelphia arena project designers update renderings after social media criticism
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 10, 2026, 10:01 PM
Last updated Sep 10, 2026

Design firm Populous updated architectural renderings for the proposed South Philadelphia arena after an initial version appeared to exclude women from the crowd. The original image, released alongside project plans by the Flyers and 76ers, depicted an almost entirely male group of fans arriving at the venue. Public feedback on social media highlighted the absence of female representation in the design, leading to the prompt release of a revised version. The planned facility is a joint venture between the NBA and NHL teams and is designated to house a future WNBA franchise by 2030. The structure will be built on the historical site of the Spectrum. A spokesperson for Populous confirmed the company took responsibility for the initial graphic and worked to replace it on the project website.
- •Populous released updated renderings for the proposed South Philadelphia arena project.
- •Initial versions drew criticism on social media for appearing to exclude female fans.
- •The arena is a joint venture between the Flyers and 76ers.
- •The venue will host a WNBA team starting in 2030.
- •The site occupies the historical location of the former Spectrum arena.
- 10:01 PMYahoo Sports — Philadelphia Arena Project Quietly Updates Rendering That Initially Appeared to Exclude Women Fans
"The original rendering didn’t appear to depict any women Flyers fans.
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