Sixers and Nets to Play Preseason Boardwalk Classic in Atlantic City NBC Sports Philadelph

After reports circulated that this news was coming, the Sixers officially announced Tuesday afternoon that their preseason game with the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 13 will take place inside Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The game, dubbed the "Boardwalk Classic," will be the first NBA action inside the old Convention Hall since 1983, when the teams played the second of two exhibition games in back-to-back seasons, with the Sixers winning both.

“We are delighted to add Sixers basketball to the thriving entertainment in Atlantic City, and we truly appreciate their hospitality during our Boardwalk Classic weekend,” Sixers CEO and Co-Owner Adam Aron said in a statement.
 
“This game can only further the unique rivalry between these two organizations – a series of battles including some of the 76ers’ all-time greats; and now, some of today’s team stars in Andrew Bynum, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner. As we celebrate 50 years in the Philadelphia region, we’re excited to tip off a year’s worth of memories with this special event.”

Of course, A.C. is also happy for the business. Said Don Marrandino, Eastern Division President for Caesars Entertainment, in the release:

"Partnerships and events of this magnitude are what continue to help grow our market and position the City as one of the top entertainment destinations on the East Coast. A key tactic in the strategy of revitalizing Atlantic City is offering events such as this at a time when it is most needed.  We as a business community benefit from the thousands of fans who will choose to visit our destination that weekend and we look forward to a historic pre-season match up between the new-look Sixers and newly minted Brooklyn Nets."

Boardwalk Hall was the home of the Atlantic-10 basketball tournament for the last six years, but lost that event to the new Barclays Center in, appropriately enough, Brooklyn.

If you've never been, we highly recommend purchasing tickets and making the trip. Boardwalk is one of the most unique places in which you could ever watch an event, be it a hockey game, basketball game, concert or boxing match.

Other than the A-10, the building most recently hosted the 2012 AHL All-Star weekend and, according to the Press of Atlantic City, is slated to put on four Albany River Rats game next season.  Of course, it's more known for its boxing history, having hosted countless fights, including three prominent heavyweight bouts in the late 80s and early 90s -- Foreman-Holyfield, Tyson-Spinks, Tyson-Holmes -- and its fair share of Bernard Hopkins' brawls. It even hosted the very first indoor college football game on record, complete with real grass.

And, finally, as I've mentioned before, the building's stage is one of the rare venues still in use in the United States in which The Beatles actually played. It doesn't have anything to do with sports; I've just always thought it was kind of cool.

Fans who made the trip down the Expressway to the A-10 tourney know what they're in store for, but if you haven't yet been inside, we strongly encourage you to do so. If you can find a floor-to-ceiling, random ship-at-sea mural behind your backboard anywhere else, you have our permission to visit there as well.

And now, as I place at the bottom of all our all AC/Boardwalk posts…

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