Philadelphia Wings (1987–2014)
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| Division | Eastern |
|---|---|
| Played | 1987–2014 |
| Arena | Wells Fargo Center |
| Based in | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Colors | Red, black, white |
| Championships | 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001 |
| Division titles | 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 |
The Philadelphia Wings were a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America from 1987 until 2014. They played at the Spectrum (1987–96) and the Wells Fargo Center (1997–2014) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Wings were one of the four original teams in the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League that began play in 1987 and the only team to reclaim its identity from the original 1974–75 National Lacrosse League and also retained the first Philadelphia Wings logo.
The Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League was renamed the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1989, and again to the National Lacrosse League in 1998. They are the only franchise to have played all 24 seasons in the same city. The Wings have the most titles in the combined league history with six total: four North American Cups in the MILL era and two Champion's Cup since the formation of the NLL.
On July 11, 2014, it was announced on the team's website that the Wings would be relocating after 28 years in Philadelphia. On September 19, 2014, it was announced that the team will be known as the New England Black Wolves and will play at the Mohegan Sun Arena. However, the name, logo, history and identity remain in Philadelphia with the possibility of being placed on the new expansion franchise.
In September 2017 the National Lacrosse League announced that Comcast-Spectacor would be the owners of an expansion franchise for the 2018-19 season. On November 29, 2017 it was announced the new franchise would use the "Wings" name.
The Philadelphia Wings were one of the original four franchises in the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, joining the New Jersey Saints, Washington Wave, and Baltimore Thunder in the premiere season. While the Wings were not an immediate success on the floor, going 3-3 and 3-5 in the first two regular seasons with two playoff losses, they were the biggest draw in the league. They drew an average of almost 12,000 fans to their three 1987 regular season games, and slightly over 12,000 fans for their four games in 1988.
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