Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA. After their move to Philadelphia, a contest was held to decide on their new name. The winning name, chosen by Walter Stalberg, was the "76ers", after 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. The nickname was quickly shortened to "Sixers" by headline writers, and the two names soon became interchangeable for marketing purposes.