Alan Horwitz (born January 16, 1944) is an American businessman and the founder and chairman of Campus Apartments, a student housing company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[1] Horwitz is also a superfan of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association and is known for sitting courtside at every 76ers home game wearing his "#76 SIXTH MAN" jersey.
Horwitz purchased properties around Penn's campus and built quality and affordable housing for students and later university faculty and young people in the workforce.
[4] Horwitz was able to capture the student housing market as he took advantage of the lack of competition in the business and because of the undeveloped area surrounding the campus.
Horwitz has attended 76ers games since the 1960s when the team played at the Philadelphia Convention Hall and Civic Center and has been a season ticket holder for more than 60 years.
[7] Horwitz notably kneels courtside during the games and has trademark handshakes with many current and former 76ers including Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, Justin Anderson, Lou Williams and Elton Brand.
During Game 4 of the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs against the Orlando Magic, Horwitz acted as a sixth defender and stood as close to the baseline as possible on the final possession.
"[11][12] During the 2012 NBA playoffs, Horwitz was ejected from TD Garden during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the 76ers and the Boston Celtics after making contact with Rajon Rondo.
Other notable people to have rung the bell include Nick Foles, Bryce Harper, Meek Mill, M. Night Shyamalan, Kevin Hart and Charlie Manuel.
[20] On March 7, 2022, Horwitz was involved in an incident where he was apparently snubbed by 76ers shooting guard James Harden during a game against the Chicago Bulls.
Following the incident, Philadelphia sports blog, Crossing Broad reported that Horwitz had been asked by the team to "tone down" his rhetoric and was previously suspended for a game in February 2022 due to such concerns.
[30] Philadelphia Youth Basketball's Alan Horwitz "Sixth Man" Center, a new 100,000-square-foot facility in Nicetown, officially opened on July 10, featuring six basketball courts, classrooms, and educational programs aimed at serving over 6,000 youth annually through partnerships for meals, mental health services, and workforce development.