Published: Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 6:40 AM     Updated: Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 1:05 PM

By Conor Berry, The Republican
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Republican file photoCeltics' Paul Pierce, center, rebounds the ball between Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young, left, and Samuel Dalembert during the first quarter of an Oct. 8, 2008, game at the Mullins Center in Amherst.

AMHERST -- The Boston Celtics will play a preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Mullins Center on Oct. 19, according to Global Spectrum, which manages the 10,500-seat sports and concert arena on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

This will be the second preseason match-up between the teams at the Amherst venue, which hosted them in October 2008.

The Sixers, who defeated the Celts, 98-92, in front of a capacity crowd in that October outing, will again have the home-court advantage this fall. The reason for the hometown status for an out-of-town team is simple: The Sixers and Global Spectrum are both owned by Comcast-Spectacor, the Philadelphia-based entertainment and sports company.

AP file photoPaul Pierce takes flight in this AP file photo.

"It's exciting for us to be able to bring the Sixers to the Mullins Center this season, as we enjoy being able to showcase our two professional teams at some of the venues we manage each year," Comcast-Spectacor President Peter A. Luukko, a 1981 UMass graduate, said in a release promoting the upcoming game.

Comcast-Spectacor also owns the Philadelphia Flyers, the NHL hockey team.

"Personally, for me, this is a thrill to be back on the campus of my alma mater, UMass, where we, as a company, can help give back to the school by providing valuable on-site educational experiences for interns and students affiliated with the sports management program here at UMass," Luukko said.

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)Delonte West saves the ball in this AP file photo.

Luukko earned his sports management degree from UMass.

Tickets, including VIP and hospitality packages, go on sale June 8 at 10am. Tickets are available at the Mullins Center Box Office and at all Ticketmaster outlets. More information is available online at mullinscenter.com.

Besides the Mullins Center, Global Spectrum (www.global-spectrum.com) manages more than 100 other public facilities around the world.