Ed Snider: The Last Sports Mogul

Most sports team owners make their money elsewhere and purchase a team as an extravagant hobby--but that is not the story of Ed Snider. One of the few owners in history to get control of a franchise by mortgaging nearly everything to his name, the longtime Philadelphia Flyers chairman would go on to form the billion-dollar empire of Comcast-Spectacor and cement his standing as one of the most influential businessmen in the city's history.

Snider was ambitious and entrepreneurial, though extraordinarily demanding of those who worked for him. He was affectionate with his loved ones, yet often showed a surprising lack of emotional intelligence. His staunch capitalist beliefs contrasted his progressive-minded views on the business of hockey and in sharing his wealth with those in need.

The Last Sports Mogul embraces all sides of Snider to form a complex portrait of the unparalleled figure once named Philadelphia's greatest mover and shaker of the millennium.

ISBN-13: 9781629379845

Media Type: Hardcover

Publisher: Triumph Books

Publication Date: 09-27-2022

Pages: 336

Product Dimensions: 5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

Alan Bass is a freelance writer who has covered the NHL for The Hockey News since 2009. His work has also appeared in outlets including NHL.com, Bleacher Report, CNN.com, and ESPN.com. He lives in Wenonah, New Jersey, where he owns a small business.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

1 Growing Up in Washington, D.C 1

2 College, Christmas Trees, CPA, and a Record Company 15

3 Joining and Running the Eagles 26

4 Saving the Hockey Team 42

5 Breakup with Wolman 56

6 Jumpstarting the Flyers 69

7 Saving the Spectrum and Creating a Dynasty 86

8 The Start of a Business Empire 102

9 At the Forefront of NHL Progress 123

10 Passing It to the Next Generation 139

11 Battling for Philadelphia 159

12 An Unexpected Return 174

13 The Comcast Deal 190

14 Expanding the Empire 201

15 Grappling with Success 220

16 A Building Falls, but the Memories Remain 237

17 Bringing Hockey to the Inner City 260

18 Philanthropy and Spreading Capitalism 273

19 Fighting through the Final Days 285

Epilogue: Tributes and an Outpouring of Love 303

Acknowledgments 311

Selected Bibliography 314