Ed Snider, a famous record company owner, did not know what hockey was in the early 60’s. He was introduced to it when a friend had an extra ticket to the Rangers’ game, and offered it to Snider. Ed responded with, “What’s that all about?”
“It’s a National Hockey League game.”
“Ok, sure. I don’t have anything else to do.”
Ed Snider fell in love with the game of hockey instantaneously. He loved the fast pace of it, the smooth play, the sound of the crisp blades hitting the fresh ice and making that “shooshing” sound that we all love so much. The pucks, the sticks, the goal posts, the sound of the crowd when a goal is scored. Everything that we love the game for today.
Coincidentally, the NHL was expanding for the first time in its history, and Ed Snider had a brilliant idea.
Why not apply for an NHL team in Philadelphia?
Philly had never held a successful professional hockey team, but he thought that it was worth a try.
He lobbied with the NHL for a team, and was eventually awarded the right to a franchise, one that became one of the most successful franchises in the history of the game.
Ed Snider opened the Spectrum in 1967, and the Philadelphia Flyers had a home to play in. The Philadelphia Flyers were born. He turned the now called Wachovia complex into the most successful entertainment complex in the world.
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Snider pulled all of the right strings, hired all of the right people, and made all of the right moves to both create a successful hockey team and make a profit at the same time. In fact, the Flyers have only gone one season without making a profit, which was the 2004 season, the one before the lockout.
The owner of the Flyers sold 66 percent of his company, called Spectacor, to Comcast in 1996, and with it, he bought the Philadelphia 76ers, and created the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Flyers’ AHL affiliate who have won two Calder Cups in their short history.
Not only is Snider a great hockey executive, he is also a great person. He is a huge philanthropist, and has founded the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. The Foundation was started by Snider in 2005 to provide a way for inner city children to play hockey.
Hockey, however, is only one part of it. The program will teach the children necessary life skills, and provide them with educational assistance to help them stay in school. The program has already touched the lives of over 1,000 children, and reflects Snider's strong commitment to give back to the community that has supported him.
He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 and serves on the NHL's Executive Committee. He has won the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States and has been elected to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater Washington DC Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and the Flyers Hall of Fame.
In February of 2001, Snider received Temple University's First Annual Sports Leadership Award. In December 1999, he received the Anti-Defamation League's prestigious Americanism Award. In 1985, Snider received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from MCP Hahnemann University and in May of 1999, he was given the same award from Thomas Jefferson Hospital. He is also a supporter of the Sol C. Snider Entrepreneurial Center of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Ed Snider is the reason that the Flyers exist today. He is the genius mind behind the creation and success of the Philadelphia Flyers, the team that all us Philadelphians love and cherish today.
You cannot be a Flyers’ fan without first recognizing what Ed Snider has done for the city of Philadelphia. You cannot continue to be a fan unless you love and respect this man for everything in his life.
He is Philadelphia’s greatest mover and shaker of the millennium as picked by readers of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
This, and everything else in the aforementioned article, is what contributed to Ed Snider being picked as the most influential person in Philadelphia Flyers’ history.
This is the final article in the series of ten articles. Thank you for reading, commenting, and supporting this series of Flyers’ articles.
History of the Philadelphia Flyers (DVD)
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about 1 month ago
Wow a great finale to such an amazing and wonderful individual. Thanks for this series, Alan, it was fantastic to read!
about 1 month ago
Really nice job on this Alan. Your articles were nice reading and informative.
I do like the Flyers and who they are as an organization.
I have a good friend who used to work in Comcast Spectacor's HR Department. His office was ice level in the Spectrum. I kid you not, you walk out of his office and you are 25 paces to the Flyers locker room.
Anyway, he showed me all around the Spectrum. There is great history in that building and with that club.
from about 1 month ago
That's awesome, Shawn. What is his name?
about 1 month ago
Great article Alan!
As an avid Flyers fan, I truly appreciate what Ed Snider has done. He is a genius, in hockey and in real life.
about 1 month ago
This is really well done Alan. As soon as I saw the question in the headline, I knew it would be Ed Snider and you didn't disappoint.
It must be nice to have an owner who actually has a passion for hockey and knows how to get things done... *sniff*
from about 1 month ago
ahahaha nice josh. and thanks
from about 1 month ago
Don't worry, I'll be ruthless when the next trivia challenge comes around.
from about 1 month ago
lol i dont have any time to research these anymore...
about 1 month ago
So, Bobby was the highest ranked player, good.
You know, back in '67, I believe it was, the wind blew the top off the Spectrum and Mr. Snider hustled around and got that thing repaired when others would still be wondering how to get insurance to fix it. Ed Snider looked out for the community, that is all you can ask for in ownership. He's in the PJS Hall of Fame so that tells you his fellow man respects the work he has done as a community leader.
A strong ending to an outstanding series.
about 1 month ago
Mr. Snider and his parties were always so gracious to our staffs and he is quite the knowledgeable epicurean.
Now, if we can only get my cable bills straightened out Ed...
I will miss this series as it is the only connection that I see for Hockey and me now.
27 days ago
I still thin Lindros was influential. So many high hopes, so many broken heads, year in, year out, Lindros this, Lindros that...I think he should have a place somewhere, maybe alternate.
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