A multidimensional biography of one of Philadelphia’s ultimate power brokers
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 start a franchise by mortgaging nearly everything to his name, the Philadelphia Flyers founder would go on to form the billion-dollar empire of Comcast-Spectacor and cement his standing as one of the biggest movers and shakers in the city’s history.
Snider was ambitious and entrepreneurial, though his ferocious demands for perfection would scare some employees away. He was affectionate with his treasured family yet lacked emotional intelligence in other personal matters. Staunchly capitalist, Snider could be progressive-minded when it came to sharing his wealth with those in need.
The Last Sports Mogul embraces these seeming contradictions to form a complex portrait of an unparalleled figure in sports, business, and civic history.
Thoroughly researched and reported, this is a fascinating business story encompassing humble beginnings, unprecedented success, and the values one chooses at the end of the day.
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“I think his life was full right to the end. You regret losing him, but when you leave, you celebrate him, you don’t feel sorry. Not many times you run into people like that. I think everybody feels the same when you talk to them about Mr. Snider. They don’t feel sorry. They’re thankful that they got to spend part of their time with him.”
— Bob Clarke, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, 1987
“I don’t know of any owner who had more passion for the game than Mr. Snider did. He genuinely cared about the game of hockey. He genuinely loved the Flyers and Philadelphia. He thought that they were number one and the rest of the world was number two.”
— Wayne Gretzky“What I remember the most is his passion toward his people, his passion toward his vision, the future. It’s something I’ll never forget. It’s awesome.”
— Bernie Parent, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, 1984Be the first to write a review about this audiobook!
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.