- Ed Snider
Infobox Person
name = Ed Snider
image_size = 200px
caption = Snider's plaque in theHockey Hall of Fame
birth_date = birth date and age|1933|01|06
birth_place =Washington, D.C.
occupation = Chairman,Comcast-Spectacor Edward M. Snider (born
January 6 ,1933 ,Washington, D.C. ) is the Chairman ofComcast-Spectacor , aPhiladelphia -based sports and entertainment company which owns thePhiladelphia Flyers of the NHL, thePhiladelphia 76ers of theNBA , thePhiladelphia Phantoms of the minorAmerican Hockey League , theWachovia Center , theWachovia Spectrum , the regional sports networkComcast SportsNet andGlobal Spectrum , an international facilities management company.Biography
Snider, the son of a successful grocery-store chain owner, attended the University of Maryland and earned his bachelor's degree. He would become a partner in Edge Ltd., a record company. After selling the company, Snider joined
Jerry Wolman (builder) and his brother-in-lawEarl Foreman (attorney) to buy thePhiladelphia Eagles in 1964. He bought a 7 percent stake in the team, and served as vice president and treasurer.Upon learning that the NHL was planning to expand, Snider made plans for a new arena--the Spectrum--to house both a hockey team and the 76ers. On February 8, 1966, the NHL awarded Philadelphia a conditional franchise, one which would eventually be named the
Philadelphia Flyers and start playing in 1967. Snider assumed control of the Spectrum in 1971, and in 1974 created Spectacor as a holding company for the Flyers and the Spectrum.Spectacor would found or acquire several businesses under his direction, most notably a regional premium cable channel, PRISM, and the first all-sports radio station, WIP. Seeing that a new arena would keep the Flyers competitive with the rest of the league, Snider began planning for what would become the CoreStates Center (now the Wachovia Center) in 1988.
Prior to the Wachovia Center's opening in 1996, he sold a 66% stake in Spectacor to Philadelphia-based
Comcast , creating Comcast-Spectacor. However, Snider remained chairman of the venture, retaining a 34% interest. Soon after, Comcast-Spectacor along with thePhiladelphia Phillies createdComcast SportsNet in 1996. The company also bought the 76ers, who had been Snider's tenants since 1971. Comcast-Spectacor also won an expansion franchise in the AHL, the Phantoms."In a 1999
Philadelphia Daily News poll, Snider was selected as the city’s greatest sports mover and shaker, beating out legends such as Connie Mack,Sonny Hill ,Bert Bell , andRoger Penske ." [http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/history/halloffame/snider.asp]Snider and his third wife Christine reside in suburban Philadelphia [http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/pressbox/Backchecking/1808.asp] . Snider's children include Craig, Jay, Lindy, Tina, Sarena and Samuel. Snider also has 15 grandchildren. [http://www.comcast-spectacor.com/corporate/bios/EdSnider.asp] Snider's marriage to Myrna ended in divorce. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE7DC133BF932A35751C1A967958260] Snider's marriage to his second wife Martha also ended in divorce. [http://www.tinangel.com/10th/10th_scrap2.html] His son
Jay Snider served as President of thePhiladelphia Flyers from 1983 to 1994 and President of Spectacor, Inc. from 1987 to 1994.In 1985, he and philosopher
Leonard Peikoff founded theAyn Rand Institute for the advancement of Objectivism.External links
* [http://www.comcast-spectacor.com/corporate/bios/EdSnider.asp Comcast-Spectacor Corporate Bio]
* [http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/history/halloffame/snider.asp Flyers Hall of Fame Bio]
* [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?type=Builder&mem=B198801&list=ByName#photo Hockey Hall of Fame Profile]
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