April 11, 2016
Ed Snider, the chairman of Comcast Spectacor and the Philadelphia Flyers, has passed away after a two-year battle with cancer, his children announced:
“We are deeply saddened to announce that our father, Ed Snider has died after a two year battle with cancer. He was 83.
Our Dad was loved and admired for his big heart, generosity of spirit, and dedication to his family. Despite his considerable business achievements and public profile, he was first and foremost a family man. He never missed a birthday, important family event or the opportunity to offer encouragement. We turned first to him for advice in our personal and professional lives. We grew up tagging behind him in arenas, stadiums and locker rooms; and his players, management and team personnel were our extended family. He treated his employees with respect regardless of rank or position, and the man they called “Mr. Snider” always would have preferred simply to be called “Ed.”
First and foremost, Snider will be remembered for his passionate ownership of the Flyers. He had been in California battling health problems this season while his beloved team clawed its way back into the playoffs. Just a couple of days ago, Lauren Hart was able to FaceTime Snider during the singing of “God Bless America” before the Orange and Black clinched a playoff berth against Pittsburgh.
Probably nobody else made the type of overall impact on Philadelphia sports that Ed Snider did. Not only did he bring the Flyers to Philadelphia and own the 76ers, Snider and Comcast Spectacor are also responsible for the creation of media staples like Comcast SportsNet and WIP.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
