Alan Bass

Ed Snider: The Last Sports Mogul Alan Bass

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.