Editing Ed Snider (section)

== Building the Flyers ==

Edward Malcolm Snider was born on January 6, 1933, in Washington, D.C., his business career including work with Edge Records and the Philadelphia Eagles before his sports ownership began. His 1966 acquisition of an NHL expansion franchise, granted for $2 million, brought professional hockey to Philadelphia and created the organization that would become the city's most successful sports franchise. His insistence on competitive excellence, and his willingness to spend what success required, established standards that other Philadelphia teams would sometimes fail to match.<ref name="bernstein">{{cite book |last=Bernstein |first=Ross |title=Philadelphia Flyers: 50 Years of Hockey in the City of Brotherly Love |year=2016 |publisher=MVP Books |location=Minneapolis}}</ref>

His construction of the Spectrum in 1967, completed in just sixteen months to meet the NHL's deadline, created the arena that would host Philadelphia sports and entertainment for nearly four decades. The building's design, its sightlines, and its atmosphere made it beloved by fans who mourned its eventual demolition. His understanding that arenas required year-round programming beyond sports games led to booking practices that made the Spectrum profitable even when teams struggled.<ref name="freedman"/>

The Flyers' success under his ownership—two Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975, consistent playoff appearances across decades—validated his approach to sports management. His hiring of Fred Shero as coach and his assembly of the "Broad Street Bullies" teams created the era that established Philadelphia hockey's identity. The orange and black colors, the Kate Smith recording of "God Bless America," and the blue-collar playing style all became associated with the city that his franchise represented.<ref name="bernstein"/>