Comcast CEO Roberts: Snider 'understood his mortality' and planned for future

Comcast Corp. chief executive Brian Roberts said on Monday that Ed Snider realized "his mortality" with the advance of his cancer and had taken steps for a smooth transition for his "beloved Flyers" and stadium-manager Comcast Spectacor.

Roberts said he did not see big changes at the Flyers or Comcast Spectacor, based in South Philadelphia. Comcast owns 76 percent of Comcast Spectacor and Snider owned the other 24 percent. Officials say it's too early to tell what the Snider family with do with his stake in the company. Snider died early Monday at 83.

"We planned for this," Roberts said in a phone interview from New York, adding that for Snider "building that [Flyers] franchise was everything."

Over the last two years, Comcast executives have increasingly moved into top position at Comcast Spectacor, particularly after the sudden departure of Snider's long-time ally and friend Peter Luukko in December 2013. Former Comcast cable executive Dave Scott now heads Comcast Spectactor and has been joined by other Comcast executives.

Roberts said Snider's death was a deep personal loss as he considered Snider a mentor, particularly as his father, Comcast founder Ralph Roberts, aged. Ralph Roberts died last year at 95. "Ed understood his mortality and we openly discussed succession for several years," Brian Roberts said.