Comcast's Peter Luukko's Role With 76ers, Flyers Examined
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Profile Examines Luukko's (l)
Involvement In Flyers, 76ers Operations |
Comcast-Spectacor President & COO Peter Luukko is profiled by the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS' Sam Donnellon, who notes Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Chair Ed Snider has “incrementally increased” Luukko's involvement in the day-to-day operations of the Flyers and 76ers and has “leaned heavily on his recommendations.” This year, the 76ers have “pushed Luukko into the public eye,” as he received permission from both Snider and Nets President ROD THORN to offer ED STEFANSKI the job of President & GM. That move meant firing Billy King, who had “received Snider’s support repeatedly as criticism of the [76ers] mounted.” Meanwhile, despite Luukko insisting that former Flyers GM Bob Clarke “resigned voluntarily” last October, several Comcast employees said that Luukko “spent much of the months preceding that day probing into the operation of the Flyers, as he did last summer and this fall with the [76ers].” Clarke’s resignation and coach Ken Hitchcock’s dismissal "were simultaneous, further fueling the perception that [Clarke] was forced out.” Donnellon notes with each move, the “relative anonymity Luukko enjoyed while overseeing Snider’s other endeavors in building management and food service dissipated.” But while Luukko and Snider are “aware of the perception out there that Comcast is really calling the shots, and forcing their hand,” both indicated that Brian and Ralph Roberts, who own 75% of Comcast, have “better things to do.” Snider: “They let us do our thing.” Luukko added, “When we have issues down here, we’ll call Brian and ask, ‘What’s your take?’ … But there’s never a phone call that says, ‘You will do this.’ Or even, ‘What are you guys doing?’” (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 12/20).
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