Editing Philadelphia Flyers (section)

===NHL in Philadelphia before 1967===
[[File:1930 31 Quakers.jpg|thumb|The [[Philadelphia Quakers (NHL)|Philadelphia Quakers]], who played during the [[1930–31 NHL season|1930–31 season]], was Philadelphia's first [[National Hockey League|NHL]] franchise.]]
Prior to 1967, Philadelphia had only iced a team in the NHL in the [[1930–31 NHL season|1930–31 season]], when the financially struggling [[Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL)|Pittsburgh Pirates]] relocated in 1930 as the [[Philadelphia Quakers (NHL)|Philadelphia Quakers]], playing at The Arena at 46th and Market Streets. The club, garbed in orange and black like today's Flyers, was coached by [[J. Cooper Smeaton]], who was to be elected to the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]] 30 years later, for his far more notable role as an NHL referee. Among the young Quakers' skaters in 1930–31 was another future Hall of Famer in 19-year-old rookie center [[Syd Howe]]. The Quakers' only "claim to fame" was to establish a single season NHL record for futility which has stood ever since, by compiling a dismal record of 4–36–4, still the fewest games ever won in a season by an NHL club. The Quakers quietly suspended operations after that single dreadful campaign to again leave the Can-Am League's [[Philadelphia Arrows]] as Philadelphia's lone hockey team. The Quakers' dormant NHL franchise was finally canceled by the league in 1936.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hockeyscoop.net/ahlphl/index.html#Quakers|title=A Concise History of the American Hockey League & Minor Pro Hockey in Philadelphia: 1927-2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1931/09/27/archives/two-sextets-out-of-hockey-league-ottawa-and-philadelphia-agree-to.html | title=TWO SEXTETS OUT OF HOCKEY LEAGUE; Ottawa and Philadelphia Agree to Suspension of Franchises for a Year. EIGHT TEAMS NOW REMAIN Will Play Slightly Increased Sched- ule, with 24 Home Games Each Instead of 22. Detroit Has First Call. Expenses Rose Rapidly | newspaper=The New York Times | date=September 27, 1931}}</ref>

In 1946, a group led by [[Montreal]] and Philadelphia sportsman [[Len Peto]] announced plans to put another NHL team in Philadelphia, to build a $2.5 million rink to seat 20,000 where the [[Baker Bowl|Phillies' former ballpark]] stood at Broad and Huntingdon Streets, and to acquire the franchise of the old [[Montreal Maroons]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Peto Sure He Can Build Arena in Time; National Hockey League Weighs Club Here|date=March 31, 1946|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|page=31}}</ref> The latter was held by the Canadian Arena Company, owner of the [[Montreal Canadiens]]. However, Peto's group was unable to raise funding for the new arena project by the league-imposed deadline, and the NHL cancelled the Maroons franchise.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 1, 1946 |title=Maroon Hockey Franchise May Go to Philadelphia |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/02/01/archives/maroon-hockey-franchise-may-go-to-philadelphia.html |access-date=September 15, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/02/16/archives/hockey-franchises-sought-by-3-cities-national-league-weighs-bids-by.html | title=HOCKEY FRANCHISES SOUGHT BY 3 CITIES; National League Weighs Bids by Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles | newspaper=The New York Times | date=February 16, 1946}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1947/08/17/archives/revival-of-maroon-six-for-philadelphia-seen.html | title=Revival of Maroon Six for Philadelphia Seen | newspaper=The New York Times | date=August 17, 1947}}</ref>

While attending a basketball game on November 29, 1964, at the [[Boston Garden]], [[Ed Snider]], the then-vice-president of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], observed a crowd of [[Boston Bruins]] fans lining up to purchase tickets to see a last-place ice hockey team.<ref name="Snider">{{cite web|url=http://flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/hofprof.cgi?005|title=Ed Snider's Flyers Hall of Fame Profile|access-date=November 10, 2013|work=P. Anson|publisher=Flyers History}}</ref> He began making plans for a new arena upon hearing the NHL was looking to expand due to fears of a competing league taking hold on the West Coast and the desire for a new television contract in the United States. Snider made his proposal to the league, which chose the Philadelphia group – including Snider, Bill Putnam, Jerome Schiff and Philadelphia Eagles owner [[Jerry Wolman]] – over the [[Baltimore]] group.

On April 4, 1966, Putnam announced that there was going to be a name-the-team contest.<ref name="colors">For details, see [[#Colors, name and logo]].</ref> Details of the contest were released on July 12.<ref name="colors" /> Snider's sister, Phyllis, thought that a name that fits well with Philadelphia was "Flyers." Instead of going through with the naming contest, Ed Snider took his sister's advice.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Benedetto |first1=Matt |last2=Charnoff |first2=Amber |title=Why are the Philadelphia Flyers called the Flyers? |url=https://www.abc27.com/sports/philadelphia-flyers/why-are-the-philadelphia-flyers-called-the-flyers/ |website=ABC27 |access-date=May 4, 2024 |date=September 21, 2023}}</ref> The team name was announced on August 3.<ref name="colors" />