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Frank Miceli didn’t need to consult a fortune-teller to figure out his destiny. The answers were written in a magazine he stumbled upon at age 15.
Always a rabid sports fan, Miceli’s eyes beamed as he thumbed to a story about the Flyers, the team’s intensity punctuated by captivating photos. But it was the text he recalled so vividly, specifically comments from Flyers owner Ed Snider, the sports mogul who serves as Comcast-Spectacor chairman.
Miceli, originally from Broad Street and Oregon Avenue, lived a stone’s throw from where the city’s greatest athletic feats took place. Like his neighbors, sports were his lifeblood. In the article, while crediting fans like Miceli, Snider also attributed the success of his franchise to a hard-working, behind-the-scenes staff.
"The more I read it, the more I was inspired," the 50-year-old said. "If I couldn’t play in the realm of professional sports someday, I certainly was going to work in it."
And for 18 years that’s exactly what Miceli did. From overseeing ticket sales to becoming the chief operating officer of the Phantoms — the Flyers Minor League affiliate — and Wings of the National Lacrosse League, he made sure fans got what they paid for. Despite roadblocks, he never gave up on his dream, and was rewarded by rising in the ranks at his South Philly office.
Just before the Spectrum’s doors close for good next year, one has opened for Miceli. He’s said a bittersweet goodbye to his "second home" and headed to San Antonio, now serving as the Spurs’ senior vice president of sales and marketing.
"It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that don’t come along everyday," he said of the new gig. "I’ll miss Comcast-Spectacor. I’ve been blessed to be part of such an exciting business that I dreamed about since I was small boy living a few blocks from the stadium."
On the eve of his departure to Texas last month, Miceli, who spoke from his Voorhees, N.J., home, was a mixed bag of emotions. Yet, the happy times seemed to overshadow his melancholy. Sports tend to have that effect on him.
A self-dubbed "Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, Sixers guy," Miceli cultivated his sportsmanlike conduct at Marconi Plaza.
"I would play weekend football [there], pick up a basketball, street hockey. If it was a sport of any kind, count me in," he said.
He also had many "ins" down at the various stadiums, since many neighborhood folks worked there.
Joining different sports teams at St. Joe’s Prep, he parlayed his passion into a baseball scholarship at the University of Scranton. After graduation, he was invited to a free-agent camp in Florida.
"I went and lasted six weeks," Miceli said. "When you’re playing with people all over the world … it’s a really tough time to fight your way through and get to the major and minor league level. I couldn’t make that jump."
Though disappointed, his heart was calling him to a different place.
Snider’s comments from the magazine article still resonated with Miceli, and he constantly sent letters to the organization in the hopes of landing a job — any job.
Rejection letter followed rejection letter, each one stating, "’Get some more experience and then give us a call.’ I took that as a goal, and it inspired me to become a great advertising and marketing guy," Miceli said.
Though admitting patience isn’t his strong suit, he soon discovered everything has its time and place. For about 10 years, he worked as an advertising director for Gimbels in Philadelphia and New York, and also served as advertising manager for John Wanamaker as well as advertising director for the Clover division of Strawbridge & Clothier.
Then one day during the late 1980s, fate played its part. Miceli received a call from an old boss from Gimbels New York, who mentioned he was entering a joint venture with Snider. Named Spectathlete, the stores, which sold Flyers tickets and paraphernalia, needed a vice president of marketing and advertising. His former boss told Snider he might know the perfect man for the job.
"I enjoyed what I was doing at Clothier, but deep down this is what I wanted to do," he said of the new position. "People appreciate the honesty and forthrightness, and that’s what I’ve always done.
"My bosses at Clothier were so good about [my departure]. They said, ‘Test it out, and if it doesn’t work out, come back here.’"
In ’90, Miceli delved headfirst into his new position. His passion for all aspects of his job led to a new title — director of sales and marketing for the Flyers. As the team relocated from the Spectrum to the Wachovia Center in ’96, Miceli managed more then 15,000 season ticket accounts. Marrying his two loves, Miceli’s career began its steep incline.
In ’96, the South Philly native was promoted to chief operating officer of the Phantoms. For the next 12 years, Miceli missed only three Phantoms games due to business meetings.
"I think it’s important that if you’re running an entity that you’re there … so you can give honest assessments and mark down some improvements," he said.
Naming the Phantoms’ two Calder Cup championships — in ’98 and 2005 — as highlights, Miceli’s business practices made him a likeable commodity. He was asked to oversee operations for three minor league affiliates of Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles in ’00; oversaw group sales for every event at the Wachovia Center beginning in ’05; and became COO of the Wings in ’06. Burnout wasn’t a reality since he always turned to his like-minded staff for support.
"When working with others, you have to be collaborative," he said. "Give them the tools to do their job and let them do their job. No micromanaging.
"I was blessed with a great staff [at Comcast-Spectacor]. I viewed myself as a guy who was just steering the ship. It wasn’t the Frank Miceli Show."
Brainstorming sessions abounded in Miceli’s first office inside the Spectrum. He still found time to enjoy the venue’s visitors, even before joining the staff. He applauded the Flyers when they received the Stanley Cup in May ’74 and celebrated the Sixers when they secured a championship in ’83 — Philadelphia’s last pro sports championship before the Phillies ended the drought Oct. 29.
"The Spectrum has a very special place in my heart," he said. "I know every nook and cranny of that building. The day it comes down will certainly be a sad day."
Miceli is ready for his next venture. Wife Michele and daughter Maria, 15, are staying in New Jersey until Maria finishes up her sophomore year of high school. Miceli’s other daughter, 18-year-old Amanda, is in college.
Though in a different setting, Miceli can’t forget the fond memories of the sports teams that shaped him. But who will he be cheering for now that he’s a Texan?
"I’m rooting for every Philadelphia team — except when the Sixers play the Spurs," he said with a laugh.
