Comcast Spectacor Executive Joins Sport Management Program

John Page, president of the Wells Fargo Complex in Philadelphia, and president, Spectra International Operations, will serve as executive-in-residence during the 2015-16 academic year for the sport management program at the University of New Haven, one of the oldest sports management programs in the nation.

Page, a resident of West Chester, Penn. joins a distinguished list of sport executives who have taught at the University of New Haven. The purpose of the executive-in-residence program is to bring industry leaders into the classroom to benefit students and to keep faculty on the cutting edge of sport management practice, according to Gil Fried, professor and head of the sport management program.

As executive-in-residence, Page will visit campus each semester to deliver a guest lecture, advise Fried and the University’s advisory board and stakeholders, and share his knowledge of the industry with students.

John has had extensive experience in sport management and can shed significant insight on the growth of the sport facility management industry for our students.

"He is responsible for overseeing one of the premiere arenas in North America, and is part of one of the fastest growing and one of the largest, diverse facility management companies in the world. We are honored he will share his knowledge with us."

Page has 25 years of experience at Comcast Spectacor, which includes the Philadelphia Flyers, the Wells Fargo Complex, and Spectra, the company’s recently rebranded live event management business. 

One or more of the Spectra divisions support four Connecticut events and venues including the Connecticut Open (ticketing and fan engagement), the University of Connecticut (ticketing and fan engagement), XL Center (venue management, food services and hospitality, ticketing and fan engagement) and Rentschler Field (venue management, food services and hospitality, ticketing and fan engagement).

Spectra has 300-plus clients at more than 400 global properties that host millions of visitors annually.

Page joined Comcast Spectacor in 1991 as an event coordinator at the Los Angeles Coliseum and Sports Arena. He relocated to Philadelphia in 1993, becoming event manager at the Spectrum.

He was named vice president of event production in 1997 for Comcast-Spectacor, becoming senior vice president in1999. During that time, he also served as a general manager of the Wells Fargo Center. As chief operating officer of Global Spectrum (now Spectra Venue Management) from 2014 to 2015, Page oversaw a rapid expansion of the company’s footprint as it grew from 40 facilities in 2004 to more than 135 today.

During his tenure, the company hosted two Super Bowls, two BCS Championship games, the NAACP Convention, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Final, the World Series, and numerous NCAA events. 

Page was also instrumental in securing big-time entertainment and attractions to the Wells Fargo Center, including the NBA All-Star Weekend, ESPN’s X Games, the Republican National Convention, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball events, the NCAA Wrestling Championships, the NCAA Frozen Four, and the NHL Entry Draft.

Page received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern California

Spectra by Comcast Spectacor is the expert in hosting and entertainment, partnering with over 300 clients at 400 global properties to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s expertise is embodied within three divisions: Venue Management (formerly Global Spectrum), Food Services & Hospitality (formerly Ovations Food Services) and Ticketing & Fan Engagement (formerly Paciolan). Learn more at SpectraExperiences.com.

Comcast Spectacor is part of Comcast Corporation, a Fortune 50 media and technology company that operates Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., in addition to Spectra, Comcast Spectacor owns and operates the National Hockey League’s Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center venue.