Pat Croce
Pat Croce | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 2, 1954 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, sports executive, author, television personality |
| Known for | President of the Philadelphia 76ers (1996–2001) |
Pasquale "Pat" Croce (born November 2, 1954) is an American entrepreneur, sports executive, author, and television personality. He held the position of team president for the National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise Philadelphia 76ers between 1996 and 2001.
Early life and education
Born to an Italian American father and an Irish American mother, Croce attended West Chester University before earning his degree in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh in 1977.
Career
Croce started his professional journey as a physical therapist, eventually becoming the physical conditioning and rehabilitation coach for the Philadelphia Flyers. He later took on the role of administrative director at the Sports Medicine Clinic located at Haverford Community Hospital.
Holding a black belt in taekwondo, Croce served as a commentator for Taekwondo during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
In 1984, he established Sports Physical Therapists, which he grew into a network of 40 clinics spanning 11 states before selling the enterprise in 1993 for $40 million. Among his clientele were prominent athletes like Mike Schmidt, Julius Erving, and Charles Barkley.
Philadelphia 76ers
For over ten years, Croce worked as an athletic trainer for the Philadelphia 76ers, initially brought on to assist center Shawn Bradley with strength development. In 1996, he ascended to the role of president and minority owner of the Sixers as part of a consortium led by Flyers founder Ed Snider and Comcast. Under this ownership group, the team advanced from last place in 1996 to competing in the NBA Finals in 2001. Croce focused on shifting the local culture from a 'can't do' to a 'can do' attitude.
Renowned for his direct interaction with fans and for rewarding entry-level staff with premium seating, Croce appeared on the cover of Success magazine as the first trainer to become a professional sports team owner. He has also been featured in Inc..
During Game 3 of the NBA Finals in June 2001, Croce declined former President Bill Clinton's invitation to join his private box, choosing instead to prioritize devoted fans and associates. Following a disagreement with Snider, he stepped down as Sixers president after the conclusion of the 2001 season.
After the 76ers
Following his tenure with the Sixers, Croce worked as a television analyst for NBA on NBC and provided Taekwondo coverage during the 2004 Summer Olympics. In 2004, he launched a self-help syndicated television program titled Pat Croce: Moving In, which aired through 2005.
In January 2005, Croce invested $10 million to establish the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum in Key West, Florida, featuring genuine pirate artifacts from his own collection. He further expanded this endeavor by opening the pirate-themed Rum Barrel restaurant in 2006. The museum was relocated to St. Augustine, Florida in December 2010.
He is also proprietor of the Colonial Quarter living-history museum in St. Augustine, developed in collaboration with the University of Florida, which debuted in March 2013. Since January 2010, Croce has served on the board of Movitas, a mobile technology firm specializing in hospitality industry solutions.
In 2007, Croce appeared as a judge on ABC's reality competition series American Inventor. In October 2011, he funded and took part in an expedition that discovered shipwrecks associated with Sir Francis Drake.
Books
Pat Croce's second publication, I Feel Great and You Will Too!, serves as an autobiography detailing his academic experiences at West Chester University and University of Pittsburgh, his entrepreneurial efforts including the acquisition of the Sixers, as well as personal trials like his 1999 motorcycle accident. This work provides guidance on both professional development and personal growth and was featured on The New York Times Best Seller list.
In addition, Croce has produced multiple self-improvement books such as 110% (2001), Lead Or Get Off The Pot (2004), Pat Croce's Victory Journal (2002), and Do It Now! Journal (2004), with three of these titles achieving best-seller recognition.
He has also extensively explored pirate themes in his writing, authoring works like Pirate Soul (2006), My Pop Pop Is A Pirate (2008), and illustrated volumes including Blackbeard and The Pirate Handbook (both released in 2011). Currently, he is working on historical fiction inspired by notable figures such as Sir Francis Drake and Henry Morgan.
- Conditioning for Ice Hockey: Year 'Round (co-written with Bruce C. Cooper) (1983)
- Stretching for Athletics (1984)
- A Baseball Player's Guide to Sports Medicine (foreword by Mike Schmidt) (1997)
- I Feel Great and You Will Too! (co-written with Bill Lyon) (2000)
- 110% (2001)
- Victory Journal (2002)
- Lead or Get Off the Pot!! (co-written with Bill Lyon) (2004)
- Do It Now Journal (2004)
- Pirate Soul – A Swashbuckling Journey Through the Golden Age of Pirates (2006)
- My Pop-Pop is a Pirate (2008)
- Blackbeard (2011)
- Pirates of St. Augustine (2011)
- The Pirate Handbook (2011)