I get that Julian Lurie is an easy target. I get that he was born into tremendous wealth. I get that it can be tough to relate to someone whose dad is worth $3 ½ billion.
But make no mistake about it. Jeff Lurie grooming his son to take over the family business is terrific news for any true Eagles fan.
Julian has spent the last two years informally studying every aspect of the franchise’s business and football operations in preparation for quite possibly taking over one day for his dad, who turns 71 in September.
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Now Julian is officially a team employee, putting in the work every day, learning the business of running an NFL franchise, and that’s commendable.
It would be one thing if Julian were out partying in South Beach, tweeting out selfies from daddy’s yacht and acting like some kind of spoiled rich kid spending the family fortune and waiting to be handed the keys to the kingdom.
But nothing seems further from the case.
I’ve never met Julian Lurie, and everything I know about him is what I’ve observed. And instead of making quick judgments based on the family’s wealth, it’s important to base our opinions on what we see. And by all accounts, Julian is devoting his time to being as prepared as possible for the likelihood that one day in the not-too-distant future the franchise will be his.
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Keeping the Eagles in the Lurie family for another generation would be an enormous positive for the franchise’s long-term health.
Whatever you think of Lurie personally, he’s one of the most successful owners in Philadelphia sports history and has overseen an era of tremendous success for the franchise.
Obviously there are more playoff rounds than there used to be, but still: This is a franchise that had won three playoff games in the 35 years before Lurie bought it from Norman Braman in 1994 and has won 15 since. Including a Super Bowl.
Only four teams have won more playoff games than the Eagles since Lurie took over — the Patriots, Packers, Steelers and Ravens — and all also have stable ownership.
How can it possibly be a bad thing that his likely successor is learning how to carry on that tradition?
Would you prefer Lurie one day sells to some huge corporation that doesn’t have Eagles fans’ best interest at heart? Would you prefer he sells to some out-of-town billionaire who only looks at the team as an investment? Would you prefer the team lands in the hands of someone who doesn’t share Lurie’s devotion to the Eagles and the city?
Julian Lurie grew up in Philly, and the Eagles have been the biggest thing in his life since the day he was born.
He understands the unique relationship between the franchise and the city because he grew up living it every day.
And now he’s formally part of the organization putting in the work to give himself the best chance possible at succeeding if he does indeed one day become majority owner of the team.
We’ve all seen owners in this city who are only out to make money. Who aren’t deeply committed to the franchise they’re running. Who don’t even live here and don’t care about the fans.
Maybe Julian Lurie will be a disaster as an owner. There’s really no way to know for sure. But it does seem that he’s a serious-minded guy who’s taking every imaginable step to be ready when the opportunity comes.
If you don’t like it, spend a moment considering the alternative.
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