The Power 100 - Sports

The Power 100
The most influential people in sports, from golf to skateboarding to...

01 TIGER WOODS Golfer
His absence from the PGA Tour this year has opened the world's eyes to how powerful he really is.

02 ROGER GOODELL Commissioner, NFL
Under his reign, pro football rumbles on as America's most popular, and profitable, sports league.

03 DAVID STERN Commissioner, NBA
In charge 24 years, Stern has expanded the league's reach to Europe and China, but a scandal over referee gambling required some cleanup.

04 GEORGE BODENHEIMER President, ESPN
Looking to strengthen an already mighty brand, Bodenheimer aims to win the rights to the 2014 and 2016 Olympics.

05 DICK EBERSOL Chairman, NBC Sports
Prime-time ratings for the Beijing Olympics trumped those from Athens four years earlier, and fans flocked to NBC's Web site for streaming video.

06 PHIL KNIGHT Chairman, Nike
Co-founder Knight oversees the top athletic shoe and apparel outfit on the planet. Enough said.

07 ALLAN "BUD" SELIG Commissioner, MLB
With baseball finally free of its steroid scandal, Selig's next challenge is testing instant replays on home runs.

08 BRIAN FRANCE Chairman and CEO, Nascar
Even with hiccups over faulty tires and failed inspections, Nascar still boasts the most brand-loyal fans in sports.

09 MICHAEL JORDAN NBA great; minority owner, Charlotte Bobcats
Five years after retiring, MJ retains a star power that extends far beyond hoops.

10 SEAN MCMANUS President, CBS News and Sports
McManus manages a juggernaut of NCAA March Madness, the NFL, the U.S. Open, and lots of golf--while also keeping an eye on CBS News.

11 DAVID HILL Chairman and CEO, Fox Sports
The Godfather of Fox Sports returned full-time last year after juicing up DirecTV's programming.

12 RUPERT MURDOCH Chairman and CEO, News Corp.
He may not understand football, but the media mogul knows that sports sells--whether it's NFL on Fox or cricket in India via his ESPN Star joint venture.

13 MYLES BRAND President, NCAA
Brand has implemented stiff penalties for athletes who don't meet academic standards.

14 TONY PONTURO Vice-President, global media and sports marketing, Anheuser-Busch
All eyes will be on the man who controls the biggest ad budget in sports--to see what the brewer's new owners will spend.

15 LANCE ARMSTRONG Tour de France cyclist
Continuing his anticancer crusade, Armstrong is back on the bike, aiming for his eighth yellow jersey in 2009.

16 THEODORE FORSTMANN Chairman and CEO, IMG
He created a hot, new cricket league in India and signed a 20-year venture with CCTV to develop sports in China.

17 LEBRON JAMES Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
A big year for King James: the cover of Vogue and an Olympic gold medal. He's still lacks an NBA title, however.

18 DONALD FEHR Executive Director, Major League Baseball Players Assn.
The de facto union boss had a lot on his plate in the past year, including the Mitchell Report on steroid abuse.

19 STEINBRENNER FAMILY Principal owner, New York Yankees
With patriarch George out of the public eye, sons Hank and Hal will usher the Bronx Bombers into the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.

20 JOHN HENRY Owner, Boston Red Sox; co-owner, Roush Fenway Racing
A big part of Boston's sports renaissance, the Red Sox are shooting for their third World Series trophy under Henry's ownership.

21 GARY BETTMAN Commissioner, NHL
With a crop of marketable young players, Bettman has a chance to bring hockey back from the blahs.

22 PHILIP ANSCHUTZ Founder, Anschutz Entertainment Group; Co-owner, Los Angeles Kings;
The Denver billionaire owns five soccer teams and six hockey clubs to help fill the 30 arenas AEG owns or manages.

23 TIM LEIWEKE CEO, Anschutz Entertainment Group
After bringing David Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy, Anschutz's field general is reshaping L.A. with a $2.5 billion entertainment and sports complex.

24 ROBERT KRAFT Owner, New England Patriots
What's more heartbreaking than losing the Super Bowl after a perfect season? Maybe losing quarterback Tom Brady this year.

25 BRIAN ROBERTS Chairman and CEO, Comcast
The super-competitive squash player recently won battles with the NFL and Big Ten over sportscasts on his cable systems.

26 JERRY JONES Owner and General Manager, Dallas Cowboys
His new $1 billion stadium will be ready in 2009 and will host Super Bowl XLV in 2011.

27 TIM FINCHEM Commissioner, PGA Tour
The Tour's playoff structure seems to be a winner, but Finchem no doubt longs to have Tiger back.

28 KOBE BRYANT Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
His gold-medal trip to Beijing for the Olympics solidified his MVP status as an international icon.

29 PEYTON MANNING Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
Younger brother Eli may have stolen the limelight with last season's Super Bowl win, but Peyton is ahead in marketability, pitching Sprint, MasterCard, and Gatorade.

30 JOHN SKIPPER EVP, content, ESPN
His string of deals over the past year include rights to stream MLB games, broadcast Southeast Conference college games, U.S. Open tennis, and Masters golf.

31 MARK PARKER President and CEO, Nike
The Olympics were a boon for Parker, with 22 of the 28 Chinese sports federations and most of the U.S. men's basketball team wearing the iconic swoosh.

32 ED GOREN President, Fox Sports
The 37-time Emmy winner is taking Fox further into the digital age by offering all MLB games in HD.

33 MALCOLM GLAZER Owner, Manchester United, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ManU won the Premier and Champions League titles this past season, but his biggest coup could be holding on to superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

34 TOM BRADY Quarterback, New England Patriots
Sidelined by injury this year, he had been challenging Peyton Manning's title as king of endorsements in the NFL.

35 JEFF URBAN Senior Vice-President, sports marketing, Gatorade
His product is the official sports drink of all four major sports in America, as well as soccer in Europe and the U.S.

36 PAUL ALLEN Owner, Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers
The billionaire Microsoft co-founder hasn't scored as well in sports despite throwing buckets of money at players.

37 SCOTT BORAS President, Scott Boras Corp.
Baseball's überagent will be peddling sluggers Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez this off-season.

38 DALE EARNHARDT JR. Nascar driver
His move to Hendrick Motorsports seems to be what he needed, as Little E returned to the winner's circle in 2008.

39 PETER UEBERROTH Chairman, U.S. Olympic Committee
The one-time water polo player never made it to the Olympics as an athlete, but he's been bringing back Olympic gold.

40 CHASE CAREY CEO and President, DirecTV
The one-time rugby player's satellite-TV company keeps adding eyeballs by offering exclusive sports channels.

41 RICK DUDLEY President and CEO, Octagon
His agency's roster of clients keeps growing, boasting the likes of John Elway, Chris Paul, and some swimmer named Phelps.

42 MICHAEL PHELPS Swimmer
His eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics and 14 overall are guaranteed to make him this season's most sought-after sports celeb by advertisers.

43 GEORGE PYNE President, IMG Sports & Entertainment
The key deputy to IMG's Forstmann circles the globe to sign more athletes as well as sponsorship and licensing deals.

44 MARK CUBAN Owner, Dallas Mavericks, HDNet
Endorsements from David Stern and John Henry will no doubt help the tech billionaire's chances of adding the Chicago Cubs to his holdings.

45 ALEX RODRIGUEZ Third baseman, New York Yankees
The reigning American League MVP has been in the news a lot lately, but not necessarily for his on-field performance.

46 CASEY WASSERMAN CEO, Wasserman Media Group; Owner and CEO, Los Angeles Avengers
The Hollywood scion's agency represents a Dream Team, including soccer's Mia Hamm, 20 Beijing Olympic athletes, and seven of the top 15 NBA picks.

47 JACK NICKLAUS PGA great; partner, Nicklaus Design; owner, Nicklaus Golf Equipment
Golf's Golden Bear has designed more than 200 golf courses, plus he's an author, with two books in 2007.

48 MARK FORD President, Sports Illustrated Group
He's testing fresh waters for the largest sports weekly, auctioning ad space online in the hopes of reaching new, global advertisers.

49 BOB DUPUY President and Chief Operating Officer, Major League Baseball
He's currently working on a plan to end local blackout restrictions on televising baseball games.

50 DANICA PATRICK Indy Racing League Driver
The first woman to win an IndyCar race, generating some much-needed buzz for that other racing league.

51 DEREK JETER Shortstop, New York Yankees
The team captain and ad pitchman is leading the American League club to its new $1.3 billion ballpark next year.

52 SIDNEY CROSBY Center and captain, Pittsburgh Penguins
At just 21 and with three years as a pro, Sid the Kid is hockey's top player and most marketable athlete.

53 ADAM SILVER Deputy Commissioner and COO, NBA
Considered a top candidate to succeed Stern someday, he continues to push the NBA into new media.

54 JOHN MADDEN NFL commentator; video game icon
This year marks his 30th in the broadcast booth and the 20th for his namesake video game.

55 DAVID LEVY President, Turner Broadcasting Sales and Turner Sports
Turner Sports is expanding rapidly, from NBA coverage on TNT and MLB games on TBS to pro sports Web sites.

56 ANDRE AGASSI Tennis great
One of the most marketable tennis players of all time, Agassi now uses his fame and wealth largely for philanthropy.

57 TONY HAWK Skateboarder; video game icon
After ushering extreme sports into the mainstream, Hawk is huge among gamers.

58 EARVIN "MAGIC" JOHNSON Nba Hall of Famer; Chairman and CEO, Magic Johnson Enterprises
Magic Johnson Enterprises owns movie theaters, fast-food outlets, and health clubs in inner-city neighborhoods.

59 JOHN RICCITIELLO CEO, Electronic Arts
The video game company is a champ in sports, thanks to such products as Madden NFL and NBA Live.

60 JERRY COLANGELO Chairman and CEO, Phoenix Suns; National Director, USA Basketball
The man responsible for assembling the "Redeem Team," which slam-dunked all challengers at the Beijing Games.

61 DANA WHITE President, Ultimate Fighting Championship
Led by UFC, mixed martial arts is shoving boxing aside as the biggest draw for fight fans.

62 GENE ORZA Chief Operating Officer, Major League Baseball Players Assn.
A significant player in baseball's collective bargaining negotiations over the past two decades.

63 DON GARBER Commissioner, MLS; CEO, Soccer United Marketing
The 14-club soccer league has plans to add four more teams by 2011.

64 JIM NASH Managing Director, Sports Advisory Practice, Bank of America
Has helped the big bank team up with the Big Four of U.S. sports: the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB.

65 WAYNE GRETZKY Hockey great; part-owner and head coach, Phoenix Coyotes
Former star of the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, Gretzky looms large from his years as The Great One.

66 ROSS GREENBERG President, HBO Sports
HBO is home to some of the most respected sports coverage anywhere with shows such as Costas Now and Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

67 MIKE ILITCH OWNER, DETROIT RED WINGS, DETROIT TIGERS
The Little Caesar's Pizza founder is still celebrating the Red Wings' first Stanley Cup since the 2001-02 season.

68 JACK ROUSH CEO and co-owner, Roush Fenway Racing
The success of his Nascar team this season is resting on the shoulders of driver Carl Edwards.

69 JEFF PASH Executive Vice-President and General Counsel, NFL
The lawyer is the No. 2 executive in the No. 1 sports league.

70 TOM CONDON NFL agent, CAA
Clients include superstars LaDanian Tomlinson and the Manning brothers, Eli and Peyton.

71 MIKE HELTON President, Nascar
As Nascar's liaison to drivers and team owners, the Virginia native is racing's troubleshooter.

72 JOHN WALSH Senior Vice-President and Executive Editor, ESPN
The adviser to ESPN's John Skipper has helped the cable network and its Web site dominate sports news.

73 DAVID BERSON Executive Vice-President, Program Planning and Development, ESPN
In charge of deciding what you'll see on "the worldwide leader in sports."

74 KATIE BAYNE Chief Marketing Officer, Coca-Cola North America
Coke furthered its global status by spending roughly $90 million at the Beijing Olympics.

75 LESA FRANCE Kennedy President, International Speedway
The highest-ranking woman inside stock-car racing has helped bring fans to the track.

76 ARLEN KANTARIAN CEO, United States Tennis Assn.
With Europeans dominating world tennis, the USTA has started an Elite Player Development program in hopes of creating an American star.

77 PAT BOWLEN Owner and CEO, Denver Broncos
His Broncos have appeared in five Super Bowls, and he has gotten the NFL big bucks from TV networks for airing rights.

78 CHRISTINE DRIESSEN CFO and Executive Vice-President, ESPN
Profit at the Disney subsidiary continues to grow under Driessen's watch.

79 TONY VINCIQUERRA Chairman and President, Fox Networks Group
Fox's cable guru mints money by overseeing Fox Sports Network and launching new niche channels.

80 RICHARD PETTY Nascar legend, team owner
Nascar's winningest racer influences the sport today as co-owner of the car driven by Bobby Labonte.

81 ROONEY FAMILY Owner, Pittsburgh Steelers
Their team may have won the 2006 Super Bowl, but family squabbles may lead to a sale.

82 TIM BROSNAN Executive Vice-President, business operations, MLB
He negotiated a hefty distribution deal that should give baseball's new cable channel, MLB Network, a big boost.

83 BOB BOWMAN CEO, MLB advanced media
MLB.com is gaining a significant partner in 2009 when MLB Network is launched, probably in time to cover spring training.

84 GREG CAREY AND JOE RAVITCH Managing Directors, Goldman Sachs
They helped finance construction of the palatial new $1.3 billion Yankee Stadium.

85 DAVE MORGAN Executive Editor, Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports is quickly becoming a top source for breaking news and playing fantasy sports.

86 JIM DELANY Commissioner, Big Ten
He lords over one of the most-watched college conferences.

87 RANDY FREER COO, Fox Sports Net
Signed on a dozen new teams this year, giving FSN TV rights for 48 of the nation's 84 major sports teams.

88 STEVE BORNSTEIN CEO, NFL Network; EVP of media, NFL
The former ABC and ESPN chief, who muscled the NFL's way into huge TV deals, may need ESPN's help to win with NFL Network.

89 WYCLIFFE GROUSBECK Owner and CEO, Boston Celtics
After years in the NBA's cellar, the Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2008 championship.

90 ROGER PENSKE Founder and Chairman, Penske Corp.
Owns teams in Nascar, the Indy Racing League, and the American Le Mans Series.

91 COLIN BADEN President, Oakley
The maker of sunglasses and outdoor apparel recently teamed with the Lance Armstrong Foundation to fight cancer.

92 ROBERT JOHNSON Majority owner, Charlotte Bobcats
The NBA's first team owner who is African American has brought Michael Jordan into the front office and hired the legendary Larry Brown to coach the 2008-09 season.

93 MIKE SLIVE Commissioner, Southeastern Conference
Conference powerhouses Florida and LSU have won the last two national championships.

94 STAN KROENKE Owner, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets; part-owner, St. Louis Rams
Three major U.S. teams aren't enough; Kroenke now is into British soccer with a stake in the club Arsenal.

95 KEVIN PLANK Founder and CEO, Under Armour
The firm has grown beyond its sweat-absorbing shirts and shorts to such sports gear as sunglasses and cleats.

96 RAY BEDNAR senior vice-president and Sports Sponsorship Executive, Bank of America
The official bank of MLB and the NFL is also a major sponsor of Nascar and the U.S. Olympic Team.

97 ERIC GRUBMAN Executive vice-president, finance and strategic transactions, NFL
The former Goldman Sachs M&A executive took his Wall Street savvy to the NFL in 2004.

98 ARN TELLEM President, WMG Management
When it comes to the NBA, Tellem is the agent of choice. Seven of the top 15 draft picks this year were his.

99 JON LITNER President, comcast sports group
His regional sports networks are giving Fox a run for its money, with SportsNet New York leading the charge.

100 SERENA WILLIAMS Tennis champ
Already in ads for Hewlett-Packard, Nike, and Kraft, the winner of the 2008 U.S. Open and a gold medalist in Beijing is likely to pick up more endorsements.

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