Power Players: Sports Business Journal Taps 2010 Influencers

The Sports Business Journal, a Portfolio.com cousin, this week issued its annual ranking of the 50 most influential people in sports. Lots of powerful executives leading big operations are in the mix (NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell leads the list, rising from No. 2 last year). But a fair number of entrepreneurs and what can pass as small business people in the sports world are represented too.

Here’s how they shake out. One caveat on our sampling of the Sports Business Journal list: We’re not including team owners. Yes, they’re all essentially entrepreneurs and several are included in the SBJ ranking. But we wanted to focus in on others in the sports biz. The descriptions offered come from our SBJ colleagues.

No. 12—Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG: “His track record across multiple sports, venues and countries is well-established, as well as his influence within the entertainment industry and California political community. But it's his aggressive push for a new NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles that has everyone talking, a challenge that significantly tests his "can-do" ability.”

No. 17—Ted Forstmann, chairman and CEO of IMG Sports & Entertainment; George Pyne, president of IMG: “None of the pre-Ted Forstmann veterans left at IMG figured the buyout mogul would still own the place six years after buying it. Yet, it stays in Forstmann's hands, and he's taking on an even larger portfolio, acquiring ISP in a major coup for his growing collegiate business.”

No. 24—Casey Wasserman, chairman and CEO of Wasserman Media Group: “It would be a mistake to solely cite ownership of Wasserman Media Group as the reason the 36-year-old makes this list. Instead, it's the respect that Casey Wasserman has in a number of influential spheres—political, social, entertainment and sports—that does it.”

No. 36—Howard Nuchow and Michael Levine, co-heads of CAA Sports: “Three years ago, Michael Levine and Howard Nuchow signed on to launch the Hollywood star factory's sports effort. With a roster of clients that today includes the New York Yankees and Madison Square Garden, as well as athletes such as Derek Jeter, LeBron James and Jimmie Johnson, it's safe to say Nuchow and Levine have put CAA Sports at the top of the marquee.”

No. 38—Kevin Plank, CEO and founder of Under Armour: “The 14-year-old apparel and footwear brand is close to cracking the billion-dollar sales figure, and it has grown on the back of Kevin Plank, a brand zealot who has built an apparel juggernaut. But to achieve its stated goal of challenging Nike, which has annual revenue in excess of $19 billion, Under Armour must make more headway in footwear and overseas.”

No. 47—Sal Galatioto, Galatioto Sports Partners—“Sal Galatioto put his firm and his career on the line in 2010, and MLB owners thanked him for it. When a midnight deal was hatched to sell the Texas Rangers on the verge of bankruptcy auction, lender and investment banker Galatioto risked legal action against him and his firm for blocking it. When the price the next day came in far higher, MLB owners happily lit up his cell phone to thank him for likely boosting MLB team values.”

No. 49—Rick Dudley, Phil de Picciotto, and Jeff Shifrin of Octagon: “Under Rick Dudley's steady leadership, Octagon remains a quiet leader with an international presence. It's best known for its corporate consulting practice, which falls under Jeff Shifrin's leadership, but it also has a strong seat at the table in athlete and personality management under Phil de Picciotto. While it may lack the relentless PR machine of others, Octagon is routinely cited by peers for its intelligence and execution — which is the best PR one can get.”

For the full list of the SBJ’s 50 most powerful figures in sports, click here. And to subscribe to the Sports Business Journal, click here.

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