France named fifth-most powerful person in sports
NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France was named fifth in the Sporting News top 100 most powerful people in sports list, down from second last year.
"As head of a family-run business," Stuart Miller wrote, "France has more freedom than traditional commissioners. And although he didn't do anything as revolutionary in '05 as his implementation of the Chase for the Nextel Cup in '04, he continued expanding NASCAR's presence with a points race in Mexico, changed the rules specifically to clamp down on owner Jack Roush's reach and listened to the pitches of several cities hoping to land the NASCAR Hall of Fame."
Others on the list with NASCAR ties included:
2) George Bodenheimer, president, ESPN and ABC Sports; co-chair Disney Media Networks
7) Dick Ebersol, chairman, NBC Universal Sports and Olympics
9) David Hill, chairman, FOX Sports; president and COO, DirecTV
13) August Busch IV, president, and Tony Ponturo, V.P. of global media and sports marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
20) Ed Goren, president and executive producer, FOX Sports
22) David Levy, president, Turner Sports; president, Turner Entertainment ad sales and marketing
26) Jack Roush, owner and CEO, Roush Racing, NASCAR
30) Mark Schweitzer, chief marketing officer, Sprint Nextel
34) George Pyne, COO, NASCAR
65) Lesa France Kennedy, president, International Speedway Corp.
73) Jeff Gordon, NASCAR Nextel Cup driver
77) Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO, Speedway Motorsports Inc.
NBA commissioner David Stern, who pushed through changes in 2005 that gave the league more control over the image of its players, on Tuesday was named the most powerful person in sports by the Sporting News.
The St. Louis-based publication called 2005 "The Year of the Commissioner," citing their influence in all the major sports, from Gary Bettman's role in hockey's labor negotiations to Bud Selig's tougher stand on steroids.
"Commissioners always wield a lot of power in their respective sports, but in 2005 they defined their sports - in and out of competition - by their actions," Sporting News Executive Editor Bob Hille said.
Stern imposed a minimum age, increased drug testing, required more player appearances and mandatory media training, warned players and coaches to reduce arguing, even implemented a dress code for players. The league also began a $100 million charitable campaign called NBA CARES.
Stern was previously named the magazine's most powerful sports person in 1991.
Other sports leaders and commissioners also ranked high in the list, determined by staff at the Sporting News. The NFL's Paul Tagliabue was third, followed by Selig. Following France was Bettman in sixth, jumping from No. 40 in 2004.
Others in the top 10: ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer (second), NBC Universal Sports and Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol (seventh), CBS News and CBS Sports president Sean McManus (eighth), Fox Sports chairman David Hill (ninth), and Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts (10th).
The highest-ranked athlete was golfer Tiger Woods at No. 27.
NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France was named fifth in the Sporting News top 100 most powerful people in sports list, down from second last year.
"As head of a family-run business," Stuart Miller wrote, "France has more freedom than traditional commissioners. And although he didn't do anything as revolutionary in '05 as his implementation of the Chase for the Nextel Cup in '04, he continued expanding NASCAR's presence with a points race in Mexico, changed the rules specifically to clamp down on owner Jack Roush's reach and listened to the pitches of several cities hoping to land the NASCAR Hall of Fame."
Others on the list with NASCAR ties included:
2) George Bodenheimer, president, ESPN and ABC Sports; co-chair Disney Media Networks
7) Dick Ebersol, chairman, NBC Universal Sports and Olympics
9) David Hill, chairman, FOX Sports; president and COO, DirecTV
13) August Busch IV, president, and Tony Ponturo, V.P. of global media and sports marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
20) Ed Goren, president and executive producer, FOX Sports
22) David Levy, president, Turner Sports; president, Turner Entertainment ad sales and marketing
26) Jack Roush, owner and CEO, Roush Racing, NASCAR
30) Mark Schweitzer, chief marketing officer, Sprint Nextel
34) George Pyne, COO, NASCAR
65) Lesa France Kennedy, president, International Speedway Corp.
73) Jeff Gordon, NASCAR Nextel Cup driver
77) Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO, Speedway Motorsports Inc.
NBA commissioner David Stern, who pushed through changes in 2005 that gave the league more control over the image of its players, on Tuesday was named the most powerful person in sports by the Sporting News.
The St. Louis-based publication called 2005 "The Year of the Commissioner," citing their influence in all the major sports, from Gary Bettman's role in hockey's labor negotiations to Bud Selig's tougher stand on steroids.
"Commissioners always wield a lot of power in their respective sports, but in 2005 they defined their sports - in and out of competition - by their actions," Sporting News Executive Editor Bob Hille said.
Stern imposed a minimum age, increased drug testing, required more player appearances and mandatory media training, warned players and coaches to reduce arguing, even implemented a dress code for players. The league also began a $100 million charitable campaign called NBA CARES.
Stern was previously named the magazine's most powerful sports person in 1991.
Other sports leaders and commissioners also ranked high in the list, determined by staff at the Sporting News. The NFL's Paul Tagliabue was third, followed by Selig. Following France was Bettman in sixth, jumping from No. 40 in 2004.
Others in the top 10: ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer (second), NBC Universal Sports and Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol (seventh), CBS News and CBS Sports president Sean McManus (eighth), Fox Sports chairman David Hill (ninth), and Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts (10th).
The highest-ranked athlete was golfer Tiger Woods at No. 27.
