 |
| 1 |
ROBERT JOHNSON, 57
Owner, Charlotte NBA team |
|
|
The BET founder, the first African-American billionaire, was awarded the NBA's newest expansion franchise, making him the first majority African-American franchise owner in any major sport and giving him the kind of clout in team and league boardrooms that no African-American has ever had. His impact is expected to reach far beyond pro basketball, not only because of his unique status but also because he apparently has some cash burning a hole in his pocket. In partnership with Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, Johnson is trying to buy the Montreal Expos and move them to D.C.
|
|
|
| 2 |
TIGER WOODS, 27
Golfer |
|
| Woods, a billionaire in the making, has single-handedly lifted his sport's ratings, attendance and prize money to new heights. He's a global icon who will continue to alter the landscape of sports and sports business. His foundation, which is funded in part by two big tournaments (both are Tour events), could become the richest charity run by an athlete. |
|
|
| 3 |
SERENA WILLIAMS, 21
Tennis Player |
|
| Credibility. Marketability. Visibility. Dominance. Serena has them all. The top female athlete in the world, she has held tennis's No. 1 ranking since July 2002 and won four straight Grand Slam events. Off the court, Nike and Puma are bidding for her services. She could soon become the first female athlete to garner a $50 million endorsement deal. |
|
|
| 4 |
MICHAEL JORDAN, 40
Future NBA Hall of Famer |
|
| Capitalism in hightops. Jordan's global economic impact was recently estimated at $13 billion and counting, no matter that he says he'll no longer be playing. At least two NBA teams are waiting for him to decide which front office he'll run. He has the power to reshape a franchise and perhaps even the league. Dare we say Commissioner Jordan? |
|
|
| 5 |
ARTURO MORENO, 56
Owner, Anaheim Angels |
|
| Out of nowhere, the Phoenix businessman jumped nearly to the top of our list last month by purchasing the world champion Angels for $180 million, making him the first Latino majority owner in sports. Moreno, who made billions in the outdoor-advertising business, was partially attracted by Anaheim's potentially lucrative Latino fan base. |
|
|
| 6 |
TYRONE WILLINGHAM, 49
Football Coach, Notre Dame |
|
| Clout comes with winning, especially on the grandest stages. No one exemplifies this better than Willingham, who in just one season restored the glory to perhaps the most prestigious program in college football. His success as Notre Dame's first African-American coach could embolden other schools to hire a black football coach. |
|
|
| 7 |
YAO MING, 22
Center, Houston Rockets |
|
| Yao, the 7'5" Chinese import, had the greatest economic impact of any NBA rookie since Michael Jordan. Houston's home attendance rose 17%, and for the first time in years the Rockets were a draw on the road. The NBA is now aired on six Chinese TV networks. With his engaging smile, Yao already has deals with Apple and Visa. |
|
|
| 8 |
GENE UPSHAW, 58
Executive Director, NFL Players Association |
|
| No union leader has a better rapport with his league's commissioner. (Upshaw and Paul Tagliabue talk three times a week.) Though most NFL contracts are not guaranteed, Upshaw has secured other critical gains for players, including free agency and 65% of gross revenue. More important, there hasn't been a player walkout since '87. |
|
|
| 9 |
JIMMIE LEE SOLOMON, 46
Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations, Major League Baseball |
|
| Few executives influence more facets of the game than this Harvard Law graduate. Solomon, who's worked in baseball since 1991, oversees MLB's U.S. and international operations, the Scouting Bureau and the Arizona Fall League. He conceived the All-Star Futures Game and has been instrumental in establishing MLB's Youth Baseball Academy. |
|
|
| 10 |
HAROLD HENDERSON, 60
Executive VP for Labor Relations and Chairman of Management Council, NFL |
|
| Sitting across the table from Gene Upshaw (No. 8) is Henderson, who is in charge of the league's labor efforts. He's the NFL's chief negotiator and the league's highest-ranking African-American. Henderson and his staff oversee matters regarding the salary cap ($71.1 million in 2002) and have final approval on all player contracts. |
|
|
| 11 |
JONATHAN MARINER, 48
CFO, Major League Baseball |
|
| He is the game's Alan Greenspan, a trusted voice in a parlous economic environment. Among his various duties, Mariner meets regularly with team executives to monitor their finances and prevent surprise fiscal woes. When teams seek to borrow from the league's loan pool, they've got to get through Mariner first. |
|
|
| 12 |
TREVOR EDWARDS, 40
Corporate Vice President of Global Brand Management, Nike |
|
| Think the latest Nike product is dope? You can thank Edwards, a top executive at Nike, who oversees a budget of close to $1 billion to develop and execute management strategy and communications. Born in London, Edwards, who has been at Nike for a decade, was instrumental in signing the World Cup-champ Brazilian soccer team. |
|
|
| 13 |
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, 31
Center, Los Angeles Lakers |
|
| A 7'1", 325-pound giant on the court and an economic force off it, Shaq owns a record label and a clothing company, has released five rap CDs and has appeared in three movies. His gentle-giant image enables him to earn $14 million a year in endorsements from companies like Burger King, Nestlé Crunch, Radio Shack, Swatch and Starter. |
|
|
| 14 |
ULICE PAYNE, 47
President, Milwaukee Brewers |
|
| The first African-American president of a major league team, Payne is responsible for all business aspects of the operation -- from marketing to ticket pricing to ballpark amenities. After the Brewers' 10th straight losing season, Payne replaced Wendy Selig-Prieb (Bud's daughter) last September and has pledged to attract more black and Latino fans. |
|
|
| 15 |
DON KING, 71
Boxing Promoter |
|
| Though his influence has diminished because of boxing's misfortunes and his own longtime reliance on heavyweights, King is still a force in the sport. He's promoted more than 500 fights, including six of the 10 largest pay-per-view events. In what may be a last-ditch grasp at regaining power, he is trying to sign Lennox Lewis to a three-fight deal. |
|
|
| 16 |
KENNY WILLIAMS, 39
General Manager, Chicago White Sox |
|
| In 2000 Williams became the third African-American general manager in baseball, and he has already made his mark in the front office. In January he helped engineer a three-team trade that resulted in the acquisition of Bartolo Colon from the Expos. "Kenny's one of the brightest minds in the game," says Oakland G.M. Billy Beane. "He's very self-assured, straightforward and honest."
In Williams and manager Jerry Manual the White Sox have the first minority G.M.-manager combination in baseball. |
|
|
| 17 |
OMAR MINAYA, 44
General Manager, Montreal Expos |
|
| In a feat of magic Minaya has kept the Expos competitive despite an anemic $40 million payroll. Baseball's first Latino G.M., he has hired more than 100 people -- nearly a third of them minorities -- since taking the job in 2002. He was an assistant G.M. with the Mets and, before that, a Rangers scout who was best known for signing Sammy Sosa. |
|
|
| 18 |
KOBE BRYANT, 24
Guard, Los Angeles Lakers |
|
| With three NBA championships, five All-Star appearances and endorsement deals with Sprite, Spalding and McDonald's, Bryant is a new-generation Jordan. He ranks 31st among Forbes's Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities, and his next shoe contract (he's a free agent since parting ways with Adidas) should be worth at least $25 million. |
|
|
| 19 |
ANITA DeFRANTZ, 50
Member, IOC |
|
| An IOC member since 1986, DeFrantz, a '76 bronze medalist in rowing, is the senior and most influential U.S. representative in the often fractious organization. In '97 she was elected IOC vice president, becoming the first woman to hold the position. An advocate for women's sports, she helped get women's soccer and softball added to the Games. |
|
|
| 20 |
BILL DUFFY, 43
Agent |
|
| One of the first agents to go global, Duffy became the hottest rep in basketball after landing three of the top four picks in the 2002 NBA draft, including Yao Ming (No. 7). Other clients are Canada's Steve Nash and 20 Europeans. Duffy's got game too: The former Santa Clara guard sealed the deal to rep Jay Williams last year by winning a game of H-O-R-S-E. |
|
Thirty-five years after SI published "The Black Athlete," a groundbreaking series on the brewing issue of race and sports, a new generation of African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans has risen to positions of power on and off the field. In this special report SI names the 101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports, a list that could not have existed just a few years ago. These men and women are reshaping the sports industry and opening doors through which others will follow.
