FOX Sports Networks PR Blog: Freer, Shanks Named #6 on SBJ's Top 50 Most Influential People in Sports

SHANA WITTENWYLER

MARC BRYAN-BROWN

ERIC
SHANKS

Co-President

Fox Sports Media Group

RANDY
FREER

Co-President

Fox Sports Media Group

CHANGE FROM 2011: -1

When it comes to buying sports rights, no media company has been as aggressive as Fox Sports in the past year. Under the leadership of Freer and Shanks, Fox has secured long-term rights to Major League Baseball, NASCAR and the Big 12, in addition to buying a stake in YES Network. Those rights should help in 2013, when Fox unveils its new national allsports cable channel.

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ROGER
GOODELL

Commissioner

NFL

CHANGE FROM 2011: +2

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying Goodell’s influence over the landscape of sports. In season or out of season, the NFL commissioner sets the tone almost invariably for what will dominate the sports news cycle, whether replacement referees, player safety or the length of the season, to name only a few major headlines.

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BUD
SELIG

Commissioner

Major League Baseball

CHANGE FROM 2011: -1

Selig’s late-career ascendancy continues to accelerate with a 2012 that featured another season of record revenue and improved attendance, lucrative new national TV contracts, a highly successful expansion of the playoff format and a two-year contract extension. Twenty years into the job, critics still attack his deliberate style, but the results speak for themselves.

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DAVID
STERN

Commissioner

NBA

CHANGE FROM 2011: +2

Stern plans to retire in February 2014 after 30 years at the helm, but until then he will continue to lead the NBA through one of its healthiest periods in history as the league posts record revenue and ratings. In a classic sign of his power, NBA owners swiftly and unanimously approved his hand-picked replacement, Adam Silver.

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PHIL
ANSCHUTZ

Founder & Owner

AEG

CHANGE FROM 2011: NOT RANKED

TIM
LEIWEKE

President & CEO

AEG

CHANGE FROM 2011: +6

Normally, this list features only AEG’s indefatigable Leiweke, but that changed after the surprising news in September that Anschutz was putting his sports and entertainment giant in play. Anschutz will be calling the shots on easily the biggest transaction of 2013, and that decision will influence the future of so much in sports — from the NFL in Los Angeles and additional development of L.A. Live, to its stronghold in soccer and the dozens of buildings around the world that AEG either owns or operates. Any deal — whether sold as one or broken up — also will affect the future of Leiweke and what he has so impressively built.

SHANA WITTENWYLER

MARC BRYAN-BROWN

ERIC
SHANKS

Co-President

Fox Sports Media Group

RANDY
FREER

Co-President

Fox Sports Media Group

CHANGE FROM 2011: -1

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ROBERT
KRAFT

Founder, Chairman & CEO

The Kraft Group

CHANGE FROM 2011: +1

With the departure of Dan Rooney for Ireland as U.S. ambassador, Kraft has quickly assumed the mantle of most influential NFL owner. Whether it was sealing the deal in ending the NFL lockout, perennially fielding a Super Bowl-caliber team or getting out front and saying the NFL would have a franchise in London, Kraft is always front and center in the important matters of the day in America’s top sport.

ICON SMI

MARK
WALTER

Chairman, Los Angeles Dodgers

Founder & CEO, Guggenheim Partners

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

The Dodgers, thanks to Walter and his partners’ historic purchase in May, have redefined the sports market. Phil Anschutz cited their $2.15 billion price as the impetus for putting AEG on the market, and with the fractious bankruptcy saga over and unprecedented TV riches on the cusp of arriving, the Dodgers under Guggenheim Baseball Management are poised to become baseball’s top-spending team.

PATRICK E. MCCARTHY

SEAN
MCMANUS

Chairman

CBS Sports

CHANGE FROM 2011: +4

Now that Dick Ebersol and David Hill have left their posts at NBC and Fox, McManus is the last of the traditional broadcast sports executives. His influence comes through the massive deals he cuts, of course. But it’s his deep relationships in the business that really are influential. It’s no surprise that CBS has the longest relationships with its properties compared with other networks.

MARC BRYAN-BROWN

DAVID
LEVY

President of Sales, Distribution and Sports

Turner Broadcasting

CHANGE FROM 2011: +2

Levy’s influence extends beyond the deals that he cuts, which this year included $325 million per year for a Major League Baseball package and $175 million for Bleacher Report. His influence comes from the fact that he has taken a leadership position in every sports media conversation, from rights deals to digital developments, including a rollout of TV Everywhere around the NCAA basketball tournament.

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TIM
FINCHEM

Commissioner

PGA Tour

CHANGE FROM 2011: +3

For a PGA Tour that was enjoying quite a strong run of good play from its stars and strong sponsorship sales, the status quo would have been just fine. But Finchem worked with the players to shake up the schedule and qualifying procedures, again putting his indelible stamp on the tour.

JOHN OURAND / STAFF

MARK
LAZARUS

Chairman

NBC Sports Group

CHANGE FROM 2011: +4

2012 was the year that Lazarus oversaw the biggest audiences to ever sit in front of a television in the United States. NBC set a viewership record with Super Bowl XLVI, set another viewership record with its coverage of the London Olympics, and set yet another one, as “Sunday Night Football” became the first sports series to win U.S. TV’s prime-time ratings crown.

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BRIAN
FRANCE

CEO

NASCAR

CHANGE FROM 2011: +4

NASCAR’s TV ratings and viewership may have dipped in 2012, but its power as a media property was on full display when Fox paid $2.4 billion, a 33 percent increase, to lock up rights to the first 13 races of the season through 2022. France will try to build on that next year when NASCAR sells the rights to the season’s other 23 races.

MARC BRYAN-BROWN

ROXXE IRELAND

MIKE
DOLAN

Chairman & CEO

IMG

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

GEORGE
PYNE

President

IMG Sports & E ntertainment

CHANGE FROM 2011: +4

The largest question surrounding the company that invented sports marketing continues to be when IMG will be sold. Dolan, spearheading a global push, has flipped larger companies, while Pyne has helped orchestrate a huge investment in college properties that has the industry’s attention. Whether those huge collegiate guarantees pay off will ultimately decide the fate of the industry bellwether.

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GARY
BETTMAN

Commissioner

NHL

CHANGE FROM 2011: -6

After reporting $3.3 billion in league revenue for the 2011-12 season, Bettman instituted a lockout Sept. 16, the third of his almost 20-year tenure. The lockout has now cost the league its first two months and two of its marquee events, the Winter Classic and All-Star Game. But while players and fans may have their complaints, Bettman has the support of his bosses — the owners of the NHL’s 30 clubs.

NEWSCOM

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CHARLIE
DENSON

President

Nike Brand

MARK
PARKER

President

Nike Inc.

CHANGE FROM 2011: -1

Nike’s culture is culled from Eastern philosophers and Stanford MBAs, and it takes a pair of Nike lifers — Parker and Denson — to consistently brew that heady mix and keep the brand relevant to a consumer base ever ready to jump. NFL rights, a buoyant Olympic year and being closer to its biggest retailers than ever has Nike maintaining its usual lead position.

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JACQUES
ROGGE

President

International Olympic Committee

CHANGE FROM 2011: -10

Next year will bring an end to the Belgian’s 12-year leadership of the Olympics. And when he walks away in September, he will leave behind an organization in far better shape than when he began. The IOC has amassed a huge cash reserve, signed a new revenue-sharing agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee, and entered the emerging markets of China and Brazil.

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JERRY
JONES

Owner

Dallas Cowboys

CHANGE FROM 2011: -8

His team may struggle, he lost a battle with the league over salary cap penalties, and sometimes the media may not be kind, but in the end it’s still the Cowboys and he is still Jerry Jones. Cowboys Stadium continues to set the standard for NFL facilities, and win or lose, the franchise remains a proven ratings winner for the NFL’s network partners.

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DON
FEHR

Executive Director

NHL Players’ Association

CHANGE FROM 2011: +28

Fehr’s stature has grown as he has been locked in a labor showdown with the NHL that becomes more tense with each passing day. In fighting what he calls the lockout “playbook” used by most of the leagues, some believe how he steers the players through the NHL’s third lockout in 18 years could even influence player rights and pay in other sports.

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ADAM
SILVER

Deputy Commissioner

NBA

CHANGE FROM 2011: +6

Silver’s already sizable influence only increases as he adds NBA commissioner-elect to his duties after owners unanimously voted him to succeed David Stern in February 2014.

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BERNIE
ECCLESTONE

President & CEO

Formula One

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

Ecclestone single-handedly turned F1 into one of the most powerful international properties in sports, third in many brands’ eyes to the Olympics and World Cup. One of the few markets the property hasn’t penetrated is the U.S., but that’s changing. The inaugural race in Texas this year drew more than 250,000 spectators over three days, and the series hopes to hold a race in New York-New Jersey in 2014.

MARC BRYAN-BROWN

MELINDA
WITMER

Executive Vice President & Chief Video and Content Officer

Time Warner Cable

CHANGE FROM 2011: NO CHANGE

Witmer’s influence in 2012 extended beyond deciding which sports networks the country’s second-largest cable operator would carry. This year, Witmer made a big splash with the launch of two regional sports networks in Los Angeles with programming from the Lakers and Galaxy. Despite some early pushback, the channels have carriage deals with the main Los Angeles-based distributors and have produced big ratings so far.

ROXXE IRELAND

CASEY
WASSERMAN

Chairman & CEO

Wasserman Media Group

CHANGE FROM 2011: +1

Long recognized for his clout and connections in sports, politics, finance and pop culture, Wasserman saw his vision for the NFL’s return to Los Angeles inch closer while his Wasserman Media Group had arguably its most successful year. The agency landed the first overall picks in the NBA, NFL, MLB and MLS drafts, while further building upon its strong media rights and corporate consulting division. Wasserman’s powerful advocacy for sports, mixed with his strong philanthropy and social responsibility initiatives, continue to elevate his standing.

MARC BRYAN-BROWN

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ROB
MANFRED

Executive Vice President, Economics & League Affairs

Major League Baseball

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

TIM
BROSNAN

Executive Vice President, Business

Major League Baseball

CHANGE FROM 2011: +3

Brosnan and Manfred are two key lieutenants under Commissioner Bud Selig, each with growing importance and stature in league affairs. Brosnan posted a career year with the new national TV deals, a major sponsorship extension with Anheuser-Busch and a marked expansion of the MLB Fan Cave. Manfred, meanwhile, has run point on a bevy of critical issues, including the Dodgers bankruptcy, the Nationals/MASN dispute and the Giants/A’s Bay Area territorial fight.

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MARK
EMMERT

President

NCAA

CHANGE FROM 2011: +4

For those who thought that the NCAA’s leader had no influence in college football, Emmert dropped a sanction-filled bomb on Penn State’s football program. Under his watch, the NCAA also is working on ways to commercially modernize March Madness and revise the page-heavy and often confusing NCAA rule book, all of which is leaving a very clear imprint of his administration.

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JERRY
BUSS

JEANIE
BUSS

Owners

Los Angeles Lakers

CHANGE FROM 2011: -6

Jerry Buss owns the team while his daughter, Jeanie, runs the Lakers’ business operations. The Lakers drew flak for snubbing Phil Jackson in replacing the fired Mike Brown, but off the court the team remains a powerhouse. Their 25-year deal reportedly worth nearly $200 million annually with Time Warner Cable continues to set the bar.

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MIKE
SLIVE

Commissioner

Southeastern Conference

CHANGE FROM 2011: +8

The SEC’s power on the field is never questioned, and neither is Slive’s influence off the field. He is carefully and methodically building an SEC channel that will further legitimize the conference’s leadership position in college sports, all the while dictating the look of the new college football playoff.

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DON
GARBER

Commissioner

Major League Soccer

CHANGE FROM 2011: +2

MLS set an attendance record for the second straight year, another sign of the rising popularity of the league and building upon Garber’s strong operating foundation. On his agenda for 2013: helping struggling franchises such as Columbus and Chivas USA at the gate,
improving TV ratings and solidifying
a New York franchise in Queens.

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JIM
DELANY

Commissioner

Big Ten Conference

CHANGE FROM 2011: NOT RANKED

The Big Ten has a history of setting the pace in college athletics, and Delany was at it again this year, taking a founding member — Maryland — from the ACC without anyone even suspecting it. The influence of Delany’s baby, the Big Ten Network, ensures that the conference will be one of the power players in the college space for years to come.

ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV

NEWSCOM

MAARTEN
ALBARDA

Vice President, Global Connections

Anheuser-Busch InBev

CARLOS
BRITO

CEO

Anheuser-Busch InBev

CHANGE FROM 2011: +3

Along with being omnipresent in U.S. sports, the world’s biggest brewery has the rights to the most important global sports sponsorships over the next four years in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, both in Brazil. Can this duo use the power of global sports to expand the reach of worldwide labels Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois and Brahma? It’s a heady task.

SHANA WITTENWYLER

SHANA WITTENWYLER

MICHAEL
LEVINE

Co-Head

CAA Sports

HOWARD
NUCHOW

Co-Head

CAA Sports

CHANGE FROM 2011: +3

Born in Hollywood, CAA is now fully established in sports representation, with the likes of David Beckham and Shaun White. But led by Levine and Nuchow, new business for the agency this year included the consulting assignment for JPMorgan Chase and the selection by UEFA of the CAA Eleven subsidiary to sell TV and sponsorship rights — wins that show it’s also building its influence elsewhere in sports.

GREG PUIME/UMD ATHLETICS

KEVIN
PLANK

CEO & Founder

Under Armour

CHANGE FROM 2011: +5

That Under Armour is a serious challenger to Nike in terms of cachet to youthful core consumers — at less than 1/12th its size — is a tribute to Plank’s vision and Under Armour’s corporate culture. To make a serious run at Nike’s dominance, success in non-cleated footwear and continued expansion outside of North America are vital.

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LARRY
PROBST

Chairman

U.S. Olympic Committee

SCOTT
BLACKMUN

CEO

U.S. Olympic Committee

CHANGE FROM 2011: +6

The No. 1 priority for the U.S. Olympic Committee this year was negotiating a new revenue-sharing agreement with the International Olympic Committee. Not only did Probst and Blackmun get that done, the USOC also fielded the top medal-winning team at the London Games and brought on new sponsors including Liberty Mutual. Now, they have to bring the Olympics back to the U.S.

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SEAN
BRATCHES

Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing

ESPN

CHANGE FROM 2011: -3

Bratches is the executive who oversees all revenue coming into ESPN, but his influence extends beyond the deals he cuts. It’s more how he’s cut them. Cable carriage deals generally get played out in the press. But in 2012, Bratches oversaw complicated long-term deals with Comcast and Cablevision without a whiff of public dissension.

PAC-12 CONFERENCE

LARRY
SCOTT

Commissioner

Pac-12 C onference

CHANGE FROM 2011: -12

Scott’s vision for multiple Pac-12 networks came to life this year, and while distribution issues are a fact of life with new channels, there’s no disputing that Scott continues to be a leading innovator in what traditionally has been a conservative and slow-to-move space. Now if he can just breathe some life into his new championship football game.

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JEFF
PASH

Executive Vice President & General Counsel

NFL

CHANGE FROM 2011: +12

Insiders call Pash the unofficial No. 2 executive at the NFL. Pash was front and center for years because of the labor standoff, but he retains a high profile and is a key adviser to Commissioner Roger Goodell as the league navigates tricky legal terrain. It’s not always easy to understand how important Pash is because he’s not necessarily quick with one-liners or forceful rhetoric. Instead, he abides by the maxim “Don’t get into a spitting contest with someone who shows up in a raincoat.”

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HERBERT
HAINER

Chairman & CEO

Adidas

CHANGE FROM 2011: -5

Hainer and Adidas are riding high. However, the company is still struggling to justify the billions it paid in 2006 for Reebok, which is weighed down in the U.S. by share losses; its loss of NFL rights; the NHL lockout; and massive problems in India. Even then, Adidas has had strong recent results, and Hainer insists Reebok, repositioned as a fitness brand, will rebound.

TONY FLOREZ PHOTOGRAPHY

LARRY
BAER

President & CEO

San Francisco Giants

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

Move over Los Angeles and New York, baseball’s most powerful franchise arguably plays by the Bay. Baer oversees an attendance and merchandising power with two World Series titles in the last three seasons, plus a thought leadership role on emerging industry issues such as dynamic ticket pricing.

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GUERRY REDMOND PHOTOGRAPHY

ALISON
LEWIS

Senior Vice President of Marketing

Coca-Cola North America

CHANGE FROM 2011: +4

SHARON
BYERS

Senior Vice President, Sports and Entertainment Marketing Partnerships

Coca-Cola North America

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

Coke continues to rule the cola war, and even though Pepsi’s carbonated drinks have recovered some of their U.S. share, Wall Street is still more impressed by Coke’s leadership, which includes the marketing acumen of Lewis and Byers, as Coke has outperformed Pepsi by truckloads in terms of stock performance during the past five years.

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JOHN
HENRY

Owner

Fenway Sports Group

CHANGE FROM 2011: -15

More on-field woes arrived this year for Henry in both Boston and Liverpool, as did fan anger. But with Anfield Stadium and the Red Sox roster poised for significant renovation and Fenway Sports Group maintaining a large, powerful portfolio of assets, Henry’s coming moves will still shift the marketplace.

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MILLERCOORS

ANDY
ENGLAND

Chief Marketing Officer

MillerCoors

TOM
LONG

President & Chief Commercial Officer

MillerCoors

CHANGE FROM 2011: -3

Losing NFL marketing rights after 10 years was supposed to cost MillerCoors, but early this year Coors Light surpassed Budweiser as the No. 2 U.S. beer brand. Now it’s the NHL lockout costing MillerCoors profits in Canada, but England and Long continue to deftly pilot Anheuser-Busch’s biggest domestic rival.

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DEMAURICE
SMITH

Executive Director

NFL Players Association

CHANGE FROM 2011: -6

More than a year after agreeing to a collective-bargaining agreement that will ensure labor peace for 10 years, Smith continues to fight for player rights on the field in health and safety matters and in court with the union’s collusion case against the NFL. Also, in March, Smith was unanimously re-elected as head of the largest union in sports.

TONY FLOREZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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ED
SNIDER

Chairman

Comcast-Spectacor

PETER
LUUKKO

President & COO

Comcast-Spectacor

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMERS

Snider and Luukko have been tied at the hip for almost 30 years, mostly in Philadelphia where they have developed Comcast-Spectacor into a powerful entity covering facility services for about 100 arenas, stadiums and other venues. Snider is Comcast-Spectacor’s chairman; Luukko, his chief lieutenant, is its president and COO. Over the past year, they also led the successful transformation of the old Spectrum site into Xfinity Live!, a retail and entertainment complex.

SHANA WITTENWYLER

BOB
BOWMAN

President & CEO

MLB Advanced Media

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

It’s almost easy now to take Bowman and MLBAM for granted as each year brings more revenue and innovation. More broadly, though, every one of baseball’s key avenues of growth, including youth and international audiences, emerging content platforms and digital ticketing, fundamentally involves Bowman and his team.

SHANA WITTENWYLER

CHRIS
TSAKALAKIS

CEO

StubHub

CHANGE FROM 2011: +5

Nothing has changed the ticket-buying world more in the last decade than the emergence of StubHub, under the guidance of Tsakalakis. Love it or loathe it, the line between sale and resale has gone from clear to fuzzy to all but invisible. Whether viewing it as a sales channel, a sponsor, a barometer or a competitor, anyone who sells an event ticket better keep an eye on the Stub.

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BILL
DALY

Deputy Commissioner

NHL

BOB
BATTERMAN

Partner

Proskauer

CHANGE FROM 2011: NOT RANKED

Daly is the league’s most consistent communicator with the media and often is its top representative in collective-bargaining negotiations with the NHLPA. Batterman, a partner at Proskauer, is part of the legal firm’s sports law group that works with the NHL, NFL and MLS. Their influence on NHL labor talks and the league’s lockout has been immense.

SHANA WITTENWYLER

RICK
DUDLEY

President & CEO

Octagon Worldwide

CHANGE FROM 2011: +2

Overseeing an agency of 800-plus employees that quietly has a role in virtually all areas of the sports business, Dudley continues to build upon Octagon’s basic framework by expanding it into new areas — namely Brazil — and by building out areas of business. The agency’s consulting division, Olympic talent business and research group are consistently among the best in class, and Dudley formed a new event group that should provide opportunities for growth in both the events and hospitality space.

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JOHN
MARA

Co-Owner, President & CEO

New York Giants

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

It’s not just the two Super Bowl-winning teams in the last five years, or his easy way with the media and fans. Mara has now fully taken over for his late father, Wellington, as a trusted source of advice and counsel in elite NFL circles.

TONY FLOREZ PHOTOGRAPHY

NATHAN
HUBBARD

CEO

Ticketmaster

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

Long the dominant player in the primary ticketing market, Ticketmaster has expanded its view of the business under Hubbard, chasing the secondary market more aggressively and positioning itself as an e-commerce company that can provide clients with unrivaled data. This year’s deal with the NBA that puts tickets — including resales — from all 30 teams on one Web portal bears watching.

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BRAD
DREWETT

Executive Chairman & President

ATP

CHANGE FROM 2011: NEWCOMER

For years, it was no secret that tennis’ Grand Slams paid the players an astonishingly low percentage of revenue, at least compared with most other sports. And a succession of ATP and WTA leaders did almost nothing to change the situation, until Drewett took over the ATP in 2012. He already has won huge concessions from the Australian Open. Look for a pitched battle with the other three Slams in 2013.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Freer, Shanks Named #6 on SBJ's Top 50 Most Influential People in Sports

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