SportsBusinessDaily.com ranks the 50 most influential in North American sports, and Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban both made the list. The top seven, led by NBCUniversal's Steve Burke, are all TV execs and commissioners or committee chairs. The first owner, team exec or athlete is Robert Kraft at No. 8. Next is Jerry Jones at No. 10, then Tim Leiweke. Nike and IMG execs, Jerry and Jeanie Buss, and John Henry are the only other non-tv/commish participants in the top 30.
The bottom 20 of the list is dominated by more TV execs, union and league attorneys, and CEOs of brands that advertise heavily, such as Coca Cola and Adidas. No athletes make the list, and only Hal Steinbrenner and Mark Cuban round out the list among owners.
About Jones, SBJ says:
The first Super Bowl at the Cowboys' new home may have not gone as planned, but that's hardly slowed Jones. Whether on the labor committee that negotiated the new NFL collective-bargaining agreement or on the high-profile broadcast committee negotiating the wave of mega TV deals, Jones has a say in the NFL's most critical decisions.
Jerry was also tenth on last year's list. Cuban, however, was not on the list last year.
Cuban has moved past his reputation as a free-wheeling owner willing to take on the establishment. Now, he's earned respect that comes from his consistent approach in running the Mavericks. His team not only boasts an NBA title, but also is considered one of the best-run operations in sports.
See the entire list here.