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SPORTSCENTURY'S 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL HAS RICKEY TOPS

          ESPN's BOB LEY hosted "SportsCentury" series listing
     the Top 10 most influential people in sports this century. 
     No. 10) IMG Founder & CEO MARK MCCORMACK.  Ley: "McCormack's
     success has clearly changed the perception of athletes, by
     the fans and the marketplace."  No. 9) Former Bears coach
     GEORGE HALAS. No. 8) Former Dodgers Owner WALTER O'MALLEY. 
     Stanford Economics Professor Roger Noll: "The O'Malley
     operation ... was the single best managed sports franchise
     over the long run of any in the country."  No. 7) Former IOC
     President AVERY BRUNDAGE:  Ley: "For almost half a century,
     one man was the global symbol of Olympic idealism and
     Olympic controversy."  No. 6) NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN. 
     Ley: "Stern gave us the phrase 'percent of the gross.'  He
     made his players rich, his owners richer, and fans screaming
     for more all over the world."  No. 5) Former MLB
     Commissioner Judge KENESAW MOUNTAIN LANDIS.  Ley: "He ruled,
     often imperiously, in the best interests of baseball."  No.
     4) MLBPA Founder MARVIN MILLER.  Ley: "In today's contracts,
     we count not just the dollars, but the number digits and we
     accept what was once considered revolutionary -- that
     athletes have rights and a voice.  A voice given to them by
     Marvin Miller."  No. 3) Former ABC Sports President ROONE
     ARLEDGE.  Ley: "Roone Arledge invented the modern form of
     sports television, venerating, and more importantly,
     creating heroes -- giving viewers someone to root for or
     against."  No. 2) Former NFL Commissioner PETE ROZELLE. 
     Ley: "Rozelle's vision and leadership were critical elements
     ... when he crafted the terms of pro football's historic
     merger.  Four years after the merger, Rozelle looked to
     establish the league in virgin territory: primetime
     television."  No. 1) Former Dodgers President & GM BRANCH
     RICKEY.  Ley said Rickey's "fingerprints are everywhere in
     [MLB].  He created the farm system.  He developed the idea
     of shared [TV] revenue.  He even forced expansion in 1961.
     ... But his legacy was sealed by the integration of
     baseball" ("SportsCentury," ABC, 5/23).

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SBJ I Factor features an interview with Molly Mazzolini. Elevate's Senior Operating Advisor – Design + Strategic Alliances chats with SBJ’s Ross Nethery about the power of taking chances. Mazzolini is a member of the SBJ Game Changers Class of 2016. She shares stories of her career including co-founding sports design consultancy Infinite Scale career journey and how a chance encounter while working at a stationery store launched her career in the sports industry. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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