Menu
People and Pop Culture

NBA's Adam Silver Headlines Sports Figures On Time 100 Most Influential People List

TIME magazine today released its annual list of the 100 most influential people, and NBA Commissioner ADAM SILVER was among a handful of sports figures included. Pro Basketball HOFer KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, who writes the piece on Silver, noting the commish has gone through "interesting times" since beginning in his role on Feb. 1, 2014. His tenure has included a "racist rant" by former Clippers Owner DONALD STERLING and a "mea culpa" by outgoing Hawks Managing Partner BRUCE LEVENSON, in addition to drug-related suspensions of players, salary-cap debates and lockout rumors. But Silver has "handled all these potentially divisive issues with openness, fairness and integrity." Abdul-Jabbar: "While it’s true that Adam has his eyes on the financial prize, it’s even more important that the NBA proves itself worthy of all the money, not just through offering the highest level of athleticism on the court but also by providing the highest level of professionalism off of it" (TIME.com, 4/16).

WORLDWIDE LEADER: News Corp. Chair & CEO RUPERT MURDOCH writes Disney Chair & CEO BOB IGER is a "thoughtful leader and an earnest individual, decent and dignified, farsighted and focused" in an industry "full of what are loosely called 'characters,' a term that is sometimes merely a lousy excuse for bad behavior." The common theme "running throughout the Disney businesses is family," and there is "no doubt ESPN is a juggernaut" (TIME.com, 4/16).

MAKING WAVES: U.S. women's national soccer team F ABBY WAMBACH and pro surfer GABRIEL MEDINA are the only active athletes on the list. National Soccer HOFer MIA HAMM writes Wambach "has developed into a star" and "embraced being a leader." She is a "great role model for young fans and recently led the charge to get FIFA to use grass for this summer’s Women’s World Cup, as it does for men." Though she "lost the battle, the fight sent a powerful message about equality in sports." Meanwhile, Time's Sean Gregory notes Medina last year became the second-youngest champion ever when he "won Brazil's first surfing world title." Now, a nation "used to its soccer players being among the world’s best has a new phenom to cheer." By "shaking up a sport typically dominated by Americans and Australians, Medina has become an icon in Brazil and is inspiring a new generation to make some waves" (TIME.com, 4/16).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/04/16/People-and-Pop-Culture/Time-100.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/04/16/People-and-Pop-Culture/Time-100.aspx

CLOSE