Chiefs Chair & CEO CLARK HUNT has "emerged as a primary leader among some of the most powerful figures in sports," according to Sam Mellinger of the K.C. STAR. In a room full of egos, Hunt "stands out with subtlety." In a room full of bombast, he "brings measured tones and carefully chosen words." Giants President & CEO JOHN MARA said of Hunt, "When he gets up, he has something to say, and it's usually something important and carefully thought out. As a result, people take him seriously." Hunt "turns 51 this month, the second-youngest owner in a group whose average age is in the 70s," but his influence "is among the strongest." Hunt was on the labor committee and NFL management council exec committee "during the last CBA negotiations, chairs the international committee as the NFL looks to expand opportunities abroad, and was on" the L.A. relocation committee. Mellinger: "This is a man whose voice carries weight." To the players during the last CBA negotiations, Hunt "represented a reasoned, level-headed approach." To the owners, Hunt "was thoughtful, committed to the league's best interests." A source said that Hunt was "critical in settling the biggest point of any negotiation -- the money." The more Hunt spoke, the "more sense he made," and the more Hunt was "directly involved in negotiations, the more progress was made." The CBA negotiations were a turning point for Hunt in "gaining the respect of both his fellow owners and the players." Hunt is "cautious, as seen in his desire to limit L.A. relocation to one team, but he is also a big thinker," as he has "pushed the league’s globalization." Mellinger: "There are some of us who hope Hunt uses his influence to guide the NFL to a more honest place on player safety, particularly head injuries" (K.C. STAR, 2/7).
NUMBER ONE SPOT: In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg ranked his "10 Most Influential People in Sports in the Carolinas," listing Panthers Owner JERRY RICHARDSON No. 1. Richardson "remains one of the most respected and powerful owners in the NFL." Even amid a "checkered existence that includes just six winning records in 21 years, the Panthers swiftly changed sports in the two states forever." Everyone and everything "quickly took a backseat to pro football -- even ACC basketball." Richardson was a "key negotiator for the owners in the 10-year labor agreement signed" in '11 and "played a primary role in the selection of ROGER GOODELL as commissioner" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/5).
