We are pleased to introduce the '20 Champions: Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business, our 11th class recognizing well-known visionaries in the industry. Here are our six honorees.
JIM DELANY: Delany retired from the Big Ten after 30 years as its commissioner and leaves as one of the most influential administrators ever in college sports. He was a pioneer in sports media, as well as a trendsetter on expansion, growing the Big Ten to 14 schools. His behind-the-scenes work on diversity made the conference a professional launching pad for many minorities in college sports.
MARVIN DEMOFF: Demoff may be best known for representing future Pro Football HOF quarterbacks JOHN ELWAY and DAN MARINO in the famed '83 NFL draft, which featured six QBs taken in the first round. But Demoff also represented other athletes and broadcasters throughout a well-respected career that spans 50 years. He is known for his creativity in the details of contract negotiations, but more than anything, Demoff is known for his integrity.
MARLA MESSING: Messing left a promising legal career in the early '90s to tackle three projects that changed the face of American sports business forever: the launch of MLS, selling the '94 FIFA World Cup and her biggest achievement -- delivering the '99 FIFA Women's World Cup at a scale few thought possible -- supercharging the growth of women's sports nationwide. A generation later, she is rebuilding the USTA's critical Southern California division.
TOMMIE SMITH: Smith's enduring moment from the '68 Mexico City Games was on the medal stand, when he and teammate JOHN CARLOS each raised a gloved fist during the anthem, a gesture widely known as a symbol of black power. Ostracized from the track and field world, Smith paid a price that is relevant to a generation of athletes who have been increasingly vocal on social issues in recent years.
JON SPOELSTRA: DAVID STERN effectively advocated for Spoelstra, whose innovative style delivered at every stop, whether it was leading the Trail Blazers to more than a decade of consecutive sellouts or transforming the Nets from a moribund franchise into one of the NBA's sales leaders. He also flourished for more than a decade at Mandalay Baseball Properties. Over his career, he served as a mentor to a number of sports execs who sit in leadership positions today.
JIM STEEG: During Steeg's 26 years with the NFL, the Super Bowl grew into America's premier sporting event, as much a weeklong spectacle as a championship contest. Steeg brought a unique vision to the league's events, including developing the highly popular and widely imitated NFL Experience at the Super Bowl. He transformed the NFL Draft into one of the league's biggest annual events that attracts millions of TV viewers and hundreds of thousands of visitors on site.
We look forward to sharing their stories with you in upcoming issues, and welcome your suggestions for future Champions.
