Influence is a characteristic easier identified than defined. What is certain, though, is that those who have it are unmistakable among their peers. They have the power to cause action, create change — and are frequently looked to by others for leadership.
It is with those considerations that we have chosen "influence" as the foundation for a 12-month editorial program in which SportsBusiness Journal will highlight some of the most influential people in our industry. This week features the 20 most influential people in sports advertising, timed around the pinnacle of sports advertising: the Super Bowl.
Our lists are intended to introduce (or reintroduce) individuals in the industry who are powerful through their purse, their position of decision-making, or the leagues, teams or brands they control. While it's easy to select those who control the biggest purse, we will aim to diversify. People can have significant influence on an industry by deviating from the mainstream and staying ahead of the curve.
We hope these lists will be much discussed, debated and critiqued. We expect people to take exception to our rankings and to the people we included or omitted. We want that.
We encourage you to take some time to review our first offering, and look for future listings about once every month.
