NBA’s Silver is most influential person in sports business

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, left, talks to former Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014, in Milwaukee. AP

LOS ANGELES — Adam Silver still in his first year as NBA commissioner, was Monday ranked the most influential person in sports business in the annual list published by SportsBusiness Daily.

Silver’s stock is up after his swift and decisive handling of the Donald Sterling racism row that enveloped the Los Angeles Clippers last season.

The affair ended with the team sold for an astonishing $2 billion to former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who presides over the most popular and lucrative pro sports league in the United States, was listed at fifth in the list of 50 — his lowest ranking since his first season as commissioner in 2006 coming after fierce criticism of his handling of the league’s response to high profile domestic violence cases involving players.

ESPN president John Skipper was ranked second and Robert Kraft, the owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots as well as Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution was third.

Baseball’s outgoing and incoming commissioners Bud Selig and Robert Manfred shared fourth.

SportsBusiness Daily has published the list since 2004. This year for the first time it features a current athlete — with four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert sharing the 26th ranking.

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