Espn Tv Baseball Schedule

A wide shot: elegant Mice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in Manhattan. Advertising big shots, journalists and guest panelists such as NBA legend Bill Russell arrive for the third annual ESPN up-front presentation, at which the network celebrates with, and sells itself to, media buyers and opinion makers.

Zoom in: downstairs, into the greenroom, behind that dosed door. There, in a restroom, John Saunders, Bob Ley and Chris Berman chat, talk sports and briefly relax. Most ESPN viewers--and aren't we all, at some point, ESPN viewers?--would love to eavesdrop here. But for anyone interested in truly understanding ESPN, the most compelling conversation in the building is back in the greenroom. Scan past Charlotte Bobcats owner Robert Johnson and advertising guru Dan Weiden to those chairs against the wall where a man discusses sotto voce the future of television with Stephen Burke, president of Comcast, the leading cable operator in the country.

Meet ESPN president George Bodenheimer, the most powerful person in the room, the building and, by the SPORTING NEWS' measure, in all of sports for 2003: No. 1 in the Power 100, our annual ranking of sports industry heavyweights.

Unlike a certain other George whom TSN ranked numero uno last year, Bodenheimer doesn't constantly remind you that he's the boss. In fact, his power style is the polar opposite of George Steinbrenner's. Bodenheimer, who was ranked fourth last year, doesn't dominate a room--he can be so soft-spoken that his conversations can't be heard 2 feet away. Ask ESPN senior vice president for consumer communication Chris LaPlaca for a Bodenheimer press kit, and he'll confess that there isn't one because Bodenheimer is oft-quoted on business matters but rarely profiled. Spend an hour in Bodenheimer's modestly decorated office, and he'll flood you with quotes reflecting ah unstinting"we, not me" attitude.

But don't underestimate Bodenheimer, who started at ESPN in 1981 by driving mail around the Bristol, Conn., complex and picking up tapes and talent at the airport. Beneath his nice-guy smile and sense of humor, says senior vice president John Walsh, is someone "who can be demanding and make tough decisions, someone who understands that everything doesn't go the way you hoped it would." He is, senior V.P. Lee Ann Daly says, extremely thorough, doesn't assume he knows everything and never leaves a meeting until he "understands it all."

Says NBA commissioner David Stern, himself a former No. 1 in the Power 100: "He's a good manager who understands the evolution and history of his company as well as any CEO in the country."

Bodenheimer, who took that first job in Bristol after being rejected by every major league baseball team and Madison Square Garden, got promoted to affiliate sales when he was the only staffer willing to more to Texas. He moved up the ESPN ladder, adding affiliate marketing and then all sales and marketing before becoming president in 1998.

Bodenheimer's low-profile style has worked well, as has his push to make sure ESPN is an innovative risk taker both on screen and off. "He respects the traditions of ESPN but is fearless about moving forward, which he has made a mandate of his regime," says Walsh.

Bodenheimer's relentless multiplatform brand-building has made ESPN the lifeline of the American sports fan more than ever, reportedly reaching 90 million fans a week. Bodenheimer gained our top spot by continually extending ESPN's reach in ways large and small.

"George has coalesced his power," says Marc Ganis, president of the consulting firm Sports Corp., "and he has growing influence within the TV--and especially the cable--world."

In October 2002, ESPN became the first network with simultaneous contracts to televise all four major professional sports: the NBA, NHL, NFL and major league baseball. From August to March, its programming schedule is dotted with major-college football and basketball. In 2003, it added Wimbledon tennis, doubled its coverage of the NCAA women's basketball tournament and returned to televising baseball's playoffs. ESPN's original programming continues to develop, ranging from the controversial NFL-based drama Playmakers (more on that later) to ESPN2's new morning show, Cold Pizza.

ESPN scored its most-viewed quarter in network history from July to September, followed by single-month ratings records in October for both ESPN and ESPN2. (The ratings boost was aided by outside factors--Boston and Chicago in baseball's playoffs and the LeBron James circus--that may not be replicated next year.) In November, a Cowboys-Patriots Sunday night game drew the third-biggest ESPN audience ever and the fifth-biggest in basic-cable history. ESPN won nine sports Emmys in 2003, its most since 1996. ESPN: The Magazine is approaching 2 million circulation and won a National Magazine Award for General Excellence. ESPN.com keeps breaking its own records as the Internet's most-trafficked sports website, scoring 16.7 million unique users in October.

But Bodenheimer's dynamic business plan manifests itself in many ways that are less obvious. "Technological excellence and leadership are as important to the future growth of ESPN and our brand as the product we put on the air," he says. In 2003, the company introduced ESPN Pay-Per-View; ESPN Motion, a newly enhanced video technology now employed on its website, and ESPN HD, a 24/7 high-definition simulcast service that industry insiders credit with helping jump-start sluggish HDTV sales.

ESPN also is increasingly ambitious about maximizing its licensing potential, hoping to double retail sales by adding staff and moving beyond the typical hawking of T-shirts and caps. The past year witnessed the birth of ESPN DVDs, ESPN Golf Schools, X Games Skateparks and ESPN Videogames.

But wait, there's more ... Bodenheimer was promoted in 2003 to the head of ABC Sports. He now oversees Monday Night Football, coverage of The NBA Finals and, between ESPN and ABC, the TV rights to virtually every college football bowl game.

With that kind of power, of course, comes great headaches. "The power opens doors, but it raises the bar," Bodenheimer says. "People don't expect you to stumble."

And yet one key to Bodenheimer's success is being adept at recovering from stumbles. (A notable exception was ESPN's hiring radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, who was "un-hired" after his racially charged comments about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb; the Limbaugh saga was misplayed from start to finish.)

When ESPN's ratings declined sharply two years ago, Bodenheimer expanded into original programming such as the talk show Pardon the Interruption and the made-for-TV movie The Junction Boys to right the ship.

ABC's rookie NBA telecasts were poorly rated and widely considered inferior to the production by NBC, the previous over-the-air rights holder, so Bodenheimer signed the esteemed Mike Pearl away from Turner Sports to run the show. When Turner outwooed ABC for ex-coach/analyst Doug Collins, Bodenheimer and Pearl persuaded superstar Al Michaels to add the NBA to his regular duties on Monday Night FootbalL Stern is "very pleased" with the way Bodenheimer navigated the bumpy road. "George's approach is very calm and considered," Stern says. "He is not given to knee-jerk reactions, but over time he makes a decision and makes it happen."

Bodenheimer must decide soon about the NHL. Commissioner Gary Bettman predicted the league's upcoming TV contract again will net $600 million, but Bodenheimer insists he won't overspend just to keep all four leagues on his menu. "That (large rights fee) happened because the moon and stars all aligned," he says. "We don't need hockey. Our brand is big enough to carry the company forward with an evolving mix of products."

Perception-wise, Bodenheimer's handling of Playmakers, whose plot lines infuriated the NFL and prompted Gatorade to pull its ads, is an even bigger power play. Bodenheimer didn't back down during the show's run but is biding his time on its future, acknowledging that he may have to capitulate to sports' most powerful league. "I listen to everyone's point of view," he says. "The show was a flat-out hit, and there's no evidence that it hurt NFL ratings. But I must not only respect their opinion. I must take it into account. They're my partner." (Meantime, be forewarned, commissioner Stern: He has Spike Lee developing a dramatic basketball series.)

But the gravest challenge to Bodenheimer's power comes off screen, where a lengthy, ongoing and unsettled battle with cable operators over fees they pay per subscriber to ESPN has reached a fever pitch.

Several operators, including Comcast and particularly Cox, have become outspoken about rejecting ESPN's rate hikes. Cox's ESPN deal expires in March, and the company is threatening to drop ESPN or move it to a premium sports tier that viewers pay for separately. But ESPN likely would recapture many Cox subscribers via satellite providers such as DirecTV.

Even Comcast's Burke acknowledged at ESPN's up-front presentation that "no programming is more important" than sports, and Comcast doesn't want to lose viewers to satellite providers. Bodenheimer is frustrated by Cox executives' media maneuvering and has begun characteristically returning fire. "Cox has chosen to make this a public negotiation" says Bodenheimer, asserting that there's room for compromise on price increases but that he won't allow ESPN to be shifted to a premium tier. ESPN needs cable companies' fees and the ad revenue from being on basic cable to afford the leagues' rights fees, and ESPN's deals with the NHL, NFL and MLB are, like the operators' contracts, expiring in the next two years. If Cox goes over the brink, Bodenheimer says, then he will, too. "I hope to work something out. But for the future of our business, we must remain part of basic cable."

The far-reaching effects of the subscriber-fees disagreement notwithstanding, that future looks bright. In 2004, the company will tap the Latino market with ESPN Deportes, a 24-hour Spanish-language network. ESPN will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a massive "Season of the Fan" marketing campaign and 35 hours of original programming. And if there's anyone who has the juice to juggle all those ESPN and ABC balls while getting his executives to take chances and while resolving sticky issues, it is George Bodenheimer.

Nos. 2-10

2 Paul Tagliabue (2002: 2), Commissioner, NFL. Revenue is up, TV ratings are strong and the NFL Network is launched. IBM and FedEx signed on as sponsors in 2003, and the league is as competitive as it ever has been. It could be argued that little in sports TV, marketing and licensing happens without the NFL having an effect. Sure, L.A. remains unresolved, financial disparity is a growing concern and there are the ongoing, on-field distractions of officiating mistakes and look-at-me celebrations, but, overall, it definitely is no bad thing to be Paul.

3 Phil Knight (2002: 6), Chairman, CEO, Nike. The Swoosh increased sports endorsement money by a third to an eye-popping $1.44 billion in fiscal 2003, with more than a few shoeboxes of cash going to LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Freddy Adu and Chuck Taylor (Nike bought Converse in '03). Record revenue ($10.3 billion) and the end of Nike's feud with key retailer Foot Locker were pluses. On the down side, Nike lost Yao Ming, not to mention a fight to prevent its NFL endorsers from wearing Reebok hats on sidelines. For the most part, though, it was a huge year for Nike.

4 Bud Selig (2002: 3), Commissioner, Major League Baseball. Labor peace focused things on (gasp!) the games, and attendance and TV ratings rose. Buoyed by an All-Star Game that counted and an electrifying postseason, baseball recaptured some of its glory. Equally impressive are MLB's lucrative new deals for global licensing and TV rights fees, and savvy plans for a World Cup-style event enable Selig to dis the Olympics. But Bud still stumbles into more embarrassments than other chieftains--among them, the Expos' continuing Bingo Long existence, a widely mocked drug-testing system, the game's best player testifying before a grand jury in a steroids investigation, the lingering Pete Rose shadow and the Clemens-Zito All-Star Game roster fiasco. And, oh yes, how 'bout those Brewers? (Sure, he doesn't run them, but his daughter does.)

5 John Swofford (2002: tie 19), Commissioner, Atlantic Coast Conference. No one shook up the sports world more than Swofford. The domino effect of reshaping the ACC, Big East and beyond is ongoing, but there's no arguing that by adding Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech, the ACC was strengthened and the Big East was threatened. Tens of millions of dollars shifted southward thanks to his power play, and repercussions will be felt for years as conference shifts continue.

6 David Stern (2002: 5), Commissioner, NBA. Is this actually erosion of his league or merely a down cycle preceding yet another surge, foreshadowed by the popularity of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony? TV ratings for The Finals hit a 30-year low last season, and Stern got the cold shoulder not only from cable operators regarding NBA TV but also from Bucks owner Herb Kohl, who walked away from a deal to make Michael Jordan an owner, embarrassing Stern and M.J. in the process. Given his track record, Stern will act--decisively.

7 Bob Kain (2002: 22), Co-CEO, IMG. In the wake of the death of IMG founder Mark McCormack, Kain shares the CEO title with Alistair Johnston (No. 21). But by virtue of heading U.S. operations, Kain is first among equals. He asserts his control with attention to the bottom line, which likely will mean scaling back the company's scope. Still, IMG has launched an X Sports division, which means Kain is looking for new opportunities, just as McCormack did for so many years.

8 Mark Schweitzer (2002: not rated), Senior V.P. of marketing, and

Michael Robichaud (2002: not rated), Senior director of sports and event marketing, Nextel. Their 10-year title sponsorship of NASCAR's top series, at $750 million the largest sponsorship deal in sports history, turned Nextel, which had ranked fifth among wireless providers with 7.5 percent of the market, into a major sports player. Schweitzer's vision behind the Nextel Cup deal made it happen; Robichaud has the power in dealing with NASCAR and the TV networks.

9 George Steinbrenner (2002: 1), Owner, New York Yankees. He's still the most powerful owner in sports, and The Boss does things his way, pushing for deals for Javier Vazquez, Kevin Brown and Gary Sheffield to offset departures and counter the rival Red Sox. But the Yankees' World Series loss to the upstart Marlins left him without a crown for the third straight year. Elsewhere, Cablevision was forced to carry his YES Network, although Time Warner allowed everyone to opt out, and YankeeNets, the holding company that owns the Nets and Devils, was unraveling. For a man who considers finishing second a loss, it was a year of disappointments.

10 David Hill (2002: 8), Chairman, CEO, FOX Sports Television Group. In the 10 years since FOX jumped into sports, it has--by virtue of the money it spends and impact it has on the NFL, Major League Baseball and NASCAR--become the most important broadcast network. Still, Hill faces challenges by teams and other cable providers on the regional sports network front. His approach (think: the freewheeling FOX NFL Sunday and Best Damn Sports Show Period) continues to be the signature for the company's sports presence across all media platforms. (Note: FOX and the SPORTING NEWS are content partners on FOXSports.com.)

Nos. 11-40

11 August Busch IV (2002: 9), President, and Tony Ponturo (2002: 9), V.P., global media and sports marketing, Anheuser-Busch Inc. Despite a relatively quiet year, the behemoth of beers still is the most important spender of sports marketing money.

12 Roger Goodell (2002: 13), Executive V.P., COO, NFL. In addition to all of his other responsibilities, he helped make the NFL Network a reality.

13 Gary Bettman (2002: 10), Commissioner, NHL. He settled the Senators' and Sabres' financial situations, but his cash-strapped league is getting less TV time in the United States, lenders are skeptical, and a work stoppage next season appears imminent.

14 Paul Fireman (2002: not rated), Chairman, Reebok International. His company nabbed Yao Ming, making up for losing LeBron James, and then plucked hoops matchmaker Sonny Vaccaro from Adidas. Stocks and revenue are soaring, proof that Reebok's NBA and NFL apparel deals are paying dividends. (Note: David Baxter, Reebok's representative in the 2002 Power 100, was ranked No. 15.)

15 Mark Shapiro (2002: 14), Executive V.P. of programming and production, ESPN. For better and worse, he's pushing the ESPN brand in new directions. Playmakers generated ill will from the NFL and ratings from viewers; Cold Pizza is an attempt to rev up ESPN2. But he botched the Rush Limbaugh controversy, looking weak and indecisive.

16 Bill France Jr. (2002: 11), Vice chairman, NASCAR; Chairman, International Speedway Corporation. NASCAR is still a sports phenomenon, as Nextel's multimillion-dollar naming rights deal proves. France has lost power since health problems caused him to hand over the keys to the car--day-to-day operation of NASCAR--to his son, Brian. Still, Dad retains final say.

17 Brian France (2002: Sports Executives, 6), Chairman, CEO, NASCAR. He was promoted to take the wheel from his father, bumping Mike Helton as he passed by. He helped make the Nextel deal happen, but still must prove in the garages that he is more than a "suit" and that he's ready to be the ultimate boss.

18 Ed Goren (2002: 18), President, Executive producer, FOX Sports. He pushed Bud Selig to make baseball's All-Star Game count by giving the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series, because FOX wanted something at stake.

19 Bob DuPuy (2002: 20), President, COO, MLB. He's hands-on with licensing, international issues and baseball's cutting-edge website. He also runs the MLB-owned Expos, but has failed to unload the burden above the border.

20 Bruce McMillan (2002: 16), Executive V.P., Group studio general manager, Electronic Arts. EA Sports is spending big on Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 and saw Madden NFL 2004 sell 2 million units in one three-week span. Advertising expansion has driven EA's stock to an all-time high.

21 Alistair Johnston (2002: not rated), Co-CEO, IMG. Equal to Bob Kain in title, he oversees all non-American IMG business, which includes Wimbledon and the British Open.

22 Jerry Jones (2002: Behind the Scenes, 3), Owner, President, G.M., Dallas Cowboys. He hired Bill Parcells when others couldn't and has managed to leave Tuna alone. With renewed success on the field, Jones leverages the team's popularity off it, expanding product sales into Mexico and possibly seeking funding for a new sports complex.

23 Charles Fruit (2002: 27), Senior V.P. for worldwide media and alliances, The Coca-Cola Co. Coke remains a major spender in sports programming. The latest addition: Fruit poured $15 million into College Sports Television Network.

24 Dick Ebersol (2002: 33), Chairman, NBC Sports. He outbid rivals for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics and got his losses at General Electric to add $160 million to $200 million as sponsors. Also, presumably at his prodding, G.E. is looking at other rights bidding, quietly reaching out to the leagues.

25 Yao Ming (2002: not rated), Houston Rockets center. Got "LeBron money" from Reebok, plus royalties in China, where he is royalty. With the NBA pushing to expand in China, Yao could become a Jordanesque figure (earning Jordanesque figures) in the world's largest country with its white-hot economy.

26 Tiger Woods (2002: 25), Golfer. U Shut out in the four majors, he still was PGA Player of the Year and remains one of sports' most marketable athletes. His stance on equipment testing helped make changes happen.

27 Mike Pearl (2002: not rated), Executive producer, ABC Sports. His top-flight NBA productions at Turner led ABC to woo him away. He got Al Michaels to come off the bench to handle hoops play-by-play.

28 LeBron James (2002: 10 to Watch, 10), Cleveland Cavaliers guard. The most-hyped rookie ever brought high school hoops to ESPN and signed nine figures' worth of marketing deals before playing a pro game. The next "next Jordan" injected much-needed excitement into the NBA but now faces his most difficult task: lifting the Cavaliers to legitimacy.

29 Tony Hawk (2002: 37), Action sports entrepreneur. He made the transition from X sports icon to one-man industry. His Boom Boom Huckjam tour rolls on, boosting sales of clothing, skateboards, video games and action figures. Perhaps the truest sign of hip status: He got a gig skateboarding against Homer in the 300th episode of The Simpsons.

30 Jim Delany (2002: tie 19), Commissioner, Big Ten. He has replaced former SEC commissioner Roy Kramer as the real mover and shaker in college sports, driving much of the BCS policy. But this year he was outshone by the ACC's John Swofford, and his BCS is increasingly beleaguered.

31 Russ Granik (2002: 31), Deputy commissioner, NBA. As the heir to the throne, he stays in David Stern's shadow but is involved in myriad facets of the league's operation.

32 Tim Finchem (2002: 30), Commissioner, PGA Tour. Like his tour's top player, he didn't insert himself into--or, in turn, have a powerful impact on--the Martha-vs.-Hootie controversy at Augusta. Yet he was effective behind the scenes.

33 Jacques Rogge (2002: not rated), President, International Olympic Committee. He scored the year's only big rights deal, forcing NBC to go for broke with its $2 billion winning bid. He also made his presence felt in USOC reform and in the ongoing drug-testing controversy in America. One strike against him: the losing battle to get major leaguers into Olympic baseball.

34 William Daly (2002: 38), Executive V.P., Chief legal officer, NHL. As labor negotiations loom large, he plays a crucial role in public and in the boardroom.

35 Serena Williams (2002: 28), Tennis player. Indomitable until an injury, she was voted Sports Business Daily's most marketable female athlete. She scored a $40 million to $60 million deal with Nike--what could become the largest endorsement deal ever for a woman.

36 Bill Parcells (2002: not rated), Coach, Dallas Cowboys. He made America's team his team on his terms to re-establish himself as the modern-day Lombardi.

37 Sean McManus (2002: 26), President, CBS Sports. Despite no cable outlet, he retains some clout because of his network's NFL and NCAA basketball deals. But he had to pay to air the Masters without commercials because of the Hootie Johnson controversy.

38 Donna Shalala (2002: not rated), President, University of Miami. John Swofford put the ball in play but couldn't have scored his college-conference coup without her.

39 Johnnie Cochran (2002: Ten to Watch, 3), Cyrus Mehri (2002: not rated) and Kellen Winslow Sr. (2002: not rated), Founders, Fritz Pollard Alliance. They ran a power play on Paul Tagliabue and the NFL, gaining significant minority-hiring yardage with their alliance for coaches. They helped inspire the hiring of Marvin Lewis, the fining of Lions general manager Matt Millen and new hiring rules.

40 Abe Pollin (2002: not rated), Owner, Chairman, Washington Wizards. In the power move of the year, he knocked (gasp!) Michael Jordan off his NBA pedestal, a justifiable decision considering 1) Jordan's performance in the Wizards' front office and 2) the fact only 20 season-ticket holders took him up on his refund offer in wake of Jordan firing.

FALLEN: Myles Brand (2001: 17), President, CEO, NCAA. The NCAA landed major deals with Cingular, GM and others, but Brand exerted little authority, especially as controversies, improprieties and BCS-conference realignment played out around him.

Nos. 41-100

EMPERORS

1. Rupert Murdoch (2002: Emperors, 2), Chairman, CEO, NewsCorp. The failure of the FOX-Dodgers synergy--only the Dodgers' on-base percentage was worse--and FOX Sports Net's struggles are non-factors now that NewsCorp.'s deal to buy DirecTV has been approved by the government. Watch The Rupert use his growing leverage in negotiations with Tags.

2. Brian Roberts, President, CEO, Comcast Corporation. He slammed Murdoch with a new Chicago regional sports network that undermines FSN. Nationwide, Comcast controls a third of all cable households, including seven of the top 10 TV markets, so when he talks about creating premium sports tiers, not only should the NFL Network, ESPN and various FOX Sports Nets worry, you should, too.

3. Michael Eisner (2002: Emperors, 1) Chairman, CEO, Disney. The good: It was a boffo year for ESPN. The bad: He sold the Angels for a loss after a World Series victory.

FALLEN: Steve Case, former Chairman and CEO, AOL.

OWNERS

1. Dan Rooney, (2002: Owners, 1), Pittsburgh Steelers. Forget John Facenda on the old NFL Films footage; this guy is the league's voice of authority, particularly on sensitive issues such as minority hiring.

2. Robert Johnson (2002: 10 to Watch, 1), Charlotte Bobcats. As the first black majority owner in a major professional sport, he's improving minority hiring and spending $1 million on advertising to promote his team.

3. Roger Penske, NASCAR, IRL teams. He has serious lift--in the garage and in the halls of (horse)power--with two hot young drivers, NASCAR's Ryan Newman and IRL's Sam Hornish Jr. Plus, he's the head of Detroit's Super Bowl host committee.

4. Robert Kraft (2002: 35), New England Patriots. Though he failed in his push to add two more wild-card teams to the NFL playoffs, he's still a key voice on key committees. His team isn't bad, either.

5. Daniel Snyder (2002: Owners, 6), Washington Redskins. Old-guard owners show disdain--until they see what he has done for the value of his team (team+stadium=$1.5 billion) and what that means to the value of their teams.

FALLEN: Tom Hicks, Texas Rangers.

EXECUTIVES

1. Gene Upshaw, Executive director, NFLPA. Labor peace allows him to focus on other issues, and--what a concept!--the commish listens to him and allows him a say. He helped force Nike to back off in its sideline apparel battle with Reebok.

2. Bob Goodenow (2002: 10 to Watch, 2), Executive director, NHLPA. In the twisted world of labor negotiations, the longer the NHL's lack of a new collective bargaining agreement drags on, the more juice he assumes (until the breaking point, of course).

3. Donald Fehr (2002: 29), Executive director, MLBPA. In a relatively quiet year, his union refused to allow a ban of or testing for Ephedrine and helped Expos players stand up to the commissioner. For good measure, he threw his weight around regarding USOC reform.

4. Steve Sabol (2002: Sports executives, 1), President, NFL Films. He shapes the league's image with his images; the NFL Network gives him a new forum for his magic.

5. Tony George (2002: 10 to Watch, 6), Founder, IRL; President, CEO, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. As the IRL's attendance and TV presence grow, he smells CART's blood in the water. Crucial move: keeping driver Sam Hornish Jr. from leaving for NASCAR.

6. Mike Helton (2002: 21), President, NASCAR. He still plays a vital role, despite being surpassed by Brian France.

7. Sandy Alderson (2002: Sports Executives, 5), Executive V.P. baseball operations, MLB. Making umpires learn and enforce a semi-consistent strike zone is terrific, but QuesTec was an embarrassment that gave his credibility, not to mention the idea of him as the successor to Bud Selig as commissioner, a serious hit.

FALLEN: Mike Tranghese (2002: tie 19), Commissioner, Big East.

ATHLETES

1. Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets. The NBA offseason was about where he would go. He had the balance of power in his hands, and now he has coach Byron Scott in his pocket.

2. Curt Schilling, Boston Red Sox. He stole the offseason spotlight from free agents such as Vladimir Guerrero and Gary Sheffield, not to mention Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. If Boston wins it all, he'll be deified. And he did it all without an agent.

3. Shaquille O'Neal (2002: Athletes, 4), Los Angeles Lakers. His ability to attract Karl Malone and Gary Payton to L.A. has a championship ring to it. Add in $14 million in endorsements, and you have the face of the player-brand.

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Nextel Cup. Win or lose, Junior's name and image outsell everyone's on the circuit and take Dale Earnhardt Inc. and NASCAR to the mainstream. That's why 1) Budweiser shelled out $60 million for three more years with him, and 2) NASCAR sometimes seems to bend the rules for Little E.

5. Barry Bonds (2002: Athletes, 3), San Francisco Giants. His clutch performance during his dad's illness and after his death was astounding; his breaking from the players' union over marketing rights was confounding. But the BALCO investigation could end with the rarest of all things: a strikeout by B.B.

6. David Beckham, Real Madrid. The former Man U star brings cash and cachet to Real Madrid soccer team, and though his P.R. push into the United States met with mixed reviews, he is among the world's most popular athletes.

FALLEN: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers.

MEDIA PERSONALITIES

1. Lee Corso, Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN. Think their College GameDay is all about shtick? Not so fast, my friend. TV's most desired demographic worships them on campuses nationwide. Their comments shape and influence everything from Heisman voting to poll rankings.

2. Doug Collins, TNT. ABC and TNT wanted him so badly as an NBA analyst that he could write his own ticket.

3. Al Michaels, ABC Sports. Already the voice of Monday Night Football, he now has another role: savior of ABC's NBA telecasts.

4. Peter Gammons, ESPN. No matter if Bud Selig voided the first Aaron Boone-to-the-Yankees deal because of Gammons' on-air outrage on Baseball 2Night, that was the perception.

5. Joe Buck (2002: Media Personalities, 2), FOX. Already FOX's No. 1 in the NFL and in MLB, he added another national forum for his, um, offbeat sense of humor: a writing gig at the SPORTING NEWS.

FALLEN: Rush Limbaugh, former ESPN commentator.

MEDIA EXECUTIVES

1. John Walsh (2002: Media Executives, 1), Senior V.P., Executive editor, ESPN. He controls SportsCenter, which translates to this: He controls the sports of coverage you see, night in and night out.

2. Mark Lazarus (2002: Media Executives, 2), President, Turner Entertainment. He added "entertainment" to his responsibilities, but we hear he hasn't given up sports, remaining hands-on.

3. John Skipper (2002: Media Executives, 4), Senior V.P. and G.M., ESPN.com and ESPN: The Magazine. He runs the most popular sports website and an award-winning magazine, plus Emerging Media and Data Services, which includes wireless, broadband and interactive TV.

4. Ron Semiao (2002: 34), Senior V.P. ESPN Original Entertainment, ESPN. Original programming heads ESPN's push to capture casual mainline sports fans, thus his role is expanding.

5. Bob Thompson, President, FOX Sports Networks. He replaced Tracy Dolgin (2002: Media executives, 3) but faces increased competition from team-backed regional sports networks as well as cable operators such as Comcast. 54321 flopped, and FSN laid off staffers and suffered defections, too.

FALLEN: Howard Katz, former President, ABC Sports

WOMEN

1. Julie Foudy, Soccer player. Even more than Donna de Varona, she became the public face who stopped the Bush Administration from eviscerating Title IX.

2. Annika Sorenstam, Golfer. She didn't win at the Colonial--she didn't even make the cut--but she reopened the PGA to women and got even non-fans to watch golf.

3. Lesa France Kennedy, President, International Speedway Corp. As Bill France Jr. steps back at NASCAR, she gains more clout.

4. Val Ackerman, President, WNBA. David Stern controls the bottom line, but she is the only woman commissioner of the only active women's pro league.

5. Amy Trask, Chief executive, Oakland Raiders. Is she the heir apparent to Raiders Bossdom? Anyone Al Davis trusts can't be ignored.

6. Jeanie Buss, Executive V.P. of business operations, Los Angeles Lakers. More than just the boss' daughter, she's also legendary coach Phil Jackson's girlfriend and a savvy business exec. Now even Hollywood is calling--NBC is developing a series based on her life.

7. Jean Afterman, Assistant G.M., New York Yankees. Part of The Boss' brain trust, she recruited Hideki Matsui.

8. Lee Ann Daly, Senior V.P. marketing, ESPN. Responsible for the ESPN brand you've come to know so well, she is planning the network's biggest marketing campaign ever for 2004.

9. Lisa Murray, Executive V.P. consulting, Octagon North America. Her sports marketing group added big clients such as Home Depot and Bank of America, but nothing tops brokering the Nextel-NASCAR deal.

FALLEN: Lynn Morgan, Commissioner, WUSA

AGENTS

1. Arn Tellem (2002: Agents, 2), President, CEO, SFX Basketball Group and SFX Baseball Group. His stable includes 25 percent of all NBA players (five 2003 lottery picks). With the departure of brothers Randy and Alan Hendricks, he took over SFX Baseball, which handles 16 percent of all major leaguers.

2. Tom Condon (2002: Agents, 3), President, IMG Football. He handles not only many top NFL players but also NFLPA chief Gene Upshaw, the NFL officials union and several head coaches.

3. Scott Boras (2002: Agents: 1), The Scott Boras Corp. Love him (clients do) or hate him (owners and G.M.s do), he's the master of assessing and marketing talent, though baseball's free-agent glut this offseason has had an impact on his impact.

4. David Dunn (2002: Agents, Fallen), Athletes First. He survived bankruptcy, as well as Leigh Steinberg and the NFLPA's attempt to keep him from repping NFL players, to get a record signing for No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer.

FALLEN: David Falk (2002: Agents, 5), Founder, SFX Basketball.

COACHES/ MANAGERS

1. Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Michael Vick of coaches in terms of persona and buzz, he won the Super Bowl in January. Then, during the flame-out of a follow-up season, he asserted his power over the players and the front office by dumping receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

2. Roy Williams, University of North Carolina basketball. When two of nation's top hoops schools woo you in the wake of a Final Four appearance, then you're a player and not merely a coach.

3. Larry Brown, Detroit Pistons. He called his own shot and shifted the balance of power in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

4. Brad Gilbert, tennis. The man who revived Andre Agassi's career has catapulted Andy Roddick to the top.

5. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals. Anybody who can make this team respectable can write his own ticket--and maybe shatter the ol' (white) boys coach-hiring network in the process.

FALLEN: Dave Bliss, former basketball coach, Baylor University

FRONT OFFICE

1. Billy Beane, G.M., Oakland A's. Despite peers' jeers over his Moneyball-driven stardom, Beane made the new math matter by winning in Oakland. Sabermetric G.M.s such as J.P. Ricciardi and Theo Epstein owe their paychecks to him.

2. Theo Epstein, G.M., Boston Red Sox. He assembled a team that came so close, didn't wait too long to give manager Grady Little the hook and then made the move of the year by getting Curt Schilling. Take that, George.

3. Kevin White, A.D., Notre Dame. He faces serious external pressure to bring Irish football to a conference but has stood up for independence--for now--with NBC's help, of course.

4. Rich McKay, G.M., Atlanta Falcons. Suffered a power brownout with Tampa Bay, but before joining Arthur Blank with Atlanta he helped construct a Super Bowl champion and kept the playoffs from expanding as co-chair of the crucial Competition Committee.

5. Larry Bird, President of basketball operations, Indiana Pacers. Larry Legend established himself immediately in his old stomping grounds by dumping Isiah Thomas and installing his guy, Rick Carlisle, as coach.

FALLEN: Michael Jordan, former President, Washington Wizards.

BEHIND THE SCENES

1. Tim Brosnan (2002: 10 to Watch, 5), Executive V.P., business, MLB. MLB is raking it in with unparalleled new global licensing agreements and foreign TV rights deals; a World Cup-style tourney and an MLB Network might be next.

2. David D'Alessandro (2002: 23), CEO, John Hancock Financial Services. Helped make the USOC audit happen by pushing the issue before the Senate and providing key testimony.

3. Mark Warner, Governor, Virginia. He pressured UVA to ensure that Virginia Tech--not Syracuse--was invited from the Big East to join the ACC.

4. Paul Brooks, Senior V.P., NASCAR. He shadows Brian France at every turn, having just moved back East from a TV job to help out with Brian's new role.

5. Dave Dryden, Chair, Injury Analysis Panel, NHL. He propelled the change in goalie and elbow pads. Now on his radar: sticks.

FALLEN: Edward J. Plumacher, Founder and owner, QuesTec

BOTTOM OF THE TOP

100. Seabiscuit. He wins by a nose over Funny Cide, who boosted ratings and created a marketing bonanza but faded down the stretch while Seabiscuit became a hit movie that actually drove people to the tracks.

Past Power 1s

1990

Laurence Tisch, Chairman, CBS

1991

David Stern, Commissioner, NBA

1992

Phil Knight, CEO, Nike

1993

Turner, Chairman, Turner Broadcasting Systems

1994

Rupert Murdoch, Chairman, News Corp.

1995

Rupert Murdoch, Chairman, News Corp.

1996

Dick Ebersol, President, NBC Sports

1997

Michael Jordan, NBA player

1998

Rupert Murdoch, Chairman, News Corp.

1999

Chase Carey, Chairman and CEO, FOX Television; David Hill, Chairman and CEO, FOX Sports Television; and Rupert Murdoch, CEO, News Corp.

2000

Tiger Woods, Golfer

2001

Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner, NFL

2002

George Steinbrenner, Owner, New York Yankees

The process As we did last year, we have ranked the top 40 individuals on this list regardless of sport, industry or job title and then, beginning with No. 41, ranked the rest of the Power 100 by category, applying an "apples to apples" comparison.

One category to note, however, is "Emperors." These individuals are more powerful than most of our Top 10, controlling broadcast and cable TV empires as well as teams. But they are not, in general, hands-on sports figures, and because their control is indirect, we placed them in a special universe. SPORTING NEWS owner Paul Allen, who also owns the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, would be included in this category, but, as in the past, we have not placed him in our rankings because of the perception of conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, in four categories--top athletes, top owners, top sports executives and top media executives--members of the Power 100 Top 40 rank ahead of those listed by category in Nos. 41-100. For example, Jason Kidd is ranked No. 1 in the Athletes category, but he isn't as powerful as; say, fellow NBA players Yao Ming, who is No. 25, and LeBron James, who is No. 28, in the Power 100 Top 40. In all cases, rankings for last year's selections are in parentheses.

A BAKER'S DOZEN TO WATCH

1. Alex Rodriguez, Shortstop, Texas Rangers. Proving money isn't everything, baseball's best put himself on the market; unfortunately for him it was a "No Sale" ... for now.

2. Maurice Clarett, Ohio State football player, and Jeremy Bloom, University of Colorado football player and Olympics moguls skier. They're knock, knock, knockin' on the NFL's and NCAA's doors, lawyers in tow, with the prospect of changing NFL draft and NCAA amateurism rules.

3. Steve Bornstein, President and CEO, NFL Network. He endured a bumpy start, but don't bet against him bucking the cable trend toward sticking newcomers on sports tiers.

4. Wayne Gretzky (2002: Owners, 3), Managing partner, Phoenix Coyotes. The Great One might be the one voice that both sides in the collective bargaining dispute will heed.

5. Chase Carey, President, CEO-designate, Hughes Electronics. An acclaimed TV executive, he will have a huge impact on the next NFL deal and those in other sports now that Rupert Murdoch's purchase of DirecTV has been approved by the government.

6. Andy Roddick, Tennis player. He's ranked No. 1, he's the defending U.S. Open champ, and he's an endorsement magnet. (Just don't ask what we think of the SNL gig.)

7. The Marlins' rotation. If healthy, Josh Beckett, Brad Penny, Carl Pavano, Dontrelle Willis and A.J. Burnett will put the Braves' Maddux-Smoltz-Glavine era to shame; if not, they're the new-millennium version of the Mets' Pulsipher-Wilson-Isringhausen combination.

8. Arthur Blank, Owner, Atlanta Falcons. He has Michael Vick and has dumped Dan Reeves, but it's his emphasis on consumer research and customer service that other owners are watching.

9. Michael Vick, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons. If not for the broken leg--and the subsequent dance over his return--he would have made the 100 as an NFL player equally electrifying on and off the field.

10. Arturo Moreno, Owner, Anaheim Angels. Major professional sports' first Hispanic owner leads the way to new fan-friendly baseball by spending for talent while cutting ticket prices and, more important, beer prices.

11. Shaun White, Skateboarder and snowboarder. A 17-year-old with a seven-figure income, he is the sole client of IMG's new X Sports Division.

12. Bruton Smith, Chairman, Speedway Motorsports Inc. A racetrack powerhouse, and thorn in NASCAR's side, he forced Bill France Jr.'s deposition in a lawsuit involving racetracks that finally is on the docket for 2004.

13. Dr. Frankenstein, underground drugmaker, vs. Dick Pound, chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Someone, somewhere is making a new, more powerful, more difficult-to-detect steroid to replace THG. Pound will lead the charge to stop that someone.

Power parsed

Though George Bodenheimer exerts
his power across several media
platforms at ESPN, television is
his most visible power venue.
Still, when you break down the
top 40 in this year's Power 100
along general facets of sports,
you'll see it is the leagues,
conferences, associations and
governing bodies that wield the
most power. Translated: If there
were no sports to televise, then
sports TV would have no power,
sponsors' marketing money would flow
elsewhere, and teams, coaches, athletes
and agents would be, well, unemployed.

Sponsors (6)     15%
Athletes (5)     12%
Teams (4)        10%
Agents (2)        5%
Other (1)         2%
Leagues (15)     38%
Television (7)   18%

Note: Table made from pie chart.

Stuart Miller, who ranks the Power 100, is a free-lance writer based in New York.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Sporting News Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

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