ESPN exec tops 'most influential' sports executives list

The Sports Business Journal has released its list of 50 most influential people for 2008 and, no surprise, George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN/ABC Sports, is No. 1.

Two other ESPN executives are also on the list -- John Skipper, ESPN's executive vice president of content is No. 26, up 10 spots from 2007, and Sean Bratches, ESPN's executive vice president of sales and marketing is No. 36. He was not on last year's list.

Also of note:

Of the 50, there are no women and only one nonwhite male, Billy Hunter, the executive director of the National Basketball Players Assn.

Hockey must be hot; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is No. 13, up one spot from last year's list.

-- Diane Pucin

Photo: George Bodenheimer. Credit: ESPN