LEBRON JAMES TOPS THE BLOOMBERG "SPORTFOLIO"/HORROW SPORTS VENTURES 2013 POWER 100
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LeBron James Tops the Bloomberg
“Sportfolio”/Horrow Sports Ventures 2013 Power
100
By Brian Finkel @thefinktank and Karla Swatek @kswak
Rank 2011 2010 2009 Athlete Sport Total
Power
1 4 11 2 James, LeBron Basketball 89.26
2 12 3 1 Woods, Tiger Golf 86.01
3 51 1 5 Manning, Peyton Football 81.46
4 1 7 25 Brees, Drew Football 77.99
5 6 15 17 Federer, Roger Tennis 73.01
6 9 NR NR Djokovic, Novak Tennis 72.93
7 13 14 12 Bryant, Kobe Basketball 72.25
8 34 12 7 Phelps, Michael Olympics 71.09
9 3 5 30 Brady, Tom Football 69.98
10 2 35 NR Rodgers, Aaron Football 69.74
11 17 25 31 Durant, Kevin Basketball 69.51
12 25 18 16 Williams, Serena Tennis 69.46
13 58 19 35 Beckham, David Soccer 68.91
14 21 NR NR McIlroy, Rory Golf 68.71
15 48 NR 27 Bolt, Usain Olympics 66.82
16 38 44 97 Cabrera, Miguel Baseball 65.39
17 15 17 18 Manning, Eli Football 65.27
18 NR NR NR Douglas, Gabby Olympics 64.75
19 18 4 3 Mickelson, Phil Golf 64.50
20 33 83 80 Sharapova, Maria Tennis 63.53
21 10 50 NR Johnson, Calvin Football 60.72
22 5 16 11 Nadal, Rafael Tennis 60.14
23 31 70 NR Braun, Ryan Baseball 59.93
24 27 33 8 Peterson, Adrian Football 58.68
25 16 20 6 Wade, Dwyane Basketball 58.66
26 14 27 36 Howard, Dwight Basketball 56.93
27 8 2 51 White, Shaun Extreme 56.51
28 78 26 33 Jeter, Derek Baseball 55.30
29 11 87 NR Donald, Luke Golf 55.24
30 22 42 45 Earnhardt Jr., Dale Motorsports 55.10
31 80 NR 86 Murray, Andy Tennis 54.81
32 96 NR NR Azarenka, Victoria Tennis 54.54
33 NR NR NR Griffin III, Robert Football 54.54
34 NR NR 95 May-Treanor, Misty Olympics 54.46
35 66 54 NR Cano, Robinson Baseball 53.80
36 53 NR NR Verlander, Justin Baseball 53.57
37 68 65 20 Duncan, Tim Basketball 52.46
38 50 85 99 Ryan, Matt Football 52.21
39 49 NR NR Mayweather Jr., Boxing / 52.14
Floyd MMA
40 99 41 NR Hamilton, Josh Baseball 52.09
41 23 22 NR Foster, Arian Football 51.94
42 46 78 44 Paul, Chris Basketball 51.59
43 79 NR NR Wambach, Abby Olympics 51.34
44 37 23 21 Johnson, Jimmie Motorsports 51.34
45 NR NR NR Watson, Bubba Golf 51.10
46 NR NR NR Kimbrel, Craig Baseball 50.97
47 NR NR NR Raisman, Aly Olympics 50.91
48 NR NR NR Walsh, Kerri Olympics 50.80
49 35 NR NR Griffin, Blake Basketball 50.64
50 29 39 28 Gordon, Jeff Motorsports 50.35
51 95 NR NR Welker, Wes Football 50.20
52 NR NR NR Miller, Von Football 50.14
53 NR NR NR Stamkos, Steven Hockey 50.14
54 26 9 4 Pujols, Albert Baseball 50.08
55 NR NR NR Lochte, Ryan Olympics 49.95
56 75 48 60 Anthony, Carmelo Basketball 49.80
57 93 32 42 Williams, Venus Tennis 49.65
58 44 NR NR Rice, Ray Football 49.60
59 52 NR NR Granderson, Curtis Baseball 49.59
60 NR NR NR Westbrook, Russell Basketball 49.16
61 NR NR NR Franklin, Missy Olympics 48.90
62 NR NR NR St. Pierre, Georges Boxing / 48.89
MMA
63 NR NR NR Trout, Mike Baseball 48.67
64 NR NR NR McCutchen, Andrew Baseball 48.67
65 54 47 22 Garnett, Kevin Basketball 48.53
66 77 NR NR Gronkowski, Rob Football 48.30
67 NR 80 59 Pierce, Paul Basketball 48.18
68 24 66 29 Nowitzki, Dirk Basketball 48.14
69 NR NR NR Marshall, Brandon Football 47.96
70 85 NR NR Love, Kevin Basketball 47.86
71 NR NR NR Cruz, Victor Football 47.81
72 28 24 72 Pacquiao, Manny Boxing / 47.70
MMA
73 NR NR NR Harden, James Basketball 47.62
74 NR NR NR Snedeker, Brandt Golf 47.52
75 NR NR 75 Romo, Tony Football 47.46
76 NR NR 34 Fielder, Prince Baseball 47.45
77 NR NR NR Irving, Kyrie Basketball 47.43
78 NR NR NR Beltre, Adrian Baseball 47.23
79 83 NR NR Kvitova, Petra Tennis 47.15
80 40 NR NR Wozniacki, Caroline Tennis 47.00
81 NR NR NR Kane, Patrick Hockey 46.90
82 NR NR NR Tillman, Charles Football 46.79
83 NR NR NR Wilson, Russell Football 46.72
84 84 NR NR Scott, Adam Golf 46.42
85 NR NR NR Henry, Thierry Soccer 46.40
86 NR NR NR Rapinoe, Megan Olympics 46.24
87 NR 98 NR Rondo, Rajon Basketball 46.22
88 NR NR NR Newton, Cam Football 46.20
89 NR NR NR Radwanska, Tennis 46.17
Agnieszka
90 NR NR NR Weaver, Jered Baseball 46.12
91 60 62 48 Stewart, Tony Motorsports 46.08
92 NR NR NR Flacco, Joe Football 46.07
93 57 53 NR Willis, Patrick Football 46.04
94 55 40 71 Donovan, Landon Soccer 45.83
95 NR NR NR Lynch, Marshawn Football 45.76
96 NR NR NR Malkin, Evgeni Hockey 45.68
97 NR NR NR Silva, Anderson Boxing / 45.55
MMA
98 NR 31 39 Crosby, Sidney Hockey 45.4299 88 NR NR Solo, Hope Olympics 45.31
100 NR NR NR Watt, J.J. Football 45.30
By Sport By Longevity By Gender
2013 Power 100: Methodology
Looking at more than 3,000 professional athletes, CSE used a combination of on- and off-field
rankings to come up with the 2013 Power 100
By David Newman
To determine the final rankings for the 2013 Power 100, Bloomberg “Sportfolio,” BSports, and Horrow Sports
Ventures worked with CSE, one of the longest-running and most diversified independent marketing agencies in
the country. CSE created the Power 100 list for the fourth consecutive year using proprietary methodology, as
well as data fromNielsen/E-Poll N-Score.
Using the same methodology as previous years, the ranking comprises only professional athletes playing in the
United States. Coaches, executives, owners, agents, and even retired athletes were not considered. Only
regular season statistics were used.
An athlete’s ranking is comprised of on-field attributes (50%) and off-field attributes (50%) to develop an
overall ranking.
On-Field Attributes
The on-field attributes consist of an athlete’s ranking within his or her sport, relative to all other participants.
Each athlete is compared to the peer group averages by sport in a number of statistical categories. Next, a
multiplier is used to adjust athletes rankings based on the popularity and viewing audience of that sport. Alldata is analyzed over a two-
year basis, weighted 80% for
the most recent season and
20% for the season that
preceded it.
The individual statistical
categories for each sport are:
• MLB — Batting Average,
Runs, Hits, Home Runs,
Stolen Bases (for batters);
Wins, Saves, Strikeouts, and
ERA (for pitchers)
• MLS — Goals and Assists
(on a per-game basis)
• NASCAR — Wins, Top Five
Finishes, Top 10 Finishes,
Winnings, and Poles
• NBA/WNBA — Points,
Blocks, Assists, Steals, and
Rebounds (all on a per-game
basis)
• NFL — Yards, Touchdowns, and Quarterback Rating (by position, for offensive players); Tackles, Sacks,
Interceptions, and Forced Fumbles (for defensive players)
• NHL — Goals, Assists, and Plus/Minus (for non-goalkeepers); Save Percentage, Wins, Goals Allowed Average,
and Shutouts (for goalkeepers)
• BOXING, GOLF, INDY CAR, FORMULA ONE, MMA, TENNIS, and OLYMPIC SPORTS — Based on World Rankings
(or sport rankings)
Off-Field Attributes
The off-field attributes comprise an athlete’s expected endorsement potential (75%), endorsement earnings
(15%), and their social media presence (10%). The endorsement potential comes from Nielsen/E-Poll’s N-
Score, which measures an athlete’s name awareness, appeal, influence, trustworthiness, overall popularity, and
a number of other attributes. Endorsement data is estimated by industry experts based on comparable athletes.
Social media presence is taken from official Facebook fans and Twitter followers as of 2/15/13.
David Newman is the Vice President of Analytics at CSE. The CSE analytics team specializes in measuring and
evaluating its clients’ campaigns and sponsorships by procuring and using the latest data, technology, and
methodology to provide strategic sponsorship consultation. Contact CSE.Power Panel: Bloomberg “Sportfolio” host Rick Horrow, right, discusses Power 100 No. 1 LeBron James and No. 2 Tiger Woods with panelists Kenneth Shropshire, Director, Wharton Sports Business Initiative; Seth Abraham, Media Executive and Marketing Consultant, and Ann Wool, Managing Partner, Ketchum Sports and Entertainment (from left) Source:Bloomberg TV In the ad-driven, social media-crazed world we now live in, Twitter followers, endorsement dollars, and videos gone viral are just as highly valued as touchdowns and homeruns. The most powerful athletes in sports today don’t just exert their will on the field—they make their presence felt off it as well. If 2010 gave us “The Decision,” 2012 brought “The Redemption.” In a year in which he claimed his third NBA Most Valuable Player award, his first NBA championship, his second Olympic gold medal, and two multimillion- dollar endorsement deals, the Miami Heat’s LeBron James can add another accolade to his ever-growing list: the top spot in the Bloomberg “Sportfolio”/Horrow Sports Ventures 2013 Power 100. Three former Power 100 No. 1’s follow James in this year’s rankings: golfer Tiger Woods (No. 2); Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (No. 3); and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (No. 4). Tennis star Roger Federer rounds out the top five. (View the full list here.) To determine who the 100 most powerful athletes are on- and off-the-field going into 2013, Rick Horrow, host of Bloomberg TV “Sportfolio” and CEO of Horrow Sports Ventures, collaborated with CSE, a leading integrated marketing agency that created the Power 100 list for the fourth consecutive year using proprietary methodology; the Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score; and BSports. The Power 100 rankings are based 50% on these on “off-field” measurements, and 50% on “on-field” performance using a variety of industry statistics. “This is the fourth year of the Power 100, and it continues to command attention as an invaluable tool to evaluate an athlete’s brand and measure his or her market value,” says Horrow. “In today’s 24/7 news cycle, as athletes increasingly dominate front page headlines well out of the sports section, their endorsement contracts are increasingly under scrutiny.” With a first NBA title under his belt and in the hunt for a second, the sky is the limit for James. He’s in the midst of arguably the best season of his basketball career, and is backed by a blue-chip endorsement portfolio that includes Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Samsung, and State Farm. All this basketball and business bounty came
after James’ Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score, a measure of marketability used for this study, reached the lowest point in his career following the Heat’s loss to the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. James can also claim another distinction from his Top Five Power 100 peers: he’s the only one in that grouping who’s younger than 30. “Longevity is the key to this year’s top grouping. From Peyton to Federer to Kobe to Brady, these athletes are on the backside of their historic careers yet still command on and off field attention and respect,” notes Gerry Philpott, CEO of E-Poll Market Research. “It will be interesting to see if the young stars of today can hold up over the years like these pros.” Unlike prior years, in which the NFL dominated the top quarter of the list, the 2013 Power 100 reveals a more homogenous balance between athletes participating in individual sports and team sports. Tennis players continued to show their marketplace mettle, led by Federer, Novak Djokovic (No. 6), and Serena Williams (No. 12, the top-ranked woman on the list). Coming off the 2012 London Games, a number of Olympians also appeared on the list, including top swimmer and seasoned pitchman Michael Phelps (No. 8), track and field sensation Usain Bolt (No. 15), and gymnastic favorite Gabby Douglas (No. 18). The most notable drops this year include boxer Manny Pacquiao (falling from No. 28 to No. 72) in his first non- victorious year; slugger Albert Pujols, declining with age and a rocky transition to a new MLB franchise (from No. 4-9-26-54 over the past four years), and golfer Lee Westwood who failed to deliver on the course for sponsors including UPS (from No. 19 off the list to No. 140). NASCAR overall also continued to show a slow but steady decline. “In 2009, there were eight drivers on the list. Now, there are half that number,” notes David Newman, CSE’s Vice President of Analytics. Social media also continues to play a key role in an athlete’s off-field clout. The top 15 athletes on the 2012 Power 100 claim an average 6.2 million Facebook fans, and 1.8 million Twitter followers. James, soccer star David Beckham, tennis’ Rafael Nadal, Bryant, and sprinter Usain Bolt command the highest overall social media presence. Yet, Peyton and Eli Manning and golfer Phil Mickelson maintain their high off-field numbers with no social media presence at all. All told, the 2013 Power 100 included 39 newcomers, including top rookie quarterback Robert Griffin, III and a record 15 women. 2013 Power 100: The Over/Under (Rated) by Brian Finkel, bhfinkel@gmail.com, @thefinktank Inevitably, the annual Power 100 list is accompanied by controversy over an athlete’s place on the list. Too high, when he had a lousy season? Too low, when she’s seemingly plugging every product under the sun? These five athletes—four under-rated, one over—could play Power 100 hopscotch come 2014.
Underrated Sidney Crosby, NHL He’s arguably the most popular player in the National Hockey League, yet Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby barely cracks the 2012 Power 100, coming in at No. 98. In fairness to Crosby, he returns to the list after missing the better part of two seasons due to head injuries. However, the 98th spot is a long way from his 2011 peak at No. 31, and for a guy currently leading the NHL in points and assists, he’s not even the most powerful player on his team. That distinction goes to Evgeni Malkin, ranked two spots ahead of Crosby at No. 96. Crosby’s current power base is off the ice, where he makes $4 million annually in endorsement deals from companies including Reebok, Tim Hortons, Bell Canada, and Gatorade. He has the highest Nielsen/E-Poll N- Score (a marketability measurement) of all active NHL players, and when he takes the ice for the Pens, the local TV audience increases a whopping 38%. Regardless of where the Power 100 puts him, the Penguins understand his value. That’s why they gave him a 12-year, $104 million contract extension that runs through 2025. Joe Flacco, NFL Keeping in mind that the Bloomberg “Sportfolio”/Horrow Sports Ventures Power 100 focuses on the 2012 calendar year explains why Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco ranks only No. 92 overall. Before the New Year, Flacco had a solid season, leading the Ravens to an AFC North title and a fifth-straight playoff appearance. When the calendar turned to 2013, things went from good to great, as Flacco and the Ravens went on an incredible Super Bowl run, upsetting Power 100 mainstays Peyton Manning and Tom Brady en route to the title. Since winning the Super Bowl, Flacco signed the richest contract in NFL history, a six-year, $120 million deal with $52 million guaranteed. Endorsement opportunities have flooded in to his marketing agent, including one the quarterback signed with Haribo Gummy Bears. He also went on the obligatory Super Bowl MVP visit to Disney World and toured the talk show circuit. Assuming he has another strong season come fall, there’s little doubt Flacco will dart up next year’s Power 100 rankings. Mike Trout, MLB Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout took Major League Baseball by storm in 2012. He became the first rookie to hit 30 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season, and was a unanimous selection for the American League Rookie of the Year award. He even received six votes as the league’s MVP. That’s why it might seem surprising that he would rank only No. 63 in this year’s Power 100, behind nine other MLB players. But 20% of a player’s on-field score comes from the previous season—in Trout’s case, when he was still a minor-leaguer. Additionally, Trout is ranked just 55th among active MLB players by Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score, reflecting his lack of time on the national stage. But he’s slowly signing high-profile endorsement deals, and counts Subway, J&J Snack Foods, and Nike as sponsors. And with a contract that pays him just $510,000 this season, there’s no doubt that Trout is the most undervalued MLB player, in the 2013 Power 100 and at the ballpark. Blake Griffin, NBA From national commercials to highlight reel dunks, whatever Blake Griffin does ends up on TV. While finishing No. 49 in the Power 100 is commendable, the Griffin persona is much bigger than his actual ranking.
Paired with teammate and fellow Power 100 member Chris Paul, Griffin has turned the historically downtrodden Los Angeles Clippers into a NBA powerhouse. The Clippers rank in the top ten teams in the NBA in merchandise sales, a feat that seemed impossible just two years ago. The boost is due in large part to Griffin having the 8th best-selling jersey in the league. Though Griffin ranks behind seven other players in this year’s Power 100, in 2012, he appeared in more national TV ads than any of them. He already leads NBAers in new 2013 TV spots, with three. National exposure is a clear perk for an athlete who counts deep-pocketed media spenders Nike, Kia, Subway, and Red Bull as sponsors. If the Clippers keep winning and his awareness keeps growing, Griffin will be ranked much higher next year. Overrated Ryan Braun, MLB Over the last two years, few athletes have been more dominant in their respective sport than Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun. Braun won the 2011 National League MVP award, and followed that up with a 2nd place finish in 2012 voting. Primarily because of his incredible on-field accomplishments, Braun ranks No. 23 overall in the 2013 Power 100. The lofty ranking also makes him the most overvalued athlete on the list. Braun’s total score reflects both on- and off-field concerns. Of the top 25 athletes in this year’s Power 100, Braun by far has the lowest off-field ranking. The reason? A positive steroids test that hurt his reputation before it was thrown out for violating testing protocols. Braun may have been able to overcome the bad PR if his name didn’t resurface in a new HGH investigation. It’s possible his incredible on-field score, which ranked 4th among all athletes, was inflated by the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Don’t be surprised if Braun falls in next year’s rankings. Power 100 2013: Women to Watch By Karla Swatek, @kswak Perhaps it’s kismet that the 2012 Bloomberg “Sportfolio/Horrow Sports Ventures Power 100 was revealed within hours of the pub date for Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandburg’s modern-day manifesto on women and work—a book that’s already being compared to Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, released 50 years ago last month. Because for the female professional athletes gracing the 2012 Power 100, even though their workplace is a tennis court, or a pool, or a grassy soccer pitch, they face no less daunting challenges than any woman in any male-dominated workforce today. A record 15 women are represented on the 2013 Power 100, up from 11 in 2012. But that 15% ratio is still only a small slice of the sports industry pie. Clearly, not only have these women overcome all obstacles thrown at them by their female challengers to get to the top of their games—they’ve also managed to successfully navigate the biggest remaining old boys’ network in Corporate America today.
While 15% may not seem like a lot, it’s a testament to the ever-growing power of female athletes in the marketplace in addition to their fields of play. Among women topping the list are Serena Williams, WTA World Number One tennis player and at No. 12, the top-ranked woman on the Power 100. Williams claims lucrative endorsement deals with Gatorade, and Wilson, and Nike (this one reportedly around $40 million) and has a clothing line that sells on Home Shopping Network. Serena and sister Venus (No. 57, who also has her own clothing line, Eleven) starred in an Apple iPhone ad that seemed like it ran constantly in the Super Bowl runup, and they both have a vibrant social media presence as well. The Williams sisters’ tennis rival Maria Sharapova (No. 20) has had her struggles against them on the court. But she trumps them in the boardroom—while Sharapova earns about $6 million in on-court prize money annually, her endorsement and appearance deals are worth a reported $22 million annually, making her the world’s highest-paid female athlete. For women athletes, tennis isn’t the only way to the top, and there was a noticeable jump in the number of females this year directly attributable to the Summer Olympics. The top-ranked newcomer of either gender on the list is Olympic gold medal gymnast Gabby Douglas (No. 18), who continues to command the endorsement spotlight even as the lights of London fade away. Joining her on the Power 100 podium are fellow Olympians Misty May-Treanor (No. 34); Abby Wambach (No. 43); Aly Raisman (No. 47); Kerri Walsh (No. 48); Missy Franklin (No. 61); Megan Rapinoe (No. 86); and Hope Solo (No. 99). Other women to keep an eye on as we get deeper into 2013 are American golf phenom Stacy Lewis, currently outside of the Top 100 at No. 126 but climbing; Chinese tennis star Li Na (No. 137), darling of the world’s most populous nation; and last but not least NASCAR’s leading lady Danica Patrick. While Danica was ranked 22nd off-field, she was very close to the bottom of the 589 total athletes ranked since she ran a very limited race schedule in 2013. If her Daytona 500 pole position and top 10 finish are any indication, look for her to accelerate up the Power 100 list this year.
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