Sports Illustrated Presents Inaugural Power List: 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports

Inside Sports Illustrated’s Power List issue, available at SI.com and on newsstands today: The sports world is shaped by those who build audiences, regulate access, create wealth, and inspire future generations; Jake Paul’s evolution from YouTuber to boxer and his quest to remake combat sports; Jon Wertheim on the lowkey local enthusiasm for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris; Tom Verducci on Jacob deGrom’s bittersweet pitching career; and more

In an industry where power dynamics constantly shift, Sports Illustrated has released the definitive index of figures driving the sports world with its 2023 Power List. Available now at SI.com and on newsstands, the Sports Illustrated Power List features 50 of the most influential sports figures in five categories: Athletes, Influencers, Executives, Dealmakers, and Icons & Leaders. Layshia Clarendon, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Kobe Bryant, the Manning Family, and Jimmy Pitaro are a few of the names selected for the Power List, a first of its kind for Sports Illustrated. Also inside the August Sports Illustrated issue, a preview of the drama-free preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games from Jon Wertheim, Chris Mannix’s exclusive profile of Jake Paul and his mission to revolutionize combat sports, and Tom Verducci’s take on where Jacob deGrom ranks on the list of the most bittersweet pitching careers in baseball history, with more features below.

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Jake Paul’s evolution from YouTuber to boxer and his quest to remake combat sports is featured inside the SI Power List issue, on newsstands now. (Photo: Clay Patrick McBride/Sports Illustrated)

On the Cover 

The journey of Jake Paul from online celebrity to professional boxer fulfilled two distinct needs: he brought widespread attention to what he saw as a badly decaying sport and found a newfound personal purpose in remaking the business of combat sports. Chris Mannix explains how boxing brought invaluable discipline to Paul’s reckless life, and how he parlayed his massive social media following into business clout that makes him a force to be reckoned with outside the ring.

SI Power List Preview:

• Athletes: These fierce competitors captivate fans worldwide with their outsized impact on and off the field. They are global superstars, but still relatable and vocal about using their star power. The list includes: Patrick Mahomes, Naomi Osaka, LeBron James, Kylian Mbappe, and the Ogwumike sisters.
• Influencers: The dynamic of the sports world wouldn't be the same without storytellers like these. They flex a huge fan base and unrivaled access to sponsorships, events, athletes, and so much more. Including Livvy Dunne, Pat McAfee, the NBA on TNT crew, Rayssa Leal, and more.
• Executives: From owners and commissioners to governing bodies and organizations, this category recognizes the visionaries who oversee and drive the direction of sports. Some executives on the SI Power List: Michele Kang, Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, Gary Bettman, Dana White, Tamika Tremaglio, and Roger Goodell.
• Icons & Leaders: They no longer play the game, but their legacies loom large and inspire new generations to break barriers. See examples: Deion Sanders, Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union, Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, and Allyson Felix.
• Dealmakers: Wielding influence in more nuanced ways, these sports agents and investment fund leaders represent today's power brokers. Rich Paul, The Arctos Sports Partners, Nicole Lynn, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, and Scott Boras are a few names that the SI Power List included.

For the full SI Power List, visit SI.com/tag/the-power-list-sports-illustrated

Also inside the issue:

• Le Whatever: One year out, Paris 2024 is shaping up as a very boring Olympic Games—exactly what the French want and the IOC needs, according to Jon Wertheim.
• Special Performances: 190 countries gathered this summer in Berlin for The XVI Special Olympics World Games, spearheaded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
• What Might Have Been: Tom Verducci on Jacob deGrom, whose latest injury lands him among Babe Ruth, Mark Prior, Smoky Joe Wood, and others as pitchers whose outsized pitching talents were never fully realized.
• SI Eats: The stranger the dish at a concession stand, the better. Salivate over six minor league food items, including the flamin’ hot Cheetos corn dog.
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About Sports Illustrated 

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