Charting Jerry Jones

Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal released its annual list of the 50 most influential people in sports business, and it featured a familiar name.

Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys and a member of the University of Arkansas’ 1964 national championship team, is No. 18 on the list. That’s a tumble of eight spots from the previous two years for Jones.

Here is what the SBJ wrote about Jones: “His team may struggle, he lost a battle with the league over salary cap penalties, and sometimes the media may not be kind, but in the end it’s still the Cowboys and he is still Jerry Jones. Cowboys Stadium continues to set the standard for NFL facilities, and win or lose, the franchise remains a proven ratings winner for the NFL’s network partners.”

Closing the gap on Jones is Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, who moved up eight spots to No. 27.

Of Slive, the SBJ wrote: “The SEC’s power on the field is never questioned, and neither is Slive’s influence off the field. He is carefully and methodically building an SEC channel that will further legitimize the conference’s leadership position in college sports, all the while dictating the look of the new college football playoff.”