Sports fans know Dallas-Fort Worth is chock-full of some of the nation’s most influential sports business figures — but how many crack the list of the 125 most influential over the past 25 years?
Sports Business Journal’s “Influence 125”, recognizing the 125 most influential sports business leaders of the past quarter-century, includes several prominent individuals with D-FW ties: Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban, Kansas City Chiefs and FC Dallas chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Mavericks CEO Rick Welts and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark.
Cuban, who purchased the Mavericks organization in 2000, sold a majority stake to the Adelson-Dumont families in 2023, infused innovation into the NBA and changed what the face of team ownership looks like. The Mavericks won the NBA title in 2011.
“Nothing more fun than challenging the status quo and changing how things have always been done,” Cuban said in a statement. “I was proud to do it on behalf of Mavs fans everywhere. And I thank each and every one of them for sticking with us through the good times and all the mistakes I made. #MFFL!”
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Over the past 25 years, Jones, who purchased the Cowboys in 1989, has continued to reshape the broader sports business ecosystem. In 2009, he opened sparkling AT&T Stadium, which continues to serve as a best-in-class facility for sporting events and beyond. And the Cowboys are the world’s most valuable sports franchise, with a $12.5 billion valuation, according to CNBC.
Welts, who became Mavericks’ CEO last January 2025, has the rare distinction of being part of championship teams in the NBA (four), WNBA (two) and the NBA G League. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
“Reading through the list is like witnessing the evolution of sports, and it is so humbling and unexpected to be included,” Welts said in a statement. “I’m incredibly appreciative to all the people I’ve worked with who’ve influenced me, and to Abe Madkour and the SBJ team who contributed to this project.”
In addition to his role as chairman and CEO of the Chiefs — who have won three Super Bowls during the Patrick Mahomes era — and FC Dallas, Hunt is the honorary co-chair of Kansas City World Cup 2026, having played an integral role in bringing the global event to Kansas City this coming summer.
“Clark’s combination of entrepreneurial vision and strong values have earned tremendous respect across the industry,” former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman said prior to the Chiefs playing in last season’s Super Bowl. ”He’s honest, evenhanded and has created a winning culture.”
Yormark, who became the Big 12’s commissioner in August 2022, has revitalized a league many thought was doomed after Texas and Oklahoma left for the SEC. From a business standpoint, Yormark has reshaped the league into arguably the most forward-thinking, innovative and commercially aggressive conference in college sports.
“I live in a world where I’m happy but never satisfied,” Yormark told The Dallas Morning News last week before SBJ’s list was released. “I’m happy about our growth. There’s never been a better time than right now for this conference.”
SBJ’s list recognizes the “trailblazers who have set the pace for change in sports business. From pioneering founders and high-stakes dealmakers to brand architects and media moguls, these 125 have reshaped the multibillion-dollar sports economy across every sector: sponsorship, tech, media, venues, events, agencies and leagues.”
Others on the list connected to D-FW include Mark Abbott — who wore many hats with MLS, including deputy commissioner — and Don Garber — MLS’s commissioner since 1999 — both of whom are in the National Soccer Hall of Fame, which is in Frisco.
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