Trump voted most influential person in sports business in 2017

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President Donald Trump was named Sports Business Journal’s Most Influential Person in sports business in 2017. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

President Donald Trump still may not be TIME’s Person of the Year, but he did receive an award in sports.

Sports Business Journalnamed Trump its most influential person in sports business this year. The publication announced the news in an article posted Monday morning.

The award recognizes the person who has had the most influence — whether that be “positive or negative” — on sports business throughout the year, according to publicationPast recipients include NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Disney CEO Bob Iger and ESPN president John Skipper.

Sports Business Journal said Trump carried a great influence on sports in 2017 with “his angry, loud and visceral rhetoric that has divided the sports industry and caused massive reaction, response and reflection.”

Here’s a look back at some of the ways Trump has had an influence on sports this year:

  • Trump vs. NFL Anthem Protests: Trump has an ongoing battle with the NFL for allowing players to participate in national anthem protests. He called on NFL owners to fire players for taking a knee during the anthem, a gesture, players say, is a protest against police violence against people of color.Trump even went to far to single out Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch in November. The president condemned Lynch for standing during the Mexican national anthem and sitting during the U.S. national anthem at a game against the New England Patriots in Mexico City. He also tweeted that the NFL should suspend Lynch.
  • Trump takes on ESPN: Trump attacked ESPN and called for an apology after anchor Jemele Hill called him a “white supremacist” and a “bigot” on Twitter. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a news conference that she believed Hill’s tweets should be “fire-able offense by ESPN.”
  • Taking a pass on tradition: It’s normally a tradition that championship teams visit the White House and are honored by the president. But during the last year, teams and individual players have opted out visiting the Trump White House either to make known their political views or to avoid the controversy overall that comes with visiting Trump.
  • No room at the Inn: Trump’s divisive rhetoric has also affected his own business endeavors. Since he started campaigning for presidency in 2015, professional sports teams have decided to not stay at Trump’s luxurious hotels, according to a report from October.
  • Olympic doubtful: Olympic insiders believed Trump’s election jeopardized Los Angeles’ chance to host the 2024 Olympics, according to Sports Business Journal. The International Olympic Committee voted to have Paris host the 2024 Olympics and Los Angeles to host the 2028 Games.

Follow me on Twitter @madkenney.

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