(Utica, NY – March 2013) The Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame wishes to congratulate Southeastern Conference Chairman and 2009 Inductee Mike Slive on being ranked the 17th most powerful person in sports according to the March 11, 2013 edition of Sports Illustrated.
Slive, a native of Utica, was recognized with the following entry on the list:
“The 72-year-old former judge has a stoic courtroom demeanor, but it’s hard for him not to smile: He…led the movement for a college football playoff…and the SEC just won its seventh straight BCS title. With Bama favored to win number 8 [in 2014], and with a new TV deal (including an SEC Network) projected to reap more than $400 million, Slive may be grinning even more.
“Commissioner Slive has brought great pride to the Mohawk Valley and to sports nationwide. He is rightfully being recognized for his tremendous work,” said the Board of Directors of the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame.
The Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1990 to honor excellence in all facets of sports throughout the area. As of 2012, nearly 150 men and women have been enshrined. Also, for most of the 2000s, the Hall of Fame has administered the D’Alessandro Family Scholarship and the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship to honor graduating seniors that excel in sports in high school.