Shock as US President Donald Trump is named the most powerful man in sport

US President Donald Trump has been titled as the most powerful man in sport. Photo / Getty

American President Donald Trump has been named the most powerful man in sport by SportsBusiness Journal.

The sport news website said Trump earned the title because of his 'angry, loud and visceral rhetoric that divided the sports industry and caused massive reaction, response and reflection'.

But the journal's controversial choice has already received negative feedback with the trade publication's executive editor, Abe Madkour, saying there are many 'negative and unfortunate elements to the choice'.

"The biggest being it's not a positive for the industry we work in and cover. But when pressed to decide who had the greatest influence - positive or negative - on the sports business this year, it came down to an individual outside of sports who had the business on its back foot since he arrived on the political scene in 2015," she said.

"Nothing drove more attention to and response from the sports industry than Trump. The amount of media attention was overwhelming."

The US President sparked massive debate this year in the NFL over his issue with players kneeling during the national anthem, recently labelling them "sons of b******".

Donald Trump said anyone in the NFL who chose to kneel during the national anthem should be fired. Photo / Getty

The concept of kneeling during the anthem began when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who ranked SportsBusiness Journal's 50th most powerful man in sport, knelt during the anthem as a way to highlight racial injustice.

Recently Trump announced that any player who chose to kneel should be "fired" by the NFL.

Read more: Trump's comments about anthem, Curry inflame sports stars

Trump then rescinded the Golden State Warriors' invitation to visit the White House in September, after NBA star Stephen Curry refused to attend.

Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

Trump announced Curry was not welcome at the White House for the commemorative visit which triggered a series of tweets from outraged football and basketball stars such as LeBron James, who called the president a "bum".

More recently Trump waged a war with NBA star LaVar Ball, father LiAngelo Ball who was detained for shoplifting in China, when the President labelled LaVar an "ungrateful fool".

...LaVar, you could have spent the next 5 to 10 years during Thanksgiving with your son in China, but no NBA contract to support you. But remember LaVar, shoplifting is NOT a little thing. It’s a really big deal, especially in China. Ungrateful fool!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017

LiAngelo and two of his UCLA teammates were released from detention in China while Trump was visiting the country.

Donald Trump waged a Twitter war against NBA star LaVar Ball. Photo / Getty

NBA commissioner Adam Silver came second in the list while MLB commissioner Rob Manfred came third.

The only other athlete who made the list was LeBron James who finished 23rd.