A small group of winners

I’ve read before that in any given industry there are typically 2-3 “winners”. The companies at the top that everyone is trying to catch. Look at the mobile phone industry – Google, Apple and Samsung. Or the soda industry – Coke and Pepsi. Fedex and UPS. Home Depot and Lowes…the list goes on.

What caught my eye last week was an ESPN article that shows how sports apparently tracks the same way. Check this out:

In tennis, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — had won 31 of the past 33 grand slams entering Wimbledon this year.

In the NFL, despite a lockout, a salary cap, revenue sharing, owner-friendly contracts and virtually nonexistent unrestricted free agency, four teams — the Patriots, Giants, Steelers and Ravens — have won nine of the past 13 Super Bowls and account for 13 of the past 26 Super Bowl participants.

And in the NHL, despite yet another lockout that suppressed more player movement, earning power and contract stability, the four semifinalists just happened to be Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, the winners of the previous four Stanley Cups.

And this one is crazy, in the NBA, despite two lockouts, a salary cap and restrictions on free agency, three teams — the Lakers, Spurs and Heat — have won 12 of the past 15 titles.