Former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is amazed at how politics has become so controversial this year.
"Yeah, I would say this year has been quite different," he said. "This year has been quite aberrational."
Selig said he's "spent a lot of time studying politics" and is now back to his true passion as a college history teacher.
"I can't think of a year quite like this, and I go back into the 1950s," he said.
The Sports Business Awards were held Wednesday night in New York City, featuring nearly 1,000 industry heavyweights in what has become one of the most exclusive gathering of sports industry professionals to honor many of its most influential people and companies. CNBC spoke with several of the big-name guests to get their thoughts on the state of the industry and where it's headed.
Selig was being honored with a lifetime achievement award.
Speaking of his own achievement in the sport, he went right to the bottom line.
"We have had labor peace and stunning growth in assets and revenue," Selig said. He said his sport "has been way ahead of the curve and will continue to be" when it comes to technology, and "we're going to grow internationally."
"We have adapted and adjusted as we have moved along," he added.
The same week that the Philadelphia 76ers announced it would become the first NBA team to feature sponsorships on jerseys as a new revenue stream, Selig said he hopes MLB doesn't follow suit.
"Our uniforms are really special. You have the Yankee uniform, which is a classic, the Cubs, the Dodgers," he said. "The uniforms really mean something. I said the world was changing, and who knows what may or may not happen. Quite frankly, I hope we don't go to advertising on the uniforms but time will tell."