NASCAR's TV negotiations "have reached a critical
stage," according to Mike Mulhern of the WINSTON-SALEM
JOURNAL, who writes that "which way NASCAR may be leaning
isn't clear." But one source close to the discussions said
that "it's a done deal" that CBS/TNN and NBC will split the
2001 Winston Cup package, with the Daytona 500 opening the
CBS season and the Pepsi 400 July Daytona race opening the
NBC season, "with ESPN and Fox both left out in the cold."
Meanwhile, another source "insists" that ABC has "one final
shot" at the NASCAR package, and that the net's "final pitch
will be made some time in early November" after launching a
NASCAR promotional campaign through ESPN in the next few
weeks. A third source maintains that Fox "is out."
CONTROLLING THE MESSAGE: Mulhern adds that regardless
of who gets the rights, NASCAR officials "plan to have a lot
more control over just what television is allowed to do in
its own coverage." This will include asking drivers "to
assess the television journalists covering the sport,
apparently with an eye toward `weeding out' some
journalists." This new strategy "could have a chilling
effect on how TV men pursue controversial stories." Mulhern
adds that "it is unclear if any of NASCAR's major sponsors
are also involved in helping NASCAR assess the sport's
current group of television reporters." Once a deal is
done, NASCAR "is expected to want control" of the production
facilities/trailer equipment, with the networks providing
the directors and key crewmen (W-S JOURNAL, 10/19).
