Northern Light Technology CEO David Seuss, whose
company earlier this year signed a $50M, five-year title
sponsorship deal with the IRL, has been "such an
enthusiastic supporter" of the IRL that the league's
"typically tight-lipped brass has had to make adjustments,"
including "treat[ing] race attendance figures ... as
classified information," according to Bill Koenig of the
INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Seuss "openly talked about IRL
attendance" during an April appearance at Indy Motor
Speedway, which made IRL Dir of Sponsorship Development Kent
Liffick "wince." Laura Cory, GM of Hewlett-Packard, a
Northern Light investor, said of Seuss, "He's going to say
what he thinks, and he's pretty quick with his thoughts."
Meanwhile, Koenig writes that "about" $42M of the $50M price
tag for the title deal is "advertising that Northern Light
would have bought anyway." But while the deal doesn't
provide the IRL with "much cash," the league "does gain a
very interested sponsor," as the company tags the league in
its ads. While IMS President Tony George says top
management of former title sponsor Pep Boys "never took the
time to get involved," Seuss "talks up" the league. Seuss:
"The press is key here. We have to get the press on the
side of this series" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/19).
