Newsmakers: DEI Looks To Rebound From Junior’s Departure

THE DAILY each Friday offers our take on the performances over the past week of some people and entities in sports business. Here are this week’s newsmakers.

Sport Of Boxing Facing Uncertainty Despite Record-Setting Bout

WIN: VOD — In what could be an industry-precedent-setting deal, ESPN/ABC's new agreement with Cox includes select college football games being offered on VOD with full advertising included. While some consumers are complaining about the disabling of the fast-forward button, this will mark the first test of an on-demand audience for live sports events.

LOSE: DEI — Loses the most marketable driver in NASCAR and the one who bears the company’s name. TERESA EARNHARDT says the company still “will thrive following [Thursday’s] announcement,” but with the departure of JUNIOR, who will almost certainly be followed by Budweiser, that’s hard to envision.

DRAW: BOXING — DE LA HOYA-MAYWEATHER scores huge, setting records for both PPV buys and revenue. But the fight itself lacks fireworks (there were even chants of “UFC! UFC!” after the bout), and with no other big-time prize fights in sight, this appears to be too little, too late for the sport.