League Notes

IRL Will Not Assist Teams Financially Through The Current Economic Downturn

SI.com's Brant James reported the IRL "will not assist teams financially through a difficult" economic climate. IRL Commercial Division President Terry Angstadt: "We're not in a position to subsidize teams. It will be what-you-see-is-what-you-get. We are working real hard to help secure sponsorship for teams with a dedicated sales team, doing presentations, doing research, trying to do all the things to assist. But writing checks, we just can't do" (SI.com, 5/6).

ENGINE TROUBLE: In London, Tom Cary reports the F1 Teams Association has "requested 'urgent consultations' with the sport's governing body, the FIA, after a day of heated discussions regarding next year's proposed budget cap." The FIA last week announced that teams "would have the option of signing up to a [US$60.4M] budget cap from 2010 in return for more technical freedom." While the smaller independent teams are "known to favour the cap," the larger manufacturer-backed teams have "deep reservations over such a radical cut, which would force them to reduce their spending by about 80[%] as well as lay off a percentage of their staff" (London TELEGRAPH, 5/7).

IN THE ROUGH: The LPGA held its second-ever player summit last week and in a special to the NAPLES NEWS, golf instructor Tom Patri wrote, "Ironic that this is the first summit since 2002." LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens has been "upsetting the press, the corporate world and tournament organizers for some time now," and Bivens has "single-handedly burned bridges." If the LPGA thinks it "can mend those relationships in the current economic climate after her rampage, good luck." Patri: "I feel sorry this time for the players on that tour, to an extent. This is far and away the most talented group of players that tour has ever known. ... On the other hand, why they haven't bounced Bivens is beyond me. I'm not sure the damage she has done will be soon repaired" (NAPLES NEWS, 5/6).