Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chair & CEO BRUTON SMITH received a 3.9% salary increase and COO MARCUS SMITH earned a 15.3% salary increase in '10, according to an SEC report filed Friday. Bruton Smith earned $1,776,000 in '10, while Marcus Smith earned $1,622,326. SMI CFO BILL BROOKS earned $1,502,455, a 21.2% increase over '09. SMI reported a net income of $44.5M for the '10 fiscal year, reversing a net loss of $10.3M in '09. Total revenues were dragged down by a $24M decline in ticket revenues and a $22.2M decline in event-related revenues in '10 (Tripp Mickle, SportsBusiness Journal).
SUSPENDED FROM LOCOG: The BBC's Bond & Pearce reported British Olympic Association Chair LORD COLIN MOYNIHAN and CEO ANDY HUNT "have been suspended from the board of LOCOG ... following the legal row over the financial surplus from the Games." LOCOG "has suspended them because of a conflict of interest and both Lord Moynihan and Hunt did not attend a meeting of the board on Thursday." By suspending them, LOCOG is "sending the clearest indication yet of the seriousness of the dispute which is overshadowing London's preparations" (BBC.co.uk, 3/24). Moynihan and Hunt "will continue to serve as directors of LOCOG" (London TELEGRAPH, 3/25).
TWEET A LITTLE TWEET: ESPN's ERIN ANDREWS appeared on the SI.com's "The Hot Clicks Podcast" and discussed her use of Twitter. Host JIMMY TRAINA asked, "How are you enjoying Twitter? You seem to fight back with people on there which is interesting." Andrews said, "Obviously, there are some things that people say on there that are really nasty and mean and you're just like, 'Oh my gosh, that's so hateful'" (SI.com, 3/24).
HOLLYWOOD BEAT: New Line Cinema has "picked up the story" of Bengals cheerleader LAURA VIKMANIS, who at 42 years old is the "oldest cheerleader in NFL history." New Line acquired Vikmanis' "life rights as well as a pitch by scribes EMILY COOK and KATHY GREENBERG" for a motion picture (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 3/24)....FX has canceled its "LIGHTS OUT" boxing show. The decision "was a fairly easy one considering the show -- while a hit with most critics -- never drew enough viewers to make it a long-term player." The show through 11 episodes averaged 863,000 viewers and 513,000 viewers in the adults 18-49 demo (VARIETY.com, 3/24).
NAMES: NFL Films President STEVE SABOL is preparing to "begin treatment for a primary tumor on the left side of his brain." In a note to NFL Films employees, Sabol wrote, "The doctors told me that there is no 'Hail Mary' treatment for my condition. To make progress I just have to 'move the chains' and keep making first downs. (MERRIL HOGE will be happy with my gameplan)." He concluded, "Don't give away my parking space" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/25)....Nine workers in the Auburn Univ. athletic department who were laid off or reassigned "have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the school of racial discrimination." The lawsuit against the school was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court. Five of the former "custodial workers were laid off last May and four others were moved to other departments during a reorganization" (AP, 3/24)....Giants QB ELI MANNING and his wife, ABBY, are "celebrating the birth of their first child, a daughter named AVA FRANCES." The baby girl was "born on Monday, weighing in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces" (N.Y. POST, 3/25).
