THE DAILY each Friday offers our take on the performances over the past week of people and entities in sports business. Here are this week's newsmakers:
WIN: DAN BEEBE -- Nearly a year after many people were predicting the demise of the Big 12, Fox agrees to pay an estimated $90M annually over 13 years to make its cable properties the exclusive cable home for Big 12 football. The deal provides the conference with a big revenue gain and could lead to more exposure on channels such as FX. Beebe also meets a pledge to some of the larger member institutions such as Oklahoma and Texas by guaranteeing that those schools make at least $20M in league revenues in future seasons. The stage is also set for the conference to make big gains when it negotiates a new broadcast TV deal following the '15 season.
LOSE:
NASCAR HOF -- It continues to be a struggle for the Charlotte-based attraction during its first year of operation. Data released this week showed that attendance is expected to fall 500,000 visitors short of projections, and losses for the first year will be in the area of $1.3M. There was also a public 'we told you so' from jilted Atlanta officials. While NASCAR isn't directly involved in running the facility, optically it is still a drain, especially if the city of Charlotte has to draw on local taxes to help cover shortfalls.
DRAW: TIGER WOODS -- The golfer's rehabilitation has one of its best weeks, as Tiger gets in the mix in a major on a Sunday. Crowds and TV audiences show him love; he is met with largely positive press, including raves from BILL SIMMONS; and then goes on a Nike tour of Asia where he is greeted like a hero. But pockets of fans still cringe at the media's excessive coverage of Woods' play. He also does not help himself with his post-Masters interview on CBS, nearly erasing all goodwill as he gives a performace that USA TODAY's CHRISTINE BRENNAN calls “one of the 10 worst by a superstar in sports history."
