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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Long Offseason Taking Away IndyCar Momentum; Writer Questions Why Media Day Not In Indy

It has been half a year since the Izod IndyCar Series season ended, but it “may as well have been half a lifetime,” according to John Oreovicz of ESPN.com. Out of sight “equals out of mind, especially when the NASCAR and Formula One seasons run through the end of November.” Meanwhile, IndyCar teams are “prevented from testing their unchanged spec cars from a year ago and the offseason was dominated by politics, chiefly the ouster of popular former CEO Randy Bernard.” Testing has been “severely restricted in an effort to cut costs," and Ryan Hunter-Reay, the series' first American champ in six years, "got virtually zero publicity over the long offseason.” Although it is “almost impossible" to go up against the 38-week NASCAR season, IndyCar "must somehow find a way to keep itself relevant when it's not in action every couple of weeks.” This year's schedule “extends to mid-October, which will help, but starting the 2014 season a month earlier would provide additional benefit.” Oreovicz noted the press gathered for IndyCar’s media day Monday “found itself battling Internet and PA issues in an unheated warehouse on a chilly, rainy day" during testing at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, "500 miles from Indianapolis and the heart of the sport.” Oreovicz: “Is on-track action really necessary for the media, just 11 days before the start of the new season, after a six-month offseason? I think it would make more sense to gather the media in Indianapolis” (ESPN.com, 3/12).

EXAMINE & EVALUATE: IndyCar yesterday announced the formation of an advisory competition committee that will consist of a minimum of seven members to meet regularly throughout the year. The committee will make recommendations to the sanctioning body, with final decisions made by IndyCar management. The committee will consist of two IndyCar management reps appointed by the series CEO, two team reps, two drivers, four manufacturer members and one at-large member appointed by its CEO. Additionally, the committee chair can invite other key stakeholders such as promoters, track officials and broadcast partners to attend meetings (IndyCar). SPEEDTV.com’s Marshall Pruett noted one member of the new committee who, despite “the predictable panning of 'yet another committee being formed,' believes it will make a positive impact on the series going forward.” Meanwhile, a “mandatory dinner meeting for IndyCar drivers was held Tuesday night to allow Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles, interim IndyCar CEO Jeff Belskus and interim IndyCar CFO Robbie Greene a chance to meet drivers one-on-one” (SPEEDTV.com, 3/12).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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