NASCAR issued a statement today in which its VP/Broadcasting & Production Steve Herbst said, “Despite recent reports to the contrary, nothing substantive has been presented to NASCAR regarding broadcast partners’ plans to alter our TV agreement in 2014. We’re very happy with our current broadcast partners and fully expect and are excited to be back with FOX, Turner and ESPN next year. These types of discussions happen regularly across the sports television landscape, very rarely resulting in changes to a media rights agreement.” This is in response to a SportsBusiness Journal report out Monday and cited in SBD yesterday (THE DAILY).
DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK: In Richmond, Michael Phillips wrote the debut of ESPN's documentary "The Will To Win," about Redskins QB Robert Griffin III's return from injury, "showed a man possessed by his goal of playing" in the team's Sept. 9 opener against the Eagles. Griffin in the film "went through intense training, including in 100-degree Las Vegas heat the morning after his bachelor party." Redskins coach Mike Shanahan "wasn’t featured prominently in the film, but team trainer Larry Hess was." Griffin's "sense of humor was showcased" throughout the documentary (TIMESDISPATCH.com, 8/27).
FIGHT'S EFFECT ON FIGHTING? YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole wrote while expectations are "soaring" for the results of the Floyd Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez PPV boxing match, which will be held Sept. 14, promotion of the fight is "being hurt badly by the dispute between CBS, and Time Warner Cable." Customers in N.Y., L.A. and Dallas "aren't able to view any of the fight's promotional shows on television." TWC Group VP/Communications for the East Region Susan Leepson said that even if the dispute is not settled, TWC customers "will be able to purchase the Mayweather-Alvarez pay-per-view" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/27).
WHAT'S ALL THE RACQUET? Tennis Channel Chair & CEO Ken Solomon said with ESPN taking over the U.S. Open broadcast rights, "Our hope is that we're going to be able to bring more, but time will tell." Solomon said the increasing viewership on the channel has equated to increased revenues, with "our ad sales growing about an average rate" of 35% a year. He added, "Obviously, our distribution has grown so those revenues have gone up but really we're in a growth mode. You're seeing significant jumps in the valuation of our revenue stream" ("Markets Now," Fox Business, 8/26).
