Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles this past weekend said he thinks the Verizon IndyCar Series will "have a presenting sponsor of the Indianapolis 500" by next year, according to Tony DiZinno of NBCSPORTS.com. Miles said, "There’s a few prospects. But it could very well be a new company to come in as a partner, and there’s more out there." DiZinno notes a presenting sponsor for the Indy 500 "would be arguably the biggest change yet to a race that has undergone changes in nearly every facet but the name of the race itself." However, it "would add to what is quickly becoming a growing portfolio of major companies -- Verizon, Panasonic, Sunoco and Angie’s List, to name a few -- either getting further involved with IndyCar or joining the series." Miles: "We’re pleased and we think we have good momentum. With Panasonic and Sunoco, the first is new to us and the second is expanded and extended. We feel very good about our commercial relationships. Fundamentally, we have to be a good partner, and that goes to day-to-day communications and professionalism. I think we’ve earned a lot of trust in establishing rapport and customer service with our sponsors" (NBCSPORTS.com, 5/11).
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Adam Stern reports IndyCar "is moving ahead with its international push and could hold races in either the United Arab Emirates, South Africa or Colombia next season." Miles said that IndyCar "is in negotiations to have one and possibly two warm-weather, foreign races that would start the season in either February or early March." This "would help IndyCar’s stated goal of starting its season earlier and ending on Labor Day weekend." Miles "declined to assess a favorite." The series also "is in talks domestically to add events to the latter part of the season, including a race in Boston." Miles said that those talks "are going well" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/11 issue).
