Every year in sports business sees plenty of turnover, and ‘15 was no different. This year saw the emergence of young athletes and new broadcast elements, while several high-ranking execs said goodbye.
HELLO: THE NEXT BIG THREE?
The ’15 golf season began with questions about Tiger Woods’ nagging injuries and Rory McIlroy’s lack of a chief rival. It did not take long for those questions to be answered. Twenty-one-year-old Jordan Spieth lit the golf world on fire, winning five times -- including the first two legs of the Grand Slam -- en route to a record season that included PGA Tour Player of the Year and a landmark deal with Under Armour. Add in Jason Day’s impressive second half -- including a win over Spieth at the PGA Championship -- and the sport looks to be in fine shape moving forward.
Also:
* American Pharoah steals the hearts of sports fans with his Triple Crown run.
* Boxing makes an impressive return to broadcast TV with “Premier Boxing Champions.”
* ESPN's popular Saturday-morning show "College GameDay" gets a new host with Rece Davis.
* Jamie Horowitz returns to the sports world, coming on board at Fox.
GOODBYE: GOING OUT ON TOP
Commissioner Mike Slive left the SEC this summer, ending a 13-year tenure that built the conference to a level it never before had seen. Slive helped the conference out from under a pile of compliance issues with the NCAA and led the SEC to an unprecedented seven straight BCS football championships. Slive’s successor, Greg Sankey, figures to competently fill his shoes, but the league no doubt will feel a slight void as it navigates ’16.
Also:
* John Walsh, one of the influential architects behind ESPN, retires from the company.
* The Univ. of Texas fires embattled AD Steve Patterson, while Rutgers parts with Julie Hermann.
* AEG abandons its plans for the maligned Farmers Field stadium project in L.A.
* British Open leaves ESPN after long tenure for Golf Channel/NBC in ’16.
