This Week's Newsmakers: Ganassi Hits Another Stumbling Block
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: ESPN -- The Worldwide Leader is an easy target for criticism, but it deserves plenty of credit this week. First, the folks in Bristol announce the net no longer will host in-booth guests during its "MNF" telecasts, which may trouble PARIS HILTON followers, but certainly is music to the ears of all football fans. Then, months after opting out of its former deal with MLBAM, ESPN signs a new pact with baseball's digital arm, securing the rights to stream its telecasts on ESPN360.
LOSE: CHIP GANASSI RACING -- A tough season for Ganassi's Sprint Cup team gets a little rougher, as longtime NASCAR sponsor Texaco/Havoline, which currently shares the primary sponsorship of JUAN PABLO MONTOYA’s No. 42 Dodge, announces that it will be leaving the sport at the end of the season. The move comes as Ganassi earlier this year was forced to park DARIO FRANCHITTI's ride due to lack of sponsorship. To make things worse, with only three races left before the Chase, none of the team’s drivers are likely to qualify for NASCAR’s playoffs.
DRAW: Chris Russo -- His deal with Sirius XM Satellite Radio will reportedly earn him about $3M per year over the next five years, not to mention his own show and dedicated channel. But will the Mad Dog resonate with sports fans outside of the Big Apple, and will he be able to create the kind of following and ratings he and longtime partner MIKE FRANCESA had at WFAN? Only time will tell.
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