People To Watch: Who Will Shape The Industry In The New Year?
THE DAILY offers people worth keeping your eye on during the new year:
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William Clay Ford Jr. One To Watch In '09
After Setting Stage For Millen's Ouster In September |
LIONS VICE CHAIR WILLIAM CLAY FORD JR.: Ford is worth watching not only for "What happens now?" with the Lions after their latest bad season, but also for his last name, as a representative of how sports spending from auto companies will be worth watching in '09.
MLB NETWORK PRESIDENT & CEO TONY PETITTI: There's a lot of buzz around the launch of MLB Network, and Petitti's on-screen moves will determine if the net can live up to the hype initially. But long-term success may be in the hands of former CW exec Bill Morningstar, who now heads up the network's ad sales and has to convince advertisers to support a new network in a tight market.
NETS OWNER BRUCE RATNER: Everyone remains intrigued by the prospect of an NBA team in Brooklyn, but can Ratner fight back the legal opposition and a sour economy to pull off the Atlantic Yards project?
NBA CHINA CEO TIM CHEN: Everyone saw the fruits from the NBA's years of groundwork in China during the Beijing Games. Now the focus will turn to Chen, who looks to build on the momentum of basketball's impressive performance in August.
PGA TOUR EXEC VP & CMO TOM WADE: Wade will begin work on renewing a huge number of title sponsorships that expire in 2010. The tour likes to boast that it came through the recession earlier this decade with a stronger sponsorship roster, an achievement that will be tested amid the fallout in historically strong categories like financial and autos.
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Probst To Play Key Role In
Chicago 2016 Bid |
USOC CHAIR LARRY PROBST: The new face of the USOC will play a key role in Chicago 2016's bid, which will be voted on in October '09. Probst's ability to renegotiate the USOC's revenue share with the IOC is considered critical to the bid's success.
USTA EXEC DIR GORDON SMITH: With the departure of Arlen Kantarian and migration of other top execs, Smith, a former litigator, becomes the most powerful executive at the USTA and, by extension, U.S. tennis.
VERSUS PRESIDENT JAMIE DAVIS: The former international TV exec will start his first full year at Versus, the network that sports execs are hoping will step up and compete with ESPN for future rights deals.
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