This Week's Newsmakers: Draft Coverage Nears Saturation Point
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:
 |
Zurich Recently Extended Its
Sponsorship Of PGA Tour Event |
WIN: ZURICH CLASSIC -- At a time when PGA Tour sponsor spending is being criticized more than ever, the New Orleans event secures an extension with title sponsor Zurich Financial through '14. With Northern Trust recently facing censure for its lavish spending in L.A. and Wachovia pulling its name from next week's tournament in Charlotte, the move runs contrary to fears that the sponsorship well has dried up for golf. PGA Tour execs can only hope that such extensions become the rule rather than the exception moving forward.
LOSE: MLB ATTENDANCE -- A combination of dreary April weather and the struggling economy results in several MLB teams breaking all-time lows in attendance. Swathes of empty seats this week are prevalent in ballparks in Cleveland, S.F., Pittsburgh and DC. However, the issue is getting the most ink in the Big Apple, where the new Yankee Stadium has a multitude of high-priced lower bowl seats sitting empty in plain view of the TV cameras.
DRAW: NFL DRAFT -- In case you have been living under a rock the past couple months, the NFL Draft is being held in N.Y. tomorrow. The television extravaganza will include a multitude of coverage from ESPN and NFL Network over the weekend. The work that both nets do leading into the Draft and during the actual event is top-notch, but hearing for the 91st time JASON SMITH is rising up the board and AARON CURRY is one of the best linebacker prospects in years dilutes the coverage some.
|
