League Notes
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NFL Draft In '10 Might Be Held On May 1,
Same Day As Kentucky Derby |
In Philadelphia, Ed Barkowitz reports while actual dates are "not firm, the 2010 NFL draft is scheduled for early May," and if the NFL "maintains its traditional time frame of conducting the draft 12 weeks after the Super Bowl, the draft would be held May 1-2." However, Barkowitz notes next year's Kentucky Derby also will take place May 1. NFL Senior VP/PR Greg Aiello said of the schedule, "We are currently listing next year's draft as 'early May.' We have not set the specific dates yet" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/17).
FAMILIAR HOME: In Charlotte, Jim Utter cited sources as indicating that there "likely will be changes" to the '10 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule. The sources said that the changes will be "two-fold -- at least one race will be dropped while others could be added." The sources added that at least one race "expected to be added is to Darlington (S.C.) Raceway." Darlington hosted four truck races from '01-04, and Darlington Raceway Dir of PR Jake Harris said that the events were "popular with fans" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/13).
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS: SPEEDTV.com's Robin Miller wrote though the IRL and Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) have been "joined at the hip since 1997," spending four days at the track is a "colossal waste of time and money for a series that can't afford it ... regardless of the exposure TMS generates." Miller noted a 45-minute Thursday practice session in advance of the June 6 Bombardier Learjet 550k at the track "drew a couple hundred people," while a 30-minute Friday session was "witnessed by spotters only." And while TMS hosting the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 400 the day before the IndyCar race "limits the track time that simulates race conditions," it "seems simple enough to make this a two-day show like the rest of the IRL's ovals." Miller: "It would change nothing but the bottom line for the IndyCar teams" (SPEEDTV.com, 6/16).
MIDSUMMER'S DREAM: In Daytona Beach, Dave Markowitz wrote he gives MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "credit for one thing: interleague play," as the "two-and-a-half weeks of interleague play are the best of the season." Markowitz: "There is no better theater during the season than the Yankees and Mets and the divided audience that watches them. And the scenes that are repeated all over the country on smaller scales" (NEWS-JOURNALONLINE.com, 6/16).
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