This Week's Newsmakers: WNBA Concludes Season On Good Note
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:
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Taurasi Leads Fever To Victory In
Well-Viewed WNBA Championship |
WIN: WNBA -- The league's '09 season comes to a thrilling end, with MVP DIANA TAURASI leading the Mercury to victory over the Fever in a decisive Game Five. Average viewership for the the five-game series on ESPN2 jumps 76% from '08, bringing in the best numbers since the championship started airing on cable in '06. And while the Fever miss out on their opportunity to capture the team's first title, HERB SIMON brings some relief to Indianapolis fans by announcing the team will return for another season, erasing growing concern that this year would be the team's last in the Hoosier State.
LOSE: DAVE CHECKETTS -- Talk-radio personality RUSH LIMBAUGH draws most of the criticism during the week-long firestorm surrounding the group's bid for the Rams, but Checketts ultimately takes the biggest hit despite cutting Limbaugh loose. NFL owners wonder why such a savvy businessman who has successfully run both the Blues and Real Salt Lake would even consider pairing up with such a controversial figure. While Checketts ultimately does drop Limbaugh, the decision to include him in the first place raises enough questions that it could greatly damage Checketts' pursuit of the Rams.
DRAW: NASCAR HOF -- The still-under-construction mecca of stock car racing takes another step toward completion with the announcement of its inaugural class of inductees. While the facility is on schedule, looks great and should be a trophy for the sport, the first HOF class gets mixed reviews for inducting both BILL FRANCE SR. and BILL FRANCE JR. in place of some former drivers, most notably DAVID PEARSON.
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