Ascent Entertainment Group announced yesterday that
Ascent Sports President Ellen Robinson has decided to leave
the company, effective August 14. Robinson had overseen the
Nuggets and Avalanche for the past two years. Ascent Sports
Senior VP/Marketing Dennis Mannion will assume Robinson's
duties in marketing, sales and operations. Mannion joined
Ascent in March after 17 years with the Phillies, most
recently as VP/Marketing. Ascent Sports will undergo other
restructurings as well (Ascent Entertainment Group).
MUTUAL DECISION: In Denver, Vicki Michaelis reports
that rumors "have persisted in recent months that Robinson
... would be forced out." Her decision, though, was
characterized as a mutual one between Robinson and Ascent
Entertainment President & CEO Charlie Lyons. Robinson:
"They're ready to go forward here, and I'm ready to move
on." Michaelis notes that a few weeks after Robinson was
hired in '96, Ascent Sports announced it would no longer
offer free parking to Nuggets season-ticket holders. In
October '96, the company announced it would guarantee '97-98
Avalanche season tickets to those on a waiting list who
would be willing to buy '96-97 Nuggets season tickets.
Michaelis: "The latter decision was criticized roundly, by
fans, by media and even by Nuggets players. It made
Robinson a familiar, if unpopular, figure among Denver's
sports fans." Robinson: "That was a well-publicized
mistake." Robinson said she plans to remain in Denver, and
said that she would consider other CEO positions, "perhaps
at growth companies." Such a job "likely would put her
outside the sports realm." In addition to Mannion, other
top Ascent Sports execs who will divide Robinson's duties
are VP/Corporate Sales Mike Arthur, VP/Ticket Sales &
Operations Paul Andrews and VP/Broadcasting & Marketing Lou
Personett (DENVER POST, 7/24). In CO, Dina Bunn reports
that colleagues and consultants who worked with Robinson
"credit her with improving Ascent Sports management
structure and the marketing activities" of both the Nuggets
and Avalanche (Dina Bunn, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/24).
