THE DAILY each Friday offers our take on the performances over the past week of some people and entities in sports business. Here are this week’s newsmakers
WIN: GENE UPSHAW –- Union chief was unwavering in his pursuit of a larger chunk of revenue for players, sending owners scrambling to settle their own differences before economic chaos erupted. Whether in negotiations with cities or television networks, it’s usually the NFL that has the leverage, but this time, it was the NFLPA that had the league backed into a corner.
LOSE: BARRY BONDS –- We weren’t sure his image could sink much lower, but it has after news about a new book that details habitual steroid use. The pursuit of one of the most revered records in all of sports would normally generate positive buzz and countless marketing opportunities, but now is likely to draw only boos and sneers.
DRAW: RED BULL -– Austrian energy drink company’s $100M investment to buy and rebrand MetroStars is an interesting marketing play, but New Jersey officials say they’ll make every effort to keep the state’s name as part of the club. Some also question whether the move goes against the word-of-mouth and grassroots marketing strategy that has made the company such a success.
