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:
WIN: NBC/COMCAST -- NBC needed a big win in Switzerland and got one on Tuesday. The network keeps its biggest sports property through the '20 Olympics, ponying up $4.4B for the rights to four Games. As sports rights continue to escalate, Comcast's bid stays in line with projections despite being $1B more than the next highest bidder. The win also reassures the sports industry that the Comcast family of networks will remain big players when it comes to picking up sports rights.
LOSE: ALEX RODRIGUEZ -- A rare coconut water sponsorship flap pops up this week as A-Rod signs on as an endorser for Vito Coco. A conflict of interest arises when it comes out that A-Rod already has a stake in rival company Zico. A-Rod says he made the change after Zico switched to a concentrate formula, but the company says it has video of him recommending the concentrate. Probably have to score this one an E-5 for the Yankees 3B.
DRAW: RICHARD CHILDRESS -- His actions are truly unbecoming of a team owner and he deserves the consequences of those actions. If you’re JOE GIBBS, you’re understandably upset. But tell us who didn’t talk around the water cooler and buzz about his wrapping youngster KYLE BUSCH in a headlock and throwing punches? NASCAR wants the boys to "have at it" -- well it got the unexpected when even the boys’ elders want at it.
