Sports Professor’s Weekly Preview

The Sports Professor’s Weekly Preview 
May 24-30, 2010

1.  Indy 500 Anchors Memorial Day Weekend

They call it The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.  The Indy 500 is one of the oldest and most revered races in all of motorsports.  This weekend, a record five women will attempt to qualify for the Indy 500, including Go Daddy girl Danica Patrick.  Expect to see the web hosting company on more than just Patrick’s car; Go Daddy, the primary sponsor for the live race broadcast, will air three spots from its “Create Your Own Commercial” contest during the race coverage.  Of course, the race isn’t over until one driver downs a nice cold glass of milk.  These days, the Indy 500 winner is offered a choice of whole, 2%, or skim.

 

2.  Of CBAs and Frosty Bowls—NFL Owners Meet

When the NFL owners meetings get underway next week, the hot topic will be cold weather – as in, will cold weather doom New York’s 2014 Super Bowl bid.  Despite an average February temperature of less than 50 degrees, the Giants and Jets received special permission from the league to bid on the game.  But before the May 25 Super Bowl vote, attention will be focused on the quest for a new CBA.  One thing not on the agenda – Stan Kroenke’s pending purchase of the St. Louis Rams.

 

3.  French Open Week II

As the French Open enters its second week, we explore the tournament’s primary sponsor, BNP Paribas.  From the courts to the classroom, tennis HOFer John McEnroe announced he will open and direct the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Randall’s Island Tennis Center in N.Y.  And what would the French Open be without a Rafa Nadal story?  Watch designer Richard Mille created a special timepiece for Spain’s top player.  The $425,000 watch was constructed party with materials used in space exploration.  Can Nadal do the moonwalk on clay?

 

4.  World Cup TV, 3D, 24-7: Global Media Rights

Forget sponsorship activation.  This year’s World Cup is all about technology activation.  Comcast is the first cable provider to sign on to distribute the ESPN 3D network, which will launch June 11 with the South Africa-Mexico match.  Mobile video provider Flo TV announced that it will offer ESPN Mobile TV’s live coverage of all 64 games of the World Cup, and it also will launch a dedicated 24-hour World Cup channel.  However, extraordinary production equals extraordinary costs.

 

5.  Foreign Money – International Billionaires and the U.S. Sports Scene

Mikhail Prokhorov’s bid to purchase the New Jersey Nets officially was approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors.  With the deal complete, will this open the floodgates for other international billionaires to enter the U.S. sports scene?  We’ll take a look at five international sports tycoons with deep enough pockets to buy a major American sports franchise.