Word is that Sprint will, within a week or so, acknowledge a change in the name of NASCAR's top series for 2007, mandating Sprint Cup or Sprint/Nextel Cup. Sprint acquired the assets of its walkie-talkie rival last year and promised an eventual name change in order to make use of Nextel's top sports marketing property.
Sprint/Nextel is expected to make some sort of announcement next week at Daytona about its future plans for the name of the Cup series. Nextel probably will remain part of the title.
The Nextel name isn't leaving the merged company, so why would the executives want to eliminate it from its NASCAR sponsorship?
However, some type of name change is coming. The question is when. It would take a huge amount of work to change all NASCAR and track logos in time for the 2007 season.
Isn't there another series (a lower series) already named Sprint Cup?
Do you think NASCAR is happy about the name change so early in the new contract? I don't think so.
# Nextel Announcement soon? UPDATE 2 at Daytona: hearing the Nextel/Sprint name change for 2007 could be announced anyday now, The Nextel Cup Series could be known as the Sprint Cup Series.(6-15-2006)
UPDATE: Word is that Sprint will, within a week or so, acknowledge a change in the name of NASCAR's top series for 2007, mandating Sprint Cup or Sprint/Nextel Cup. Sprint acquired the assets of its walkie-talkie rival last year and promised an eventual name change in order to make use of Nextel's top sports marketing property.(Speed Channel)(6-17-2006)
UPDATE 2: Sprint/Nextel is expected to make some sort of announcement next week at Daytona about its future plans for the name of the Cup series. Nextel probably will remain part of the title. The Nextel name isn't leaving the merged company, so why would the executives want to eliminate it from its NASCAR sponsorship? However, some type of name change is coming. The question is when. It would take a huge amount of work to change all NASCAR and track logos in time for the 2007 season.(Dallas Morning News)(6-23-2006)
# Changes with Nextel/Sprint? UPDATE: A major shakeup appears under way in the Sprint-Nextel sports department with two top players leaving, and that has the NASCAR garage abuzz with questions about the company's future in NASCAR stock-car racing. Jill Gregory, the director of NASCAR Nextel Series marketing since 2004, is leaving to join Bank of America's new NASCAR marketing operation. And Michael Robichaud, vice-president of sports marketing for Sprint-Nextel, and formerly Nextel's director of sports and entertainment marketing, is also leaving, though his next job is up in the air. And there is intense speculation here that Sprint-Nextel's chairman, Tim Donahue, who made the original deal with NASCAR before last year's merger, may be leaving, too. All that increases speculation that officials on the Sprint side of the company are taking control from all the key Nextel people. Sources here say that might not be good for NASCAR, because they say Sprint executives generally aren't fond of NASCAR and might try to unload the $70 million a year, 10-year sponsorship, perhaps by selling it to another company.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-3-2006)
UPDATE: Sprint Nextel officials Tuesday reiterated the company's commitment to NASCAR despite the recent merger of the two companies and the pending departure of two marketing executives who handled Sprint Nextel's management of its Nextel Cup sponsorship. Mark Schweitzer, the chief marketing officer from Sprint Nextel, said the company has no plans to back away from its 10-year deal (reportedly $75 million per year) that began in 2004 to sponsor the Nextel Cup Series. Schweitzer said there are not many outs in the contract and added that the sponsorship cannot be transferred and it cannot be sold. Sprint Nextel also has contracts with the tracks and is also committed to spend an undisclosed amount of advertising in conjunction with the sponsorship. Sprint and Nextel completed their merger in 2005, and the series name is expected to change. Schweitzer said original plans called for a decision on whether to make a name change by last February, but that decision has been delayed until "the middle of this year. We want to make sure that, if we were to make a change, it isn't detrimental to the equity that we've built up, particularly in support of our Nextel product," Schweitzer said. Schweitzer was speaking an attempt to dispel questions about the company's commitment to the sport with the pending departure of Michael Robichaud, vice president for sports marketing and Nextel Cup program marketing manager Jill Gregory. Gregory is going to Bank of America to help activate its NASCAR sponsorships, while Robichaud plans to pursue other opportunities.(SceneDaily.com)(4-4-2006)
# The Sprint Cup? UPDATE: Looks like the NEXTEL Cup Series will be no more in 2007. Get ready for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as the Sprint-NEXTEL merger gets finalized and the company's new name becomes attached to the NASCAR deal.(RacingOne)(6-13-2005)
UPDATE: Sprint and Nextel Communications announced details surrounding the brand strategy and logo to be used upon completion of the companies' merger, expected in the third quarter of 2005, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals. The new go-to-market brand name of the combined Sprint Nextel will be Sprint, with the Nextel name continuing as a key product brand. Given its broad market awareness and its history of innovation, the Sprint name was chosen as the lead go-to-market brand name for the new company.
Blending elements of Sprint's signature "pin drop" – representing clarity – and Nextel's bold yellow and black colors – which command attention – the new logo is a powerful symbol for the new Sprint as a forward-moving, energetic and dynamic brand. Additionally, in advertising, the new Sprint visual treatment will include the line, "Together with Nextel," as a reminder of the equity of these two strong brands coming
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I have seen speculation about this ever since Sprint bought Nextel, but I never imagined they would actually do it. This really is madness. Maybe Winston is ready to take it back? Er, Winchester?
I don't know how much it hurts NASCAR exactly, since product placements are part of the history of the sport. But it will sure confuse anyone who's just coming to NASCAR, that I'm sure of.
Yeah well you can only change something so many times before it gets broken you can't change a phrase that is on the tip of everyones tounge and expect the same following i truly think it will BADLY hurt the sport
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i'll tell u what.. i still catch myself calling it winston cup.. and i will KEEP calling it winston cup because i remember the real racing before it was about $$$
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i'll tell u what.. i still catch myself calling it winston cup.. and i will KEEP calling it winston cup because i remember the real racing before it was about $$$
Totally agree 150%!! I call it "Winston Cup" all the time
i wonder if the executives realize that u could have a field day with this....imagine, instead of the "chase for the cup" as the last 10...it could be the, "Sprint for the cup" LOL
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mrsmopar12 Fan Club Member #1 Intimidator1951-2001 If this was the 1950's, Jeff Gordon would be Pat Boone and Dale Jr. would be Elvis....both were great singers, but we know who had the most fans.
i wonder if the executives realize that u could have a field day with this....imagine, instead of the "chase for the cup" as the last 10...it could be the, "Sprint for the cup" LOL
~LOL~ Sounds to me like we are first going to have "the chase for the name for the cup"!
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