While NASCAR has yet to announce a new entitlement to replace Sprint beginning in 2017, the sanctioning body is continuing to talk with a number of potential suitors, according to Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily.
Stern on Monday tweeted quotes from NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Brent Dewar, who said the entitlement sponsor search is still on schedule and that talks with multiple companies are at “an advanced stage.”
“We know how to handle complexity and meet deadlines, and this is no different,” Dewar said, per one of Stern’s tweets.
Another Dewar quote that Stern tweeted read, “It’s much more important we have the right partner than to meet a self-imposed deadline.”
.@brentdewar tells @sbjsbd search still on schedule, @NASCAR in talks w/ multiple companies “at an advanced stage" — https://t.co/na7Pf86Gmr pic.twitter.com/8SPBscEMmC
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) October 31, 2016
In this week's SBJ: An update on @NASCAR's hunt to replace @sprint as the final month of the season starts — https://t.co/na7Pf86Gmr pic.twitter.com/bcPU7UmDyG
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) October 31, 2016
Not having a new sponsor named yet has impacted at least one NASCAR partner, Lionel NASCAR Collectibles. Instead of having the new entitlement sponsor emblazoned on 2017 diecasts ready for the Daytona 500, the company will have a NASCAR logo instead, Stern noted.
Lionel's diecasts at the '17 #Daytona500 may have to have @NASCAR bar logo on them rather than new Cup Series logo — https://t.co/na7Pf86Gmr pic.twitter.com/4I2BCpPW26
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) October 31, 2016
“You want the car to be as accurate as possible because we produce replica race cars; that includes having the entitlement logo,” Michelle Fannin, Lionel NASCAR Collectibles vice president of marketing and communications told Stern in a statement, which he retweeted.
“However, from our perspective and the teams’ perspective, it’s also very important to have diecasts at Daytona ready to go for the new season.”
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