From Jayskis:

Comcast Xfinity, NASCAR in talks for series title deal: NASCAR is in advanced talks with Comcast Xfinity about becoming title sponsor of the sport's secondary series. Nationwide Insurance, which has sponsored the series since 2007, is in the final year of its title sponsorship, and NASCAR has been looking for a replacement sponsor for the Nationwide Series since last fall. Conversations with Xfinity, which is Comcast's video service, have been going on for several months. Sources familiar with the negotiations said the parties have not reached a contract phase but that Comcast has emerged as a leading candidate for the sponsorship. NASCAR Chief Sales Officer Jim O'Connell said the company doesn't comment on discussions with current or potential sponsors. He added, "With regards to the Nationwide Series, we're speaking to a number of companies in a number of different industries." Comcast did not reply to a request for comment. NASCAR is asking $12 million to $15 million annually in rights fees for the title sponsorship of the series. Media and activation commitments would take the total costs of the deal to more than $25 million. In addition to Comcast Xfinity, NASCAR has met with a number of companies in the auto aftermarket category, including Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone. Nationwide Insurance is spending approximately $10 million in rights fees for title sponsorship of the series. Its total spend, which includes activation at track and media spending, is in excess of $20 million. The company opted to discontinue its sponsorship of the series in order to become an official NASCAR sponsor and sponsor the #88 car driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Next year, Nationwide will sponsor Earnhardt Jr. in 12 Sprint Cup races.(Sports Business Journal)(6-16-2014)

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

you know, i've actually called up comcast and tried to ask them what the fuck xfinity means. obviously they're trained to tell me "uhhh it's a triple play package rebrand" but when i see a new word i can't help but wonder what it means. the most obvious thought is "x+infinity" and "x-finity" as in infinity is getting canceled out? (and given comcast's grand design for the internet it's slowly but surely buying up, there won't me much infinity to go around in due time) or is there a version of finite called finity that's a direct opposite to infinity and then comcast is doing that first rule of marketing thing where the thing you tout the most addresses the #1 concern with your product (i.e. "fresh local produce" at your local grocery store) and therefore x-finite-state-of-being would be addressing the biggest concern with comcast's package, which is that whole death of the free internet thing they're bringing along rather nicely now.

if i recall correctly the talk behind the "internet fastlane" isn't "one fast lane and one slow lane" as much as it is "one fast lane.. and one even faster lane"

anyways, nobody at comcast was qualified to answer my question and they turned down my repeated requests to speak to someone high up in marketing or an outright executive, so well, i'm stymied. and if i bitch about it on twitter some comcast lackey will show up to speak really slowly in platitudes to me...... all without telling me just what the fuck xfinity actually means. c'est la vie.

as for NASCAR.... who gives a fuck? this has no bearing on the series whatsoever, especially in a sport where the cars themselves are driving billboards in a way that makes soccer go "damn"

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