Sprint-Nextel will remain committed

The company is undergoing some high-level personnel changes.
By MIKE HARRIS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The head of marketing for Sprint-Nextel says the company's commitment to its 10-year, $70 million sponsorship in NASCAR remains strong despite some upcoming high-level personnel changes.
Mark Schweitzer, the chief marketing officer for the giant telecommunications company that sponsors NASCAR's top series with its Nextel brand, said in a telephone news conference Tuesday that he was trying to "end any speculation that might be out there about our commitment to the sport."
Rumors that Sprint-Nextel might get out of the stock car sport or sell its contract to another company have swept through the NASCAR Nextel Cup garage since it became known that Jill Gregory, director of Nextel Series marketing since 2004, and Michael Robichaud, vice president of sports marketing for Sprint-Nextel, both are leaving the company.
Gregory is set to join Bank of America in its new NASCAR marketing program, and Robichaud has told the company he is looking for a new challenge and will leave later this year.
Became primary sponsor in 2004
Nextel replaced R.J. Reynolds' Winston cigarettes as the primary sponsor of the series in 2004.
Schweitzer, joined on the phone conference by Tom Murphy, the company's vice president of non-traditional marketing, said that early in the third year of the contract with NASCAR the company is extremely happy with the deal that was struck before the merger with Sprint late in 2004.
"The commitment is very much here for two simple reasons: One, it works. And, second, the deal was struck in such a way to help ensure the sport has the stability of a long-term sponsor and we're very comfortable with how that deal was struck," Schweitzer said. "It represents a very significant investment for us in the way we do business.
"I've seen reports that we might consider selling it. That's not an option. It's not one we would pursue and, again, we were very comfortable with those protections being built into the agreement."
One change likely at some point is a change in the name of the Nextel Cup Series to reflect Sprint taking control of the company, but even that remains up in the air.
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