I found an interesting article stating that ABC affiliates are rather upset that they are losing sports to ESPN. To set up the situation, ESPN is allowed to choose sports from ABC to air because ESPN took control of ABC sports back in 2006. Recently, it was announced that ESPN will take eight NASCAR races off ABC to run on ESPN, the Rose Bowl starting in 2011, and the British Open (golf tournament) starting this year.

The loss of the NASCAR races will have a significant impact in the southern U.S., as the sport's popularity will pull viewers away from the local ABC affiliate to ESPN. This move will cost the ABC affiliates significant ad revenue as some Lifetime-style movie or infomercials will take the place of the departed races.

NASCAR fans know Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. Well, that will soon be a thing of the past, as the hardware giant has decided to back out of its naming-rights sponsorship.

The hardware firm had an 11-year relationship with the racetrack, and it was the first racetrack to have naming rights. Unfortunately for the racetrack, Lowe's decided in the past two weeks to not extend the agreement. The initial agreement between the two was for 10 years and $35 million -- an agreement that lasted through last year. When that initial $35-million contract expired, the company decided to agree to a one-year extension through 2009.

It has been a busy week in the world of sports business, with several stories vying for the spot as the big story of the week. That said, let's take a look at the news that surfaced.

First, Manchester United Football Club (that's soccer ladies and gents) announced that it will replace American International Group on its shirts with Aon in 2010. The agreement is called a basic 20-million-pound-a-year rights fee. Supposedly, the soccer team received bids from three or four different companies, but settled on Aon. Supposedly the deal includes Aon paying commissions to the club from the sale of insurance policies to the club's fan base along with match-related bonuses. It appears that Manchester United will make an extra five million pounds a year from this deal.

So, why aren't you watching NASCAR? According to USA Today, NASCAR "solicited opinions from drivers and team owners in a 'town hall'-style meeting" earlier this week on why attendance and television ratings have dropped.

I know that I haven't watched NASCAR since Rusty Wallace made his last call and pulled off the track into the broadcasting booth. So, why am I not watching?

It is simple, I am now a tad busier (with a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a newborn) on a daily basis, and I can't (and won't) carve out the time to spend a Sunday afternoon watching a NASCAR race. I'm not alone, as Fox has seen ratings drop 13% compared to a year ago.

I was cruising around the Web, trying to find an interesting article to share and I found a very juicy morsel over on Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal dealing with NASCAR and its advertisers. While stock-car racing has been around for quite some time, it has enjoyed a surge of popularity of late, including its own demographic from political experts (NASCAR Dads). This popularity has translated into big bucks from advertisers, but what impact will the current market crunch have?

Many of today's "investors" place their bets on the stock market's wheel of fortune. They hope that their number will come up. I have news for those stock players: the majority of their ranks are no longer true investors. They are gamblers, plain and simple.

Would those gamblers like a hot tip? Here's one in keeping with today's economic defeatist attitude. I suggest that they immediately dump shares they hold in anything that's associated with motor racing. The reasoning for my saying this is simple: NASCAR has a measurable carbon footprint.

Please understand that I'm playing the devil's advocate here. I myself have nothing against motor sports.

NASCAR has already made one move towards a green future by introducing a new hybrid pace car. However, that's not going to cut it for the peak oil crowd. Additionally, this week the government announced its disdain for corporate America, with the curt dismissal of Detroit executives by a Pelosi-led crowd. We must also consider that advertising money is drying up, and with that, may go some sponsorships. NASCAR is in dangerous waters, and I believe that the sharks are circling.

This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and check out other Battle of the Brands posts.

Imagine that you were only allowed to watch one sport on television for a whole year. Worse yet, imagine that you had to choose between two very popular sports all by yourself. The choice is up to you. Which will it be, NASCAR or the NFL? Will you select the gridiron wars or the need for speed? I shudder just at the thought of having to make such a life-altering choice.

On the one hand, I revel in the bone-crunching, close contact rivalries that play out every week on those hundred yard fields. The talent, the strategy, the sheer brutality of it. On the other hand, horsepower runs in my blood. The tension is palpable when watching those precisely tuned cars fighting for inches of superiority at the hands of fearless drivers. How could I choose between the pavement or the mud? How unfair would that be?

This post is one of several on business heirs apparent. Let us know in the comments whether you think Roger Penske, Jr., should take up the reigns of Penske, and be sure to check out the other heir apparent posts.

Roger Penske is as much a fixture of the auto racing world as any person could claim to be. At 70 years old, he's still an effective if not brilliant leader, with his hands on the wheel of a carefully built, racing world success. You have to wonder though, if Roger Penske is getting ready to step aside and let some new talent slip into the driver's seat. If a change in leadership fits into his immediate or mid-range plans, who might his replacement be?

With four sons and one daughter, Roger has no shortage of Penske offspring who might be considered for stepping into the racing patriarch's formidable shoes. The question is, are any of them fit for the job? We may have gotten just a glimmer of what's to be expected by the recent stepping down of Roger Penske, Jr., from his position as president of Penske Automotive Group Inc. (NYSE: PAG). Roger, Jr., is reported by Crain's Detroit Business to be retiring from Penske Automotive and purchasing four California auto dealerships from Penske Corp. Is this change to facilitate his being groomed to step into his dad's position? No source I've seen appears to be sure if that is the case.

NASCAR may be a good place to test engines, but the three U.S. car-makers all maintain budgets for the wild races that top $100 million each. A Chrysler executive quoted by Reuters explained the love affair by saying that "there are still 75 (million) to 80 million NASCAR fans out there ... and being in the automobile business, this is exactly the types of folks we want to be talking to."

For companies like General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), who count on middle America and pickup buyers for most of their sales, the venue is probably priceless. It is notable the the more successful Japanese manufacturers tend to keep a lower profile. While GM's U.S. market share is 25% overall in the domestic market, the car company says that number is closer to 40% among NASCAR fans.

It is, in almost every way, an example of what is wrong with Detroit. The companies love marketing to themselves. With their market shares at the lowest level in years, they are probably already down to their core customers bases. Rolling out pickups for the "good old boy" segment of the market doesn't do them much good.

They should be trying to win over people who own a Prius.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

On the Periodic Table of Elements, the symbols Kr, Ne, He stand for krypton, neon, and helium, three of the so-called noble gases. Noble gases are chemically stable, and can be easily overlooked because they are colorless and odorless. They have boiling and melting points that are close together, meaning that they have a very narrow range of temperatures at which they are liquid. And noble gases have industrial applications in lighting, welding, and lasers.

On the New York Stock Exchange, KR, NE, and HE stand for Kroger, Noble, and Hawaiian Electric Industries. Do these companies exhibit similar characteristics of stability, a tendency to be overlooked, and scarce liquidity? Well, no analogy is perfect, especially one as arbitrary as this. But here's a look at these stocks nonetheless.

Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) is the largest traditional grocery chain in the U.S. (though Wal-Mart is the largest seller of groceries). Kroger has more than 2,400 supermarkets under several different names, as well as more than 750 convenience stores.

Three weeks ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that his move to the Hendrick Motorsports team would come with a new endorsement from Sony (NYSE: SNE). At the time of this revelation, the popular NASCAR driver was notably mum on his standing contract with Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD), whose Budweiser brand has adorned the hood of Earnhardt's car since 1999.

This weekend, Hendrick team owner Rick Hendrick shed some light on matter, saying in a statement to reporters: "We have agreements in place with sponsors for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which prevent us from having a relationship with Budweiser ... " While there is a deal in place with Sony, Earnhardt's primary sponsorship has not been announced, nor is there a timetable for doing so.

Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch is looking beyond its former partner to its next endorsement. Wishing Earnhardt the "very best," an Anheuser-Busch executive told reporters that "Budweiser will remain an active sponsor of NASCAR, and we look forward to building upon the legacy of the iconic Budweiser red car in 2008 and beyond."

Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Starting next year, the International Speedway Corp (NASDAQ: ISCA, ISCB) will end its 50-year relationship with Pepsi, a division of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), and launch a new, 10 year contract with its arch-rival, Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO).

The deal is estimated to earn Coke $50M a year over the next 10 years, with all of Coca-Cola's North American brands exclusively on sale in ISC's 10 racetracks. More importantly, Coca-Cola will gain thousands of hours of face time in front of millions of loyal sports fans. Coke will also take over the historic Pepsi 400 at Daytona, which had ties to Daytona's first event back in 1959.

The move to Coke comes as NASCAR was starting to gain popularity outside the boundaries of the Mason-Dixon line.

Coca-Cola isn't new to NASCAR. The soft-drink giant already has a contract with the six Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK) tracks and continues to sponsor several drivers, including Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick. Taking the ISC contract from Pepsi now gives Coke majority control of non-alcoholic beverages at most of NASCAR's tracks.

Pepsi's not completely out of the race though. The soft-drink maker will still have an affiliation with NASCAR, maintaining a link to ISC through its parent company PepsiCo, whose Gatorade name will remain the title sponsor for victory lane at all ISC tracks. Pepsi will also continue to sponsor Hendrick Motorsports and driver Jeff Gordon.

From a new racing team to a shiny new car, Dale Earnhardt Jr. appears to be starting fresh. The NASCAR favorite is leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. (the racing company founded by his late father) and signing up with Hendrick Motorsports, which also employs household racing name Jeff Gordon.

To coincide with this change in lifestyle, Earnhardt has announced a new partnership with Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE), whose logo will now adorn the hood of his new vehicle. Sports Illustrated reported earlier today that he told reporters: "I'm a big electronics fan. I'm a big computer guy. It's [sic] products I can dig." He also noted that he was given a digital camera as part of the endorsement package (he can't afford one on his own?).

What Earnhardt - dressed in Puma tennis shoes while mentioning hopes of a future additional alliance with Adidas - failed to mention is what this new deal means for the future of his relationship with Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (NYSE: BUD). Budweiser has sponsored Earnhardt since 1999, complete with a hood decoration, and this contract is still valid. Forbes indicates that BUD will continue its personal-services contract arrangement with Earnhardt, which gives the beer giant the right to his likeness, name, and voice for its promotions.

The news hasn't benefited either of the stocks today - both SNE and BUD are showing modest losses in late-afternoon action.

Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Nascar has filed a suit against AT&T (NYSE: T) alleging "breach of contract, fraud and misrepresentation, and conspiracy to aid and abet wrongful interference." The $100 million being claimed is a lot, even for AT&T.

AT&T has been trying to get the branding on its car changed from Cingular, the former name for AT&T Wireless, to its current logo. Nascar's largest sponsor is Nextel, a unit of AT&T Wireless rival Sprint (NYSE: S).

AT&T has already sued Nascar, claiming it has the rights to change the logos on the cars it sponsors. These cars have already switched their signage to the new name.

Nascar probably has the better case. Under its agreement with AT&T, the phone company does not have the right to alter its branding. The racing body also says that it has the right to expel the AT&T cars next season.

Cingular was a good brand. Why change the name in the first place?

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Nearly three weeks ago, a U.S. District Judge ruled that AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) could replace Cingular logos with new AT&T logos on the #31 car in the NASCAR Nextel Cup. Last week an appeals court judge refused to move the August 18 hearing for an appeal from NASCAR and Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) to an earlier date. According to Scene Daily, Sprint Nextel is arguing that the ruling allowing the new logos has diminished the sponsorship value, which is estimated at $700-750 million.

Sprint Nextel is certainly attempting to protect its investment, but AT&T should not be forced to go to court in order to legalize the company's name change on a car of all things. The Cingular brand is dead, so why should that logo remain on the car? Obviously it is gone because of the first ruling, but if Cingular's sponsorship of that car did not dampen the Nextel logo in the four years it was on there, why would the new AT&T logo change that fact?

We should also remember that when Nextel began sponsorship of the premier NASCAR series it was only Nextel. Since then it too has gone through a merger and become Sprint Nextel. That may have no consequence or bearing on the ruling or any outcome, but AT&T has as much right to be in the sport as Sprint does. After all, they both have essentially bought into the series buy buying and merging with companies already in the sport. No the Nextel Cup will not become the Sprint Cup, but Nextel still "exists." Both companies stocks rose yesterday with Sprint closing at $23.34 and AT&T at $40.90.