Another key component Leaving

**anthonyvop** · 24th November 2009, 04:17

The PR dept is now gutted with nobody named as replacements.

Indy Racing League VP John Griffin resigning

(AP) – 7 hours ago

INDIANAPOLIS — Indy Racing League Vice President of Public Relations John Griffin is resigning, effective Dec. 18.

IRL made the announcement in a written news release, dated this past Friday.

Griffin's replacement has not been selected.

He joined IRL as vice president in 2002 and oversaw all aspects of the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights public and media relations program.

Before joining the Indy Racing League, Griffin worked for NASCAR, World Cup USA 1994 and the Major Indoor Soccer League.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...iKLSgD9C5FA9G0

**garyshell** · 24th November 2009, 05:08

The sky is fallling! The sky is falling!

Gary

**Blancvino** · 24th November 2009, 13:44

Originally Posted by anthonyvop

The PR dept is now gutted with nobody named as replacements.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...iKLSgD9C5FA9G0

Cleaning house. I view this a good news.

**anthonyvop** · 25th November 2009, 03:03

Originally Posted by Blancvino

Cleaning house. I view this a good news.

Normally I would agree but that lack of replacements being named is worrisome at best.

**indyracefan** · 25th November 2009, 05:51

There's going to be some more house cleaning take place first before replacements are named which in the long run 'should' be beneficial to the series.

**Blancvino** · 25th November 2009, 13:27

Originally Posted by anthonyvop

Normally I would agree but that lack of replacements being named is worrisome at best.

Keep in mind not much has worked so far. In my estimation, having no promotion, for now, is little worse than the legacy efforts. I suspect Izod is going to have some significant input as to who replace the current crop of PR people.

If the media reports are true, it looks like the IMS and IRL are hanging on by threads. Cutting costs in areas that are under performing seems logical.

**Wilf** · 25th November 2009, 19:47

Originally Posted by Blancvino

Keep in mind not much has worked so far. In my estimation, having no promotion, for now, is little worse than the legacy efforts. I suspect Izod is going to have some significant input as to who replace the current crop of PR people.

If the media reports are true, it looks like the IMS and IRL are hanging on by threads. Cutting costs in areas that are under performing seems logical.

There are are a hundred thousand companies wishing they had the thread IMS has.

**Blancvino** · 25th November 2009, 20:22

Originally Posted by Wilf

There are are a hundred thousand companies wishing they had the thread IMS has.

Let's use GM as an example. The Saturn sale went up in a puff a smoke, followed by the "No Sale" for Opal, and most recently, the Saab deal went bust.

Are you saying the IMS is immune to mismanagement and the economy?

I'm pretty confident the IMS management is not cutting budgets because it's fun.

I only have media reports to back my views. Do you have something else?

**Wilf** · 25th November 2009, 23:27

Originally Posted by Blancvino

Let's use GM as an example. The Saturn sale went up in a puff a smoke, followed by the "No Sale" for Opal, and most recently, the Saab deal went bust.

Are you saying the IMS is immune to mismanagement and the economy?

I'm pretty confident the IMS management is not cutting budgets because it's fun.

I only have media reports to back my views. Do you have something else?

Saturn never turned a profit. I wonder why Penske couldn't get anyone to build the cars at the price he wanted to pay.?

Opal can't even get the government of its home base interested in saving its workers' jobs; I'm sure it was as profitable as Saturn.

You seem to believe IMS is hanging on by a thread. I am saying that the Indianapolis 500 is extremely profitable; the Brickyard 400 is profitable. The US F1 was a tremendous failure and has been eliminated. The MOTO GP has not shown any promise of future success and probably should be dropped unless additional funding can bring it to profitability. The IndyCar series has been a tremendous drain on resources but it has also been responsible for more than two thirds of the entries of their extremely profitable event. In order to continue funding the IRL at necessary levels, other cutbacks needed to occur. That is being done. There is no fire sale, no going out of business sale.

Belskus just created a new C level position, a chief information officer. That's not a fun, racy position, but also not something you do when you are cutting to the bare bones. I think you will see a more managed approach to the way they do business and some perks that some grew to expect will also disappear.