This news is so fresh, it’s not even on Ironman’s website…Dan Empfield, Slowtwitch editor extraordinaire, has the story.  World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), the mothership that owns and licenses the Ironman name and logo, has bought the U.S. race assets of its biggest licensee, North American Sports (NAS).
WTC will now own and produce Idaho, New York, Wisconsin, Florida and Arizona Ironman triathlons as well as the two shorter (70.3) events in California and Florida.  Full details are to be announced shortly, but it sounds like several key people from NAS will stay on board under WTC’s ownership.
WTC was sold to Providence Equity Securities in September 2008, which owns quite a few TV stations, Univision and other cable providers and other media companies.  My mind says the acquisition of NAS is to ease their ability to move all U.S. events to television and have more control over the Ironman brand as they increase licensing (like that mattress) and sponsorships to improve revenue.
