Tuesday on Newsmakers Week: David Rousseau, Bryan Sperber, Lon Babby and Ray Anderson

Every day of Newsmakers Week, the major decision makers of our community answer our questions. It takes an incredible time commitment from our teams and events to come to our studios but it makes the interviews much more conversational. I think conversations give you, the listener, more content and, hopefully, more entertainment.

The questions don’t end with us. We’re reading your questions from twitter to the major players sitting in our studio. Every day, I’ll give you a quick run down of my highlights from the day. Feel free to give me yours @doug987FM.

Here’s what happened Tuesday:

DAVID ROUSSEAU

As the chairman of the Super Bowl Host Committee, he said there were rave reviews across football on the job that was done last weekend. Interestingly though, he brought up something that we might want to solve. It takes $30 million in corporate donations to get the Super Bowl up and running. Other events require major capital as well. He brought up other upcoming events and their need for funding and staffing.

It made me think, why do we have a Super Bowl Host Committee, then a committee on the Final Four, then a committee on the National Championship? Is there a way to streamline? Since all of these events are huge economic drivers for our state, should the state fund a few employees? I say this to start a conversation because I don’t know the answer.

BRYAN SPERBER

Phoenix International Raceway is looking at great shift in race time. The president of the PIR completely embraces the first of the track’s two NASCAR Sprint Cup events being pushed back a couple weeks. Often times people look at the Arizona entertainment dollar being stretched too thin. Rarely do people realize events can be combined. The race is now squarely in the middle of baseball spring training. Think of how many NASCAR fans there are in Ohio, Texas and Illinois. Now, Reds and Rangers’ fans can come to the race and a few games in Goodyear, Surprise, Camelback Ranch or Mesa. The two work hand-in-hand. The race makes it more appealing for some midwesterners to come to spring training while the Cactus League might entice some to stay an extra day or two after the race to go to a game.

LON BABBY

The president of basketball operations for the Suns isn’t worried about the nine-day break upcoming. He should be. With a team that struggles to bring a high level of intensity to every game day, how can they be expected to come back focused? This “second half” of the season will be a very bumpy ride with Oklahoma City and New Orleans on their heels.

RAY ANDERSON

It couldn’t be said any more clearly. Herb Sendek needs to win a tournament game in the next 13 months.

No, Ray Anderson never said that, but it appeared easy to read between the lines. The Arizona State athletic director declared himself Herb’s biggest fan but also said the expectations are the same for every coach on campus. He expects a plan in place to be a top-five program and wants to see growth towards that reality. Although the win over Arizona was huge for the program, ASU needs a miracle run to even make this year’s tournament, which would leave next year as the available option to fulfill Anderson’s goals.

Follow @doug987FM