News

The San Francisco Bay Area has officially launched its bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, declaring the region's high-tech expertise, diverse population and dependable weather makes it a perfect venue for the world's premier sporting event.

A new regional Australian sports and recreation body, Sports Industry Queensland (SIQ), has been set up to give sports industry professionals in the State of Queensland a better chance of competing for international and domestic business.

Coca Cola has signed Britain's biggest sports TV sponsorship deal ever with an agreement to promote Premier League soccer on UK commercial TV station ITV.

Tiscali, a pan-European internet company, and Eurosport have signed a strategic partnership making Eurosport.com the main sports content provider for Tiscali.

Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless provider in the USA, has signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Denver Broncos which includes signage, advertising and sales opportunities.

The European Triathlon Championships will be televised live on Eurosport this year.

FIFA Marketing – the new unit set up within soccer’s governing body following the collapse of ISL – is celebrating after clinching a hat-trick of deals.

UK-based independent adviser Alexander Forbes has introduced a financial planning service for professional sports people, including a new ‘end-of-career plan’.

UK cable giant Telewest and interactive digital services network ITV Active have signed a deal with a company called Global Interactive Gambling (GIG) to bring instant gambling to television screens in time for the World Cup next year.

Sepp Blatter, president of soccer’s world governing body FIFA, played down the chances of North Korea hosting any matches in next year's World Cup finals, but said he would still probably visit the country later this year.

Proponents of a new arena for US basketball team the Charlotte Hornets have been forced to regroup and determine whether they can find a way to keep the team in Charlotte after the project was rejected by city voters.

Money manger Derek Sanderson has switched from New York-based State Street Research & Management to rival firm State Street Global Advisors to kick start the firm’s new Professional’s Group, catering for pro athletes, entrepreneurs and agents.

A new cup competition format for English rugby union has stalled because the Rugby Football Union (RFU) cannot find a sponsor.

UK broadband entertainment specialists Sportev have appointed Media Action Sports (MAS) as their exclusive representative in Spain.

UK online gambling company Sportingbet.com has appointed Alfred Francis Ballester as its non-executive director.

The National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils and the National Basketball Association's New Jersey Nets will play home games in a new $355 million arena in downtown Newark.

Boxing promotion firm Main Events has chosen US-based company Sekanki to be its exclusive media asset management and strategy partner.

European basketball’s governing body FIBA has sensationally pulled out of plans for the unified Euroleague – claiming it could not work with ULEB.