Americas

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has defended the NFL against allegations by owners of the Raiders franchise that the league had forced the Raiders out of the LA market by requiring the franchise to allow a second team to share a proposed new facility in Inglewood.

Hot favourite to replace Juan Antonio Samaranch as president of the IOC, Jacques Rogge, is to officially declare his candidacy next week.

Comcast Business Communications has been contracted to outfit Detroit's Comerica Park stadium's suites with the company's new managed internet service.

Organisers of next year?s Commonwealth Games in Manchester have denied the event is in financial trouble.

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has testified that the loss of the Raiders franchise to the Los Angeles area was the last thing he wanted to happen.

Fox Sports Net Northwest plans to televise 106 Seattle Mariners games this season, but a disagreement over money could keep some cable-TV subscribers from seeing nearly a quarter of those games.

Gov. Jesse Ventura's weekend job as an announcer for the XFL may be in jeopardy.

The Women's Tennis Association has received an injection of cash from US high-tech stock market Nasdaq.

Major League Baseball?s Florida Marlins could be set for a new home in downtown Miami after the city commission approved a site by the Miami River.

Milwaukee Bucks coach George Karl was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for recent comments he made regarding the management of the Seattle SuperSonics.

Former fitness trainer to the stars Jake Steinfeld plans to begin a new lacrosse league play in June with backing from a handful of major sponsors and a small U.S. television deal.

Lawyers for the Oakland Raiders have told a US court that the NFL wrongly took the team?s rights to the Los Angeles market and then refused to pay for it.

The Nasdaq Stock Market has signed on as the North American presenting sponsor for the Sanex WTA Tour.

If a report in this week's Sports Illustrated is to be believed, the NBA will not have to worry about falling attendance or television ratings much longer. In its March 19 issue, the magazine cites an unidentified source close to Michael Jordan who says the NBA superstar turned owner of the Washington Wizards is "90 percent committed" to coming back next season to play for the Wizards. See the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.

NASCAR plans to increase its international television distribution as part of its consolidated international and domestic television package.

Fanball.com, the fantasy sports media company, has signed agreements with several radio stations across the USA to provide its ?Million Dollar Bracket Madness? game to the stations' listeners.

The race dates for the America's Cup in 2003 have been announced.

The release of limited edition Jordan retro XI athletic shoe has created high demand for the $125 throwback.