Americas

Fox Sports Net (FSN) has bought the over-the-air television rights to MLB?s Texas Rangers and NHL?s Dallas Stars in a 10-year, $250 million deal, which could be extended for another five years, according to The Dallas Morning News newspaper.

Southern Company, the international energy company, is to launch a year-long national TV ad campaign, composed of four new 15-second commercials centering around the company's role as the Official Energy Company of the PGA TOUR.

Liberty Media Corporation has successfully completed its cash tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Ascent Entertainment Group, Inc.

The NFL and the players union have asked senior US judge, David Doty, for power to sanction agents for violating the collective bargaining agreement when negotiating contracts, reports USA Today.

The Salt Lake City Organising Committee for the winter Olympics has signed up its 33rd corporate partner for the 2002 Games in a $20m (#12.7m) sponsorship deal.

Octagon, the global sports marketing and entertainment group, has named Alasdair Ritchie as worldwide president and COO of Octagon Marketing, the conultancy, property representation and event management division.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan will withdraw gradually from the product endorsement arena as he makes the transition from superstar athlete to businessman, several companies have said.

SportSitio Inc., an online sports communications company, has completed the acquisition of TotalFutbol.com, the Latin American professional soccer news and information portal.

In a deal that awaits final approval by the NFL and the IRS, Denise DeBartolo York has officially assumed

John Krimsky, former deputy secretary general and managing director business affairs of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), has been named president of YankeeNets Properties and chief marketing officer of YankeeNets, the completed merger between the Yankees, New Jersey Nets and the recently affiliated New Jersey Devils.

Cablevision Systems may demolish and rebuild Madison Square Garden in order to generate more money.

YankeeNets LLC, parent company of baseball's champion New York Yankees and the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise, has said its Puck Holdings affiliate agreed to buy hockey's New Jersey Devils.

X-Dream International has announced it is to change its name to Extreme International Ltd and revealed the formation of a new holding company.

The San Diego Soccer Development Corporation (SDSDC), the San Diego-based company that promotes, develops and markets professional and youth soccer throughout the United States and abroad, has signed a one-year sales and marketing agreement with the North County Soccer Park.

Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour has predicted victory for South Africa in the fight to stage the 2006 World Cup finals, claiming: "We have 98 percent of the bid approval in the bag."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Sema Group are due to sign their master information technology agreement in New York later today.