Canada

ATPtennis.com achieved more than 100 million page impressions for 2004 during the third week of July, reaching the milestone 10 weeks earlier than last year.

Hopes of a breakthrough in talks between NHL officials and representatives from the league’s player association failed to materialise in New York yesterday, as the first day of new negotiations to avoid a lock-out later this year took place.

The NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL) have extended their co-operation deal through to the 2006 season.

The European Broadcast Union has secured the broadcast right to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and 2012 Summer Olympic Games in a deal worth an estimated $800 million.

NASCAR is expanding into new territories after opening a new office in Canada, designed to provide it with a springboard to a range of new commercial deals.

The new World Hockey Association is set to offer a strong alternative to the NHL should the sport suffer a lock-out this year – after signing deals with at least six teams.

A major new sports academy has been unveiled in Qatar – designed to ensure it develops home grown talent in future years.

Canada is set to stroll to victory in the race to host ice hockey’s 2008 IIHF World Championships, after main rivals Germany and Sweden withdrew their bids.

The official host agreement, bringing cricket’s ICC Trophy to Ireland in 2005, has been signed.

The two sides of the NHL labour argument will meet this week for the first time this year for formal talks.

The US Tennis Association is set to unveil a new package of televised tournaments later today, aimed at building up interest in the sport in the build-up to the US Open.

The IOC’s co-ordination commission has completed its first full visit to Vancouver to check on preparations for the 2010 Winter and Paralympic Games.

Major League Baseball’s Montreal Expos have signed a new TV deal in Canada.

Seven of Europe’s biggest clubs have confirmed they will all take part in a special tournament to be held in the US this summer – the latest effort to boost their brands in the world’s biggest marketplace.

The six nations competing in the first women’s World Cup of baseball have been confirmed.

IOC president Jacques Rogge says he remains confident Greece will deliver a successful Olympic Games, despite an increasingly tight schedule to have everything in place ready for the August start date.

Fast-food giant McDonald’s has signed a major, multi-million dollar, extension to its global sponsorship of the Olympic Games.

Labatt Breweries has become latest sponsor of the Rendez-Vous Montreal 2006 Gay and Lesbian Games and Festival.