China

The International Badminton Federation announced the launch of the Super Series starting 2007.

IEC in Sports, the Sweden-based agency, has been appointed to market and distribute the worldwide TV rights for basketball’s 2007 FIBA Stankovic Continental Champions Cup.

Experts from the Institute of Beijing Olympic Economy urged Chinese companies to back the 2008 Beijing Olympics and adopt cutting-edge marketing strategies to maximise the impact of the Games.

The Beijing Olympic Games Organising Committee selected Uni-President Enterprises as the exclusive instant-noodle sponsor, or the 10th sponsor, for the Beijing Olympic Games, making it the first Taiwanese enterprise to win the sponsorship.

Mobile phone company Sony Ericsson agreed a three-year deal to become the official mobile phone of the Tennis Masters Cup, Shanghai.

English Premier League club Manchester United agreed a deal to tour South East Asia in summer 2007.

The National Basketball Association is enhancing the broadband features and content of its Chinese web destination, NBA.com/China, through new expanded partnerships with internet media companies NuSports and Sohu.

Organisers of next year’s women’s soccer World Cup have confirmed Shanghai will host both the opening ceremony and final.

The president of the International Softball Federation (ISF) has heaped praise on the organisers of the Beijing Olympic Games, proclaiming the new purpose-built facility for the sport in China as one of the best in the world.

Bob Elphinston has been elected as the new president of basketball world governing body FIBA.

The massive volunteer recruitment programme for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has begun.

IAAF president Lamine Diack says its marketing policy has already achieved its long-term targets – and is set to exceed expectations in the coming years.

With more than 2 months to go before the opening of SPORTELMonaco 2006, exhibitors have committed to more than 85% of the expanded floor space in the Grimaldi Forum.

UEFA today launched a tender for the non-European broadcast rights for UEFA EURO 2008.

The Australian Sailing Team agreed a deal with carmaker, Audi, as a second major co-sponsor for the Team until the 2008 Olympic Games.

There is growing concern among broadcasters worldwide that the International Olympic Committee will give in to the demands of US network NBC to change the scheduling of the 2008 Beijing Olympics to suit US prime-time viewing it is exclusively reported in TV Sports Markets.