Finland

MotoGP's TV growth shows no signs of slowing after it clinched a string of rights deals as it continues to rev up for the start of the new season.

Benfield Sports International (BSI) – rights holder for the FIM Speedway Grand Prix Series (SGP) – has signed two new terrestrial TV deals.

Live coverage of MotoGP races in 2003 has increased by an average of 138 million – according to rights holders Dorna.

Formula One’s efforts to pump up its global TV audience has produced results, according to Mediametrie.

Pan-regional broadcaster Viasat Sport has renewed its TV rights deal for coverage of the US PGA Tour.

Infront Sports & Media has acquired a Nordic sports marketing company in what it describes as its first step in building a strong base in the region.

Soccer governing body UEFA and its marketing partner TEAM have announced a clutch of TV rights deals for the new Champions League contract.

Ice hockey's IIHF World Championship starts at the end of this week in Finland with the event's organisers hoping to continue the tournament's recent commercial growth.

Headed up by the soccer governing body's president Sepp Blatter, a series of FIFA committee meetings kicks off next week with a status report on preparations for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the potential for a FIFA Club World Championship in 2005 among the issues on the agenda.

Dorna Sports has signed the latest TV deal for the MotoGP World Championships - this time in Finland.

MotoGP has secured new television deals with major terrestrial networks in both Belgium and the Republic of Ireland for the upcoming 2003 season.

A Swiss-based sports marketing company founded by former executives of ISL, has been appointed by Dentsu to manage the broadcast rights for the IAAF Golden League.

The Extreme Sports Channel has reached new TV carriage agreements in Scandinavia, Finland and the Netherlands, increasing its distribution reach in the regions significantly.

Four of the seven candidates to host the 2008 European Championships have been rejected by UEFA following today's vote in Geneva.

Austria and Switzerland will jointly host the 2008 European Championships following a vote of UEFA members.

UEFA president Lennary Johansson has told the failed bidders for the Euro 2008 soccer tournament to try again and fight for the 2012 finals.

The bidding cities hoping to host UEFA's Euro 2008 tournament are making their final presentations to European soccer's governing body today, ahead of tomorrow's final decision.

Norwegian sports organisations are to benefit to the tune of B