Germany

Kirch, the owner of the television rights for Germany's premier soccer league, plans to offer a cheaper subscription rate to win more clients for its loss-making PremiereWorld pay-TV channel, a German magazine reported over the weekend.

A three-year agreement between the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the NHL over compensation payments for players leaving IIHF-federations to find their fortune in the big money US league, is on the verge of being ratified.

Anshutz Sports & Entertainment Group (AEG), the owners of the National Hockey League team the Los Angeles Kings and Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy, will invest in two Swedish clubs to expand its sporting assets outside the US.

The World Corporate Games ? due to be staged in Germany next month ? have been cancelled.

England?s Football Association is warning fans to avoid buying black market tickets for the World Cup qualifier against Germany next week.

The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) is hoping to raise US$3 million (?3.29m) in sponsorship for the 2002 World Cup.

In recent years, the meteoric rise of technology, telecom and media (TMT) shares on the world's stock markets has changed the face of Formula One sponsorship. The recent downfall in the sector is now hurting the sport as it struggles keep sponsors.

Germany's state broadcaster ARD and media group Kirch have ended their row over German soccer broadcasting rights by reaching a joint agreement.

German marketing firm Global Sportnet has signed a deal securing exclusive worldwide television and advertising rights to the home games of German soccer club FC Union Berlin in this season?s UEFA Cup competition.

Soccer fans in the former communist East Germany still love to remind their western neighbours of the only time that East and West Germany played each other, in the 1974 World Cup. For the full story, see the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.

Brazil has withdrawn its threat to have Barcelona thrown out of the European Champions League if they do not release Rivaldo for international duty.

A new crowd-pleasing motor-racing Grand Prix series featuring cars racing in the livery of Europe?s top soccer clubs is aiming to reach one billion viewers in its first season, sportbusiness.com can reveal.

European sports website Sports.com has expanded its relationship with Oddset, the online sports betting arm of Deutsche Lotto and Toto Block.
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Germany has a good chance of hosting the 2012 Olympic Games, according to newly-elected International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge.

Championship Auto Racing Teams, in conjunction with Dale Coyne Racing and Firestone, will conduct special one-day tests at England?s Rockingham Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Germany?s Eurospeedway next Monday in preparation for inaugural FedEx Championship Series events scheduled in September at the new oval venues.

The company in charge of the electronic timing system at the world swimming championships has admitted the touchpads that have caused so much trouble were not tested before the start of the competition.