Italy
EMERGING NATIONS COMPETE FOR WORLD CUP SPOT
Eight nations will contest the ICC Trophy qualifying tournament in Malaysia next year in a bid to win a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.
MLS AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AHEAD OF ARGENTINA AND HOLLAND
US pro soccer league MLS is attracting an average attendance of 15,000 fans a game and generating well over $100 million in annual revenue. It is the third time in four years average attendance has risen
EBU up content access
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has revealed details of initiatives aimed at providing additional content access to sports fans around Europe.
Lumme lands IOC marketing role
Timo Lumme has been appointed marketing director of the International Olympic Committee, days ahead of the Athens Games.
Gunners’ naming rights could be Europe’s biggest
The naming rights deal for the new home of Premier League champions Arsenal could be one of the largest in Europe.
Venn joins Formation
Darren Venn, former marketing manager of the Football Association, has joined the Fox Advertising division of Formation Group as director of commercial affairs.
Pompey get ground go-ahead
English Premier League club Portsmouth have been given the go-ahead for a £125m redevelopment of its Fratton Park stadium.
Napoli faces demotion
Italian soccer club Napoli – once one of the nation’s biggest clubs, and the former team of the legendary Diego Maradona – is facing being kicked down a league after failing to meet strict financial criteria.
IOC set for $3bn TV bonanza
The IOC says it is set to smash the $3bn barrier in its latest round of TV sales for the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games.
Portugal count the cost
The financial impact of staging soccer’s Euro 2004 may not be quite as great as originally hoped – according to a Portuguese government report.
Big 4 markets risk Euro exit
The four biggest soccer markets in Europe could all be out of Euro 2004 this evening, after Germany joined Italy and Spain on an early flight home.
Big markets fall at Euro 2004
The financial and marketing boom delivered to nations and commercial programmes courtesy of a good run in a major soccer tournament will be deprived to at least two of the world’s biggest markets, after another shock exit during Euro 2004.
EBU secures $800m IOC deal
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.
UEFA smashes Euro record
The official website of Euro 2004 smashed the tournament’s previous best online audience figures – after just three days.
Lazio share slump
Italian Serie A club Lazio’s hopes of a new share scheme digging it out of financial trouble have been dashed after just a fraction of the shares on offer were sold.
MotoGP gets viewing boost
More than 12.5m viewers in Italy tuned into watch local hero Valentino Rossi win the Italian MotoGP last weekend.
Turin gets IOC check-up
Turin got a mixed report from the latest IOC inspectors, checking on the Italian city’s progress to host the 2006 Winter Games.
Lazio gets cash help
A consortium of local companies is to provide financially struggling Italian Serie A soccer club Lazio with a crucial cash injection.