MENA

Octagon CSI, the television division of the Octagon Group, will unveil a number of new football programming opportunities at this year?s Sportel in Monaco.

Israel?s soccer league kicks off this weekend, and for many clubs the main goal will be avoiding relegation or surviving a season already overshadowed by cash problems.
Media

KSS Sports and Leisure Design Ltd, the London-based Sports Entertainment design group, have been selected by the Haifa Economic Corporation Ltd, to masterplan and design the new Haifa Sports Complex in Israel.
Business

Israel's government has reached a $4 million settlement to compensate an Australian athlete injured in a 1997 sporting event near Tel Aviv, an Israeli source said on Tuesday. Sasha Elterman of Australia was seriously injured when a pedestrian bridge rigged for athletes competing in the Maccabiah "Jewish Olympics" collapsed and swept them into the polluted Yarkon River.
Stadia

The International Cricket Council has approved South Africa?s proposals for the format of the 2003 World Cup.
Events

The NBA has reached a television agreement with Digiturk (Turkey) to launch a 24-hour basketball channel and has renewed its agreement with NHK (Japan) to include a 60-minute programme on NHK?s terrestrial channel.
Media

FIBA, forced to revamp its new flagship SuproLeague basketball tournament after a mass breakaway by clubs, has made the draw for next season.
Media

Extreme International has signed an agreement with Yes Satellite TV to distribute its Extreme Sports Channel in Israel.

European basketball is set to be split into two opposing camps in Thessaloniki today when newcomers ULEB will challenge the sport's governing body FIBA by announcing its own rival to the recently launched Suproleague.
Media

ESPN is to launch a 24-hour television service in Israel tomorrow (Thursday).
Events

NBA fans in more than 750 million households around the world will be able to tune into the NBA Finals 2000 featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers.
Events

Tel Aviv may bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics, officials have said.
Media

NBA.com TV Daily ? a new global video service providing updates and highlights of NBA action from the night before ? has gone live today.
Sponsorship & Marketing

T&T Sports Marketing has sold the exclusive global rights outside of South America for the South American qualifying matches for the World Cup 2002 to Dream Sports International.
Events

The 2000 NBA All-Star Game, taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area, February 11- 13, will be shown in 205 countries, with a potential audience of 750million households.
Media

Electronic Arts, the world's largest interactive entertainment software company, has reached an exclusive agreement with Michael Jordan to be a spokesperson for the EA Sports' brand and appear in the company's sports interactive games, including the popular NBA LIVE basketball game.

Chicago Cubs home-run slugger Sammy Sosa has signed a five-year endorsement deal with Chicago-based retailer Montgomery Ward & Co.
Business

Promoter SFX Entertainment Inc has acquired Tellem & Associates, in a deal that creates a powerhouse sports agency that will represent some 700 professional sports figures including Nomar Garciaparra, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.