MENA

A majority of sports fans remain reluctant to pay high ticket prices for women's sporting events, despite the heavy promotion and marketing surrounding the recent Women's World Cup Games.

US television networks AOL and NBC will meet National Basketball Association (NBA) officials over the next couple of weeks to discuss new television contracts.

The hype is back as Michael Jordan gets set to reveal his hand over continued speculation he will return to the NBA. But is the sport and the man who revolutionised athlete endorsements, ready for the big time again? See the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.

Jordan Grand Prix has created a series of web-based initiatives to redevelop its internet communications for the team?s fan-base, corporate sponsors and employees.

A new plan enabling Michael Jordan to join the Washington Wizards' NBA franchise has reportedly been hatched by sports industry chiefs in New York.

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.

Manager Martin O'Neill and Formula One motor racing boss Eddie Jordan have joined a group of Irish businessmen in splashing out #17 million ($24m/27.2m Euros) to invest in Celtic, Scotland's soccer champions.

Like millions of basketball fans, Gatorade is eager to see if Michael Jordan will return to the game.

Shares in Manchester United opened up 1.5p at 171.5p this morning following weekend press reports that Formula One team boss Eddie Jordan was planning a substantial investment in the club.

Should basketball legend Michael Jordan decide to make a comeback with the Washington Wizards, his return would come on October 30 in New York against home side, the Knicks.

Cyclist Lance Armstrong is the third most recognised American athlete in the US after Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, the US Postal Service, sponsors of the Tour de France, said today.

Michael Jordan has been showing the youngsters how it is done in Washington Wizard workouts, but the 38-year-old team president is holding off on a decision about returning to the court for the NBA team.

English soccer club Crystal Palace is trying to establish a partnership with Walt Disney World to become the entertainment giant's official football club.

Italian Jarno Trulli has been elected to join world champion Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard as a director of Formula One's Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA).

e-comsport Group plc, the Alternative Investment Market (AIM)-listed sports marketing business, has announced a loss for the year ended 31 December 2000 of #4.5m ($6.41m).

Sports.com, the website which claims to be Europe?s biggest sports news and data site, has bought the UK's Daily Star?s website Megastar.co.uk from Lord Hollick?s United Business News for about #100,000 ($144,000).