MENA

The 38-year-old Washington Wizards part-owner and president Michael Jordan has opened the door a little wider to the possibility of returning to the NBA playing courts he once ruled. For the full story see the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.
Business

Race on Sunday, sell on Monday. That is why car makers and sponsors are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on backing Formula One world championship racing cars.
Business

The chief executive of AMF Bowling Inc., the world's largest bowling alley operator, said its AMF Bowling Worldwide Inc. unit will most likely file for bankruptcy protection while continuing to restructure its $1.3 billion debt load.
Sponsorship & Marketing

Marketers linked to Michael Jordan are reportedly preparing to refresh their ad campaigns as speculation increases the basketball great will make a playing comeback.

NBA legend Michael Jordan has denied claims he is on the verge of a comeback ? but stopped short of ruling it out entirely.
Business

One of the world?s most valuable sport stars of all time, Michael Jordan is set to return to the NBA next season, according to press reports.

If a report in this week's Sports Illustrated is to be believed, the NBA will not have to worry about falling attendance or television ratings much longer. In its March 19 issue, the magazine cites an unidentified source close to Michael Jordan who says the NBA superstar turned owner of the Washington Wizards is "90 percent committed" to coming back next season to play for the Wizards. See the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.

The release of limited edition Jordan retro XI athletic shoe has created high demand for the $125 throwback.

David Sheepshanks, chairman of English Premier League soccer side Ipswich Town, will be joining a panel of high powered industry specialists in the final session of this April?s SportBusiness 2001 conference in London. One of soccer?s most influential chairmen, Sheepshanks is widely respected throughout the game not least for his efforts in championing the cause of so-called smaller clubs.

Formula One champion Michael Schumacher heads the American Forbes Magazine's list of the highest paid athletes for the year 2000 with US$59m in earnings.

Former Jaguar technical director Gary Anderson has rejoined Reynard in the United States after 10 years in Formula One.
Business

Online sports media company SportsLine.com has bought some assets of MVP.com, the online retailer with ties to basketball star Michael Jordan and hockey star Wayne Gretzky, and tapped a USA Networks unit to operate its flagship internet sports service's online store.

Formula One needs to strike a balance between glamour and high-technology, team owner Eddie Jordan has said.

Online sports retailer MVP.com has laid off a further 36 employees, leaving it with 43 employees at its Chicago headquarters or a quarter of its original staff.
Business

Mark Smith, the chief designer of Jordan, has left the Formula One team to join Benetton two months before the start of the new season.

MVP.com, the sports e-tailer backed by athletic superstars Michael Jordan, John Elway and Wayne Gretzky, is to close its offices in Boulder, Colorado and Austin, Texas, and lay off 48 percent of its 166 employees.

Former NBA star Michael Jordan has been unanimously approved as a partner in the group that owns the Washington Capitals.

Tiger Woods has been named the most powerful person in sports for the year 2000 by the Sporting News magazine.