Middle East

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.

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.

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.

Technical director Gary Anderson has left the Jaguar Racing Formula One team as part of a backroom reshuffle. He will be replaced by former McLaren chief designer Steve Nichols.

The cost of scoring a single point in Formula One has reached crazy levels and more manufacturers may decide it has become too expensive, says Peugeot's motorsport chief.

MVP.com, the online sporting goods seller backed by three of North America's most famous athletes, has been dropped by CBS Sportsline.com as its e-commerce partner.

Tyre makers Michelin, returning to Formula One next season, have expressed concern about supplying Prost in 2001 because of the French team's engine deal with Ferrari.

Jordan Grand Prix has signed a three-year extension of its support from the IT company that has been associated with the team for over a decade.

Octagon Marketing has secured a major renewal contract with Europay International to manage their European sponsorship properties.

Forbes.com has estimated that Formula One champion Michael Schumacher was already the leading earner in sport ? even before his victory in the Japanese Grand Prix last Sunday.

SFX Sports Group UK players? agent Jon Holmes has told Europe?s biggest soccer clubs that their objections against an EU ban on transfer fees are based on self-interest, rather than protection of smaller clubs.