Nordics

Brussels has withdrawn from the race to host the 2009 World Athletics Championships due to financial difficulties, officials have announced.

Infront Sports & Media has reached an exclusive agreement with a group of leading Nordic broadcasters for a substantial package of rights to FIFA’s top events, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

TeliaSonera will be a national sponsor of the European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2006 and will also be supplying communications services during the event.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has revealed details of initiatives aimed at providing additional content access to sports fans around Europe.

Infront Nordic Oy, a subsidiary of Infront Sports & Media, has acquired the exclusive rights to organise the new Ladies Finnish Masters golf tournament.

Europe will host the 2009 IAAF World Championships after the final bids to stage the athletics showcase were received by the sport’s governing body.

The official website of Euro 2004 smashed the tournament’s previous best online audience figures – after just three days.

Val d’Isere has won the right to host the FIS 2009 Alpine Skiing World Championship.

Volvo has restructured its sponsorship of golf – extending his long-term commitment to the sport, but ending its naming rights deal of the PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The North American Sports Network (NASN) is to broadcast exclusive coverage of this summer’s World Cup of Hockey in the UK and Ireland.

Canada is set to stroll to victory in the race to host ice hockey’s 2008 IIHF World Championships, after main rivals Germany and Sweden withdrew their bids.

International TV data bank service Eurodata TV is to launch a service during this summer’s Euro 2004 to provide its clients with overnight TV audiences of all the tournament’s matches.

Denmark’s Davis Cup team will today count the cost of controversially pulling out of a game at the weekend over security concerns.

UK sports marketing firm Navigator has signed a deal to become a major marketing partner of the European Athletic Association (EAA),

Sportfive has emerged as the major player after the English Football Association (FA) confirmed its new European TV partners for the 2004-5 to 2007-8 period.

Benfield Sports International (BSI) has won a leading sponsorship award in Sweden.

Benfield Sports International (BSI) – rights holder of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix Series – has been nominated for a top sponsorship award in Sweden.

The new Formula One season gets underway in Australia this weekend – with one leading TV ratings expert predicting the sport is back on track.