North America
The great disruptor | Brands and sports take sides in the Trump debate
The policies of Donald Trump are forcing sports rightsholders, event hosts and sponsors to come off the fence and take a position on his presidency. Andy Fry reports on the dilemmas he presents for the world of sport.
NBA to return to Johannesburg
The NBA has announced that it will return to Johannesburg in South Africa for a game later this year, while the North American basketball competition’s commissioner, Adam Silver, has warned that the league will consider state-wide discriminatory policies when assigning hosting rights for future events.
Potential buyers line up for MLB’s Marlins
Miami Marlins president David Samson has said there are multiple groups interested in purchasing the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise.
Concacaf to discuss joint 2026 World Cup bid
Victor Montagliani, president of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), has said the organisation will discuss the possibility of more than one country from its membership bidding to host the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
Curling showpiece to return to Canada
The Continental Cup, an event regarded as curling’s version of golf’s Ryder Cup, will return to Canada in 2018 with the announcement that London, Ontario has secured hosting rights.
Funding not an issue for Vegas stadium, says Raiders president
Oakland Raiders president Marc Badain has insisted that financing the NFL American football team’s proposed move from California to Nevada will not be an issue, despite the project having recently lost one of its key backers.
NBA’s Bucks to operate D-League team
The Milwaukee Bucks North American NBA basketball league franchise has acquired ownership rights for a Development League team, which will begin playing in Oshkosh, Wisconsin from the start of the 2017-18…
MLB’s Marlins in $1.6bn ‘handshake agreement’ – report
David Samson, the president of the Miami Marlins, has said that there has been a $1.6bn (€1.5bn) “handshake agreement” for the Major League Baseball team to change ownership.
NHL set to decide on Pyeongchang participation in March – Fasel
The North American NHL ice hockey league is likely to make a decision on whether its players can participate at the Pyeongchang 2018 winter Olympic Games in March, according to International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president René Fasel.
NBA enters esports arena with new league
The NBA North American basketball league has entered into the esports sector by launching a new competition, the NBA 2K eLeague.
Murphy re-elected as USGA president
Diana Murphy has been re-elected as president of the United States Golf Association (USGA).
World Pro Ski Tour to be resurrected with new event in Maine
US skiing series the World Pro Ski Tour is set to return after an absence of almost two decades following the announcement of a new event on March 10-12.
NCAA agrees major settlement in college-athlete lawsuit
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and 11 Division 1 conferences have agreed to create a fund worth almost $208.7m (€194.9m) to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by former student-athletes who had claimed their scholarships had been unlawfully capped.
New Orleans franchises resolve ownership dispute
Tom Benson, owner of NFL American football franchise the New Orleans Saints and NBA basketball outfit the New Orleans Pelicans, has reached a settlement with his estranged heirs in regards to a long-running dispute over ownership rights to the two teams.
NHL’s Coyotes hit by fresh blow as ASU exits arena project
The long-term future of the Arizona Coyotes has again been called into question after Arizona State University (ASU) exited a deal to develop a new arena for its sports teams and the NHL ice hockey franchise.
Olympic bid teams given green light for international promotion
The teams behind Budapest, Los Angeles and Paris’ bids for the 2024 summer Olympic Games are now allowed to promote their projects outside their national boundaries after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the start of the final phase of the candidature process.
GSV outlines plan for major cricket stadium development in US
US sports development company Global Sports Ventures (GSV), a commercial partner of the USA Cricket Association (USACA), has unveiled plans to invest $2.4bn (€2.23bn) in infrastructure and business development which could include up to eight cricket-specific stadiums across the country.
Saskatoon nets 3×3 hosting deal
The International Basketball Federation (Fiba) has awarded the Canadian city of Saskatoon hosting rights to a 3x3 World Tour Masters event for the next three years.