North America

The |American television audience for the third round of the US Open was up 22 per cent on last year.

The US Open will return to Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2019, the 100th anniversary of the oceanside California course. The US Golf Association also said Erin Hills, a public course built on 652 acres among the glacial dunes of Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine region, will host the 2017 Open.

Major League Baseball's mid-summer classic, the All-Star Game, will be hosted at the The Kansas City Royals' Kauffman Stadium for the first time in nearly three decades.

Sports network ESPN said the USA's 1-1 draw with England in its opening game of the World Cup was the most-watched game for a national soccer team since 1994.

Beyond Sport, the organisation that promotes, develops and funds the use of sport to drive positive social change across the world, has signed United Airlines as its Global Airline Partner.

Australia has withdrawn from the race to stage the football World Cup in 2018, and will focus instead on bidding to host the 2022 edition.

The first Canadian Formula One Grand Prix for two years sold out yesterday afternoon, helped by strong ticket sales in Europe.

This year's Stanley Cup final, the concluding game of the NHL ice hockey season, drew its best audience in 36 years on US television.

GT racing series the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will expand from three to seven events in 2011, its second season, with races in Europe, Asia and the United States.

American football league the NFL has licensed an official online computer game to Quick Hit Inc, creating a rival for the successful “Madden NFL” game it has licensed to Electronic Arts since 2004.

US commercial broadcaster Fox and Disney-owned pay-television operator ESPN have agreed separate two-year deals in the Americas for the Italian Serie A, according to TV Sports Markets.

The US Olympic Committee has filled the void left by General Motors after the 2008 Olympics by agreeing a sponsorship deal with car manufacturer BMW.

Sunil Gulati, United States Soccer Federation (USSF) president and chairman of the USA bid to host either the 2018 or 2022, has been announced as a speaker at football business event Leaders in Football, taking place for the third time on October 6 and 7 this year at Chelsea FC.

US billionaire Tom Hicks, owner of two US major league sports teams and Liverpool FC has said he is getting out of the sports business and will be glad to be rid of the publicity that comes with owning sports teams.

Formula One has agreed a deal with US race promoters Full Throttle Productions for the Texas state capital Austin to host a race from 2012 to 2021.

Former US president Bill Clinton has accepted the invitation to become honorary chairman of the country’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

Online gambling company Bodog has offered golfer Tiger Woods a sponsorship deal worth $100 million over five years with a “no moral judgement clause” should he continue the extra-marital affairs that saw him dropped by several of his sponsors late last year.

Major League Baseball team the New York Mets are suffering falling attendances, despite the attraction of their new $800 million stadium, Citi Field..