North America

Pacific Bell Park, the San Francisco Giants' new baseball home, will include an Intranet-based video coaching system designed to improve player performance and more accurately scout competitive tendencies.

Washington State will install FieldTurf, the grass and Astroturf substitute, for both Martin Stadium and Rogers Practice Ground. Work on both projects begin in April 2000 and the surface should be ready to play by the end of June.

A survey carried out by Scarborough Sports Marketing has determined which Major League Baseball clubs have the most passionate or ?avid? fans.

Multipole International has been appointed exclusive Latin America distributor of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf for 2000, 2001 and 2002 and Tiger Woods? Williams World Challenge 2000 and 2001.

Fox Sports Net (FSN) has bought the over-the-air television rights to MLB?s Texas Rangers and NHL?s Dallas Stars in a 10-year, $250 million deal, which could be extended for another five years, according to The Dallas Morning News newspaper.

Southern Company, the international energy company, is to launch a year-long national TV ad campaign, composed of four new 15-second commercials centering around the company's role as the Official Energy Company of the PGA TOUR.

Liberty Media Corporation has successfully completed its cash tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Ascent Entertainment Group, Inc.

The NFL and the players union have asked senior US judge, David Doty, for power to sanction agents for violating the collective bargaining agreement when negotiating contracts, reports USA Today.

The Salt Lake City Organising Committee for the winter Olympics has signed up its 33rd corporate partner for the 2002 Games in a $20m (#12.7m) sponsorship deal.

Octagon, the global sports marketing and entertainment group, has named Alasdair Ritchie as worldwide president and COO of Octagon Marketing, the conultancy, property representation and event management division.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan will withdraw gradually from the product endorsement arena as he makes the transition from superstar athlete to businessman, several companies have said.

SportSitio Inc., an online sports communications company, has completed the acquisition of TotalFutbol.com, the Latin American professional soccer news and information portal.

In a deal that awaits final approval by the NFL and the IRS, Denise DeBartolo York has officially assumed

John Krimsky, former deputy secretary general and managing director business affairs of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), has been named president of YankeeNets Properties and chief marketing officer of YankeeNets, the completed merger between the Yankees, New Jersey Nets and the recently affiliated New Jersey Devils.

Cablevision Systems may demolish and rebuild Madison Square Garden in order to generate more money.

YankeeNets LLC, parent company of baseball's champion New York Yankees and the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise, has said its Puck Holdings affiliate agreed to buy hockey's New Jersey Devils.