Events
WOMENS WORLD CUP SET FOR KICK-OFF
FIFA and Women's World Cup have brought in a leading live entertainment producer to create an elaborate opening ceremony field production which will include the choreographed movements of 1,500 girls from local schools to form four giant female soccer players on the field.
FOX SPORTS HAS NEW CHIEF
Fox Broadcasting Corp. chief executive David Hill is leaving his post and returning to his roots in sports as head of a new Fox group overseeing the entertainment giant's global sports operations.
SPORTMART AIM FOR CALIFORNIA MARKET LEADERSHIP
Gart Sports Company, the parent company of Sportmart, has unveiled a new superstore concept with the opening of three Sportmart stores in Southern California.
BIG RUSSIAN MEETINGS FINANCIAL DISASTER
Hosting major events in Russia last year was a financial disaster, the country's athletics supremo Valentin Balakhnichyov said recently.
BBC RETAINS WIMBLEDON TV RIGHTS
Britain's BBC has beaten off stiff competition to retain the complete television and radio rights to the Wimbledon tennis Championships for the next five years, it said today.
CINEMA GAINS FROM SOCCER BIDDING WAR
The bidding war between broadcasters for the rights to French soccer action is set to benefit French cinema, according to a French government minister.
SEVEN NETWORK SET FOR BUMBER PAYBACK
Australia's Seven Network is set to reap a lucrative reward for its investment in the Docklands Stadium in Victoria.
NO NAME SALE FOR STADIUM
Australian cricket's MCG has vowed not to follow in the footsteps of other major stadia across the world and sell its naming rights.
COCA-COLA SUPPORTS SPECIAL OLYMPICS
The Special Olympics World Games, to be held form June 26-July 4 in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary, North Carolina, will host a diverse sponsorship programme from the event's platinum sponsors Coca-Cola.
LEMIEUX KEEPS THE PENGUINS IN PITTSBURGH
A federal bankruptcy court judge has approved a plan led by Mario Lemieux's ownership group to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise and keep the team in Pittsburgh.
UNITED GET OUT OPTION AS FA LOOK TO 2006
The English Football Association has offered leading club Manchester United an unprecedented opportunity to ease its fixture schedule - in a move aimed at enhancing the countries claims to hosting the 2006 World Cup.
F1 BROADCAST ROW BARS QUALIFYING COVERAGE
British commercial network ITV found itself barred from broadcasting live coverage of qualifying for the French Grand Prix after a contract row.
PEACE DEAL IN SOCCER TV RIGHTS BIDDING WAR
A broadcaster battle for French soccer TV rights has been called off after the two bidders reached a compromise deal.
WEMBLEY REBUILD – MOBBS SET TO GET TOP JOB
Property developer Sir Nigel Mobbs is expected to spearhead the #320million ($600m) redevelopment of London's Wembley Stadium.
NEW ATP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SITES
The 2000 ATP World Championships will be staged in Lisbon, Portugal, with the following year?s event moving to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
PLANELL NAMED NEW VP AT GLOBECAST
Terry Planell has been appointed senior vice-president, sales of GlobeCast America, a unit of France Telecom.
AXA IN EMERGENCY TALKS WITH FA OVER CUP PULL-OUT
Sponsors of soccer's world famous FA Cup competition are holding crisis talks over fears holders Manchester United will pull-out of this year's tournament.
HBO TO END 25 YEAR WIMBLEDON ASSOCIATION
HBO, the Time Warner owned cable network, will not renew its contract with Wimbledon - thereby ending a 25 year association.