Events

NBC Sports and Triple Crown Productions (TCP) have agreed to a multi-year contract, giving the network the exclusive American broadcast rights to thoroughbred horse racing's Visa Triple Crown - the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. The agreement goes into effect in 2001 and continues for five years through 2005.

The chief executive of the Sydney Olympic organising committee offered to quit last week to take the blame for a ticketing fiasco that has virtually excluded the Australian public from some of the most popular events at the 2000 Games, Sydney Olympic officials have revealed.

The four big television networks are in a tight bidding race to win broadcast rights for stock-car racing, and appear willing to pay as much as $400 million annually, almost four times what Nascar races have brought in each year.

The Women's Tennis Association has signed a five-year sponsorship contract worth $34m with Sanex, manufacturers of body care products. It is thought to be the biggest sponsorship in the history of women's sports.

British broadcaster BSkyB has appointed Simon Green as general manager of Sky Sports Ventures.

The ATP Tour and International Tennis Federation have formally announced their new marketing strategy for 2000 and beyond.

Washington Redskins officials have rejected proposals to build a roof over Fedex Field on cost grounds, according to the Washington Post. "It was one of the things that was looked at while looking at ways to improve things at the stadium [but] it's not going to happen," spokesman Karl Swanson said. Snyder was considering making a bid to host the Super Bowl in 2012 in conjunction with the Baltimore-Washington region's bid to host the summer Olympic Games that year, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Speedway Motorsports (SMI) and Nationwide Insurance have signed a three-year comprehensive marketing agreement themed on race and fan safety.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has repeated that he felt the the World Cup finals in 2006 should go to Africa.

Fox Sports World Espanol has acquired the exclusive US broadcast rights to the 2000 Colombian soccer league season, including all playoff match-ups.

The organising committee for the Sydney 200 Olympic Games is to consider plans to ensure that all available seats at venues are full during events.

The Dutch government has said on Wednesday it would allow extra flights to land at Schiphol airport for the European Cup Final to be held in Amsterdam next week.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) have signed an agreement with Israeli broadcaster JCS (Jersulem Capital Sports), to broadcast more than 70 NBA games and 20 WNBA games over the next two seasons.

Sukom Ninety Eight Bhd, the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, have admitted their merchandising programme for the Games had failed and they are unlikely to reap the projected income from it, the New Straits Times has reported.

Legendary coach Don Shula has joined the team bidding for the reactivated Cleveland browns franchise.

Sydney Olympic organisers are banking on selling more Olympic tickets - and at higher prices - to help offset a $150 million increase in the cost of staging the 2000 Games.