Events
NBC DENY PUSHING FOR LATER START TIMES IN ATHENS
U.S. network NBC has denied that it was trying to exert pressure to put back the times of events at the 2004 Athens Olympics because of prime time television at home.
ARENA FOOTBALL SIGNS WTA TOUR EXEC
The Arena Football League's sales and marketing entity Arena Football League Properties (AFLP) has named Marc Lowitz as vice president of Broadcast, New Media and Business Affairs.
DIGITAL MEDIA SEEKS STAKE IN BOXING GROUP
Digital Sport, the website operator, is in discussions with Sports Network Group, the UK-based boxing promoters owned by Frank Warren, to take a stake in the company.
INDIA TO BAN TOBACCO SPONSORSHIP
The Indian government says it will ban smoking in public places and the sponsorship of sporting events by tobacco firms in a bid to lower cigarette-related deaths.
NFA SEEK PEACE WITH STRIKING OFFICIALS
The Nigerian Football Association (NFA) has called on striking referees to return to their jobs.
XFL ? CRITICS MOCK, VIEWERS TUNE IN
The XFL, pro-football presented the way World Wrestling Federation founder Vince McMahon thinks it should be, scored big in the ratings but drew sniggers from critics for its debut NBC broadcast. For the full story see the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.
WILLIAMS SISTERS WIN CYBER-SQUATTER CASE
The Williams tennis sisters Venus and Serena have won their cases to evict cyber-squatters from contested domain names, arbitrators have ruled.
MCG BUYS NEW EVENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
The Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of Australia?s greatest sporting venues, has purchased "Event Business Management Software" (EBMS) from St Louis, Missouri?based Ungerboeck Systems, Inc (USI).
FORMULA ONE STAYS ON TRACK, SAYS REPORT
A recent global TV report on Formula One shows the motorsport maintaining its strong position as a dominant sport worldwide.
SOUTH AFRICA WAITS FOR AFRICAN APPROVAL BEFORE 2010 BID
South Africa are delaying a bid to stage the 2010 World Cup until FIFA confirm the finals will be staged somewhere in Africa.
XFL GETS OFF TO SOLID START
XFL made a solid ratings start at the weekend despite some technical glitches in the coverage.
SUPER 12 SET FOR EXPANSION CLAIMS REPORT
The Super 12 competition could be expanded to 16 teams and the playing seasons of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia could be synchronised, according to reports from South Africa.
UK GOVERNMENT KNOCKS BACK KIRCH WORLD CUP DEMANDS
The UK government has repelled efforts by Leo Kirch to get round British legislation that protects every World Cup match from being broadcast on pay-TV.
NEW WEMBLEY WON’T BE READY UNTIL END OF 2004
Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of Wembley National Stadium Limited (WNSL) has admitted that the new Wembley stadium will not be ready until the end of 2004.
KIRCH TO AUCTION UK WORLD CUP RIGHTS
German media giant Kirch, holders of the European broadcast rights to the FIFA World Cup 2002 and 2006, will auction the rights in separate packages to both pay-TV and free-TV broadcasters in the UK.
BSKYB MADE OFFER LEWIS REFUSED
Lennox Lewis was allegedly offered a last-ditch incentive by BSkyB to prevent him from switching the broadcast coverage of his fights to the BBC.
BOA AND GOVERNMENT DECIDE WHETHER TO LAUNCH LONDON BID
British Olympic chiefs will meet government ministers today to decide whether London can launch a bid to bring the Olympic Games back to Britain for the first time since 1948.
AZORIE RECRUITS NEW EVENTS BOSS
Sports sponsorship and marketing agency Azorie Consulting Ltd has appointed Debbie Jarrold as its new events manager.