Events

British motor racing tycoon Bernie Ecclestone has said a $1.4 billion asset-backed bond sold by his Formula One company was intended to pave the way for F1's stock market flotation.

South Africa's chances of hosting the 2006 World Cup has received a giant boost when First National Bank (FNB) bankrolled the Bid Committee with a sponsorship and threw its financial weight behind their attempt to bring the showcase event to Africa for the first time.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) has awarded Pepsi-Cola exclusive carbonated soft drink pouring rights and sponsorship at Meadowlands Sports Complex.

Terry Planell has been appointed senior vice-president, sales of GlobeCast America, a unit of France Telecom.

Lighthouse Holdings, investors in an international portfolio of marketing services companies, has acquired the Honolulu-based sports marketing company Sports Producers Hawaii (Sports Pro).

The lawyer of the ex-hockey star bidding to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins says a deal is imminent.

Quokka Sports, Inc., the online sports entertainment programmer, have launched an initial public offering of 5m shares of common stock at a price of $12.00 per share.

A majority of sports fans remain reluctant to pay high ticket prices for women's sporting events, despite the heavy promotion and marketing surrounding the recent Women's World Cup Games.

Morocco have staked their claim to be Africa's first choice for the 2006 World Cup.

Ford has decided to promote the Jaguar brand as it prepares for its return to Formula One motor racing.

Dutch soccer team Feyenoord Rotterdam is looking at ways of offering virtual advertising to its sponsors. The move comes amid a wave of Asian interest in the sport since the signing of Japanese star Shinji Ono from Urawa.

KirchMedia has reached agreement with a group of Korean broadcasters for the domestic broadcasting rights to the 2002 and 2006 World Cups in a deal believed to be in the region of $55-60million (?60.63-66.14m).

UK broadcaster the BBC has won the domestic rights to the British Open Golf Championship ? ending speculation it could lose out to a rival.

UK satellite channel SKY Sports has been awarded live rights to the US Open, the world's richest grand slam tennis event, for the next four years.

Asian sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has finalised a deal with its Malaysian pay-TV platform Astro for exclusive coverage of English Premier League soccer for the next three seasons.
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Vietnam has signed a contract with a Chinese consortium to build a $52.9 million (?59m) main stadium for the 2003 Southeast Asian Games, an official said.