Events

Costa Rica has set itself up as the offshore gambling capital of the world with large quantities of US cash entering the country in the lead up to the start of the American football season

Radio station and billboard operator Clear Channel has completed its $4.6 billion acquisition of events promoter SFX Entertainment Inc., establishing it as a player in the live entertainment business.

Video-on-demand company Yes Television ? which boasts a range of sporting events ? has appointed two senior executives to lead the development of its Asian operation.

The Greek government has announced that the budget for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens will come to $5 billion. Officials said the new 1.8 trillion drachmas budget was decided at a special cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis, and was approved by Finance Minister Yannos Papantoniou.

The Australian states of Victoria and Western Australia are battling it out to host Rally Australia, which has been held in Western Australia for the last 12 years.

Toyota is to continue its sponsorship of ESPN's Asia X Games Qualifier - following on from the inaugural event last year.

Law firm Addleshaw Booth & Co has signed a major sponsorship deal for the Commonwealth Games to be staged in England in 2002.

While the failed bidders in the race for the 2006 World Cup count the cost of their defeated campaigns, German economists are looking to the bright ? and profitable ? future hosting the World Cup will bring. For full details see SportBusiness.com `FEATURES?.

Local media reports suggest Great American Insurance Co. is in negotiations to buy naming rights to the Cincinnati Reds' ballpark.

Sportsworld Media Group, the sports, media and entertainment business, has completed the acquisition of the UK-based Pro-Active Projects Limited for an initial consideration of #660,00.

The International Federation of PGA Tours has announced that the 2001 World Golf Championships-World Cup will be held in Shizuoka, Japan.

Sydney's Olympic organisers (SOCOG) have rejected a plan to discount unsold tickets to this year's Games, angering Australian community and welfare groups.

In a move designed to strengthen its commitment to the growing girls' action sports market, Broadband Interactive Group (BIG) has acquired Chicksticks.com, the action sports Web site designed exclusively for girl surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding enthusiasts.

The first live webcast of a Paralympic Games will take place later this year following a deal signed by the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (SPOC) and US firm We Media Inc.

Eagerly awaited by NASCAR fans, Dodge Motorsports' Winston Cup apparel went on sale this week, a reminder Dodge is returning next year to the U.S. racing series made popular by drivers Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon.

French commercial TV station TF1 and pay-TV channel Canal Plus have acquired stakes in sports channels Eurosport International and Eurosport France from Disney Corp cable TV sports network ESPN.