Events

Women's health and leisure channel TM3 has said it has scored a television first after millions of hardcore German soccer fans tuned in to watch the European Champions League.

UK broadcaster BSkyB and organisers of golf's Ryder Cup have resolved a dispute over the television company's plans for coverage of the tournament on non-terrestrial channels.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for a soccer-free period to prevent overkill damaging the sport's allure.

Nike profits rose 22% in its fiscal first quarter, exceeding expectations, although revenue was virtually unchanged.

US Spanish-language television broadcast company, Univision Communications Inc., have announced that Stephen J. Solomon, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the National Hockey League, will join Univision as president of its sports division.

Senior motorsport executives in the States have announced the formation of a new sanctioning body whose primary focus will be the organisation of professional road racing throughout North America.

ESPN and ABC Sports will merge their advertising sales staffs and have named Edward R. Erhardt, most recently vice president and group publisher of Advertising Age magazine to lead the combined entity.

FOX Sports World (English-language) and FOX Sports World Espanol (Spanish-language), have announced their acquisition of the exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the premier international club competition for CONACAF members, beginning September 28.

SFX Entertainment, Inc. has acquired UK Midland Concert Promotions Group Limited (MCP), a leading U.K. concert promotion company and motor sports venue operator.

A senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official has said he expected the Games to be held in Africa in the next 10 years.

IMG has secured Soccer Australia its biggest ever sponsorship deal as LG Electronics signed a two-year, $4m deal to be its major sponsor.

The price of a 30 second commercial spot for this season's Super Bowl telecast has risen by 25% to a record $2 million, according to advertising buyers quoted by Associated Press.

An on-going dispute between the English soccer Premier League and two former executives of broadcasters BSkyB has taken a new twist after a writ was issued against the 20 Premiership clubs which cost the League millions of dollars.

CSI has extended its television rights contract with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

John Trimble, former senior director of corporate sponsorships for the National Football League Properties, Inc., has been named vice president, world-wide sales, Sydney 2000 Olympic Games/Special Events.

Octagon, the sports marketing arm of the massive Interpublic Group, has launched as a consolidated brand and declared its intention to grow its share of the market.