Events

Dutch KPN Telecom NV has said it had bid to buy the broadcast rights of all Dutch first division soccer matches for five years in an effort to boost the content of its internet division.

Laurie Landgrebe, director of marketing for Pro Player Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, has enlisted the help of the NFL in securing a new naming rights deal.

The Portland Trail Blazers have received criticism from basketball fans for showing Game 2 of the playoff series against Utah on pay-per-view at a cost $24.95. The game was broadcast nationally by the TNT cable channel, and blacked out within a 35-mile radius of downtown Portland. Responding to the criticism Harry Hut, the Blazers Senior vice-president for marketing said: ``People get the idea there's an obligation on the part of the team to televise a game, but there isn't.? The team, he said, wants ``to protect the home gate ... to provide a sold-out crowd atmosphere'' at the Rose Garden. However, Sunday's Game 1 of the series against the Jazz, shown on NBC, attracted a capacity crowd of 20,351.

TVNZ Satellite Services has reached agreement with the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) to provide a concurrent 8-channel service delivering live coverage of events for the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics.

A united North-South Korean soccer team for the 2002 World Cup finals is one proposal South Korea plans to make to the North at an unprecedented meeting of their leaders in June, a South Korean official has said.

The campaign team behind South Africa's bid to host the 2006 World Cup will end its global charm offensive in the coming week with visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

ISL have confirmed a sub-licensing agreement with the Portugal?s commercial free-to air broadcaster SIC for live and exclusive television coverage for the Tennis Masters and the Tennis Masters Cup in Portugal.

Tel Aviv may bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics, officials have said.

The chairman of soccer?s richest club ? English and European champions Manchester United ? has delayed his retirement so that he can be involved in the next round of bidding for the Premier League broadcasting rights.

ESPN has announced its X Games franchise is to undergo a major expansion ? which include staging several events annually around the globe.

UK all-sport radio station talkSPORT says it is being `robbed? of ratings after a survey revealed many listeners mistook its broadcasts for that of its rival the BBC.

A FIFA inspection team has arrived in Morocco for a five-day visit, saying the country's bid file to host the 2006 World Cup was outstanding.

Multi-million dollar sponsors signing up for the Olympics now have a "morals" opt-out clause in their contracts allowing them to walk away from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) if it goes off the rails.

Prima Television International has been appointed exclusive international media rights representative for the Lincoln Financial Group Rugby League World Cup 2000.

Michael Weisman, the Emmy Award winning executive and sports producer, has joined the sports-based entertainment and e-commerce Internet company, SportsPrize Entertainment Inc?s, Board of Directors.

The BBC has held preliminary talks with Don King with the aim of securing the television rights to the Evander Holyfield/ Lennox Lewis fight on November 13.