Media

Pressure on organisers of the Sydney Olympics to lift its ban on foreign television media from Homebush during the Games is mounting after the US joined the European Union in calls to refer the issue to the World Trade Organisation.

Australian media have demanded urgent action to solve air traffic control and baggage handling problems at Sydney Airport before hundreds of thousands of people flood through there for the Sydney Olympics.

A new 24-hour soccer channel will be launched this year for the Asian market with the content initially available to audiences in Greater China, Hong Kong and Bejing.

English Premier League soccer club Liverpool is to broadcast games on the internet in a $20m deal with Granada Media.

Cable firm NTL is negotiating with the BBC to use its Match of the Day format for its range of pay-per-view English Premier League soccer games.

Sportsline.com, the world's largest sports online media will enter the Korean market when it open Sports.com Korea (www.korea.sports.com) today.

Bernie Ecclestone?s Formula One Management group has extended its control of grand prix racing's commercial rights by purchasing them for a further 100 years beyond the current expiry date of 2011, according to UK press reports.

The Houston Rockets and the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority have finally reached an agreement on a $175m downtown arena, according to local media reports.

FIFA's executive committee will discuss an overhaul of the system for selecting hosts for future World Cups at its meeting next month..

SFX Sports has signed a $85m deal to market the international television rights to the US Open tennis championship.

Barry Snellgrove has joined John Taylor International, the sports sponsorship consultancy, as business development director to head up the agency's new business drive.

Top broadcasters from Europe and around the world will travel to Switzerland this week for events in Lucerne marking the 50th birthday of the European Broadcasting Union, whose members include every public service broadcaster in Europe.

The NHL's Board of Governors has unanimously approved the proposed sales of the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche and the New York Islanders.

Sportsworld Media Group has named Coral Eurobet?s ?eurobet.co.uk? web site as the exclusive on-line gaming partner for its subsidiary Netsports? ?Dream League? fantasy sports brand.

Rangers FC and NTL, through its wholly owned subsidiary Premium TV, have entered into a media partnership worth #31 million.

The owners of Silverstone motor racing circuit, current home of the British Formula One Grand Prix, have formed of a new company to promote and run events.