Media

All-soccer network The International Football Channel (TIFC) has acquired the exclusive rights to broadcast the upcoming Women?s 2000 Pacific Cup throughout the Americas.

The XFL, a new professional football league jointly owned and run by World Wrestling Federation Entertainment and NBC, has named veteran sports public relations specialist Steve Griffith as the league's Vice President of Corporate Communications.

While English football awaits the announcement of the winning bids for the Premier League?s broadcast rights, England?s lower divisions are also in negotiations over a new deal.

British online sportswear retailer Boo.com is on the verge of collapse signalling the first failure of a major internet player and fuelling a potential backlash against e-tailing stocks.

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.

Legislators are poised to approve next week a total loss to taxpayers of $945 million for hosting the 2006 Asian Games in Hong Kong along with an event for disabled athletes.

British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc has secured broadcasting rights to West Indies cricket matches in an eight-year deal with the West Indies Cricket Board, according to press reports.

Jim McManus has been appointed vice president, motorsports, at sports events signage and banner provider Britten Media.

The media arm of Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica may lead a European soccer superleague project which would replace the current Champions League format, a company source has said.

UEFA's executive committee will consider changes to the format of the Champions League and could reduce the size of the competition, UEFA president Lennart Johansson said on Thursday.

Manchester United?s club television channel ? MUTV ? has been launched in Scandinavia, giving fans in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland the ability to subscribe to the digital broadcast.

The battle for one of the world's hottest broadcast deals kicked off on Monday when England's top 20 soccer clubs set terms for the sale of their lucrative Premier League screening rights.

European Rugby Cup Limited (ERC) and ISL Worldwide have mutually agreed to end their relationship with regard to the European Cup and European Shield competitions.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has slammed suggestions he was preparing to relax his grip on Grand Prix racing, saying he would have to be carried out in a coffin before he left the sport.

UK terrestrial broadcaster Channel 4 has signed a one-year deal worth #4m with StepStone, the European online recruitment agency, giving StepStone broadcast sponsorship of all sport coverage on Channel 4.

Australian broadcaster the Seven Network Ltd has said its pay-TV unit C7 is to take a stake in digital broadband services provider Access1 Ltd as part of a content alliance.