Media

ISL is ?no Titanic? according to its spokesman ? despite mounting industry speculation that it is in financial dire straits and one industry figure?s claim that it is the ?beginning of the end? for the Swiss marketing giant.

German media firm EM.TV & Merchandising is talking to a U.S. investment bank about selling its 50 percent stake in Formula One holding company SLEC amid signs that talks on a rescue by media giant Kirch have faltered.

Hong Kong pay television operator i-Cable Communications Ltd is in talks to carry the ESPN sports channel and Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Ltd channels on its network.

Pan-american Sports Network (PSN), the 24 hour sports channel, has signed a multiyear partnership with soccer legend Pele.

With only weeks to go before the launch of the XFL American football league, XFL President Basil DeVito is confident that the ?reality show wrapped inside America?s most popular game, ? will surpass original revenue forecasts.

ISL has denied press reports that it is facing a `$1bn financial crisis? ? or that it is on the verge of terminating its deal with the ATP for the television and marketing rights to the Tennis Masters Series.

American sport and its commercial partners should target the growing US Hispanic population in order to maximise revenues, according to a leading research consultant.

A small British investment bank is ready to buy EM.TV's 50 percent stake in Formula One holding company SLEC, challenging media giant Kirch's bid to rescue the debt-laden firm, industry sources revealed.

Online and telephone betting service betinternet.com have signed an exclusive broadcast and betting agreement with the Irish Greyhound Board, offering access to the Irish Tote.

Prisma the sports rights agency have sold the rights to the 2002 World Cup soccer tournament to YLE, the Finnish state broadcaster.

IOC marketing director Michael Payne has endorsed the Olympic movement's brand management strategy for the Sydney Games following a "full debrief" on Olympic sponsorship issues at an IOC meeting in New York.

FIFA, world soccer's ruling body, backed down in their bitter row with UEFA on Friday, agreeing to withdraw proposals they made to the European Union over new transfer regulations.

Ted Leonsis, owner of the NHL's Washington Capitols and president of AOL Interactive Properties Group told delegates at the 23rd annual Sport Summit Trade Show and Conference in New York that "Sport is broken"- but indicated that the internet can fix it.

The English Football Association (FA) said on Thursday it was urgently examining the court judgment which overturned a libel damages award to former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

The sport of biathlon has been boosted by news that the European Broadcasting Union and International Biathlon Union are launching a joint on-line project powered by ZDF New Media.

In New Zealand the upcoming All Black rugby tests against Argentina, Ireland and Scotland could struggle to find a decent sized television audience after it was revealed that the latest broadcasting rights had been sold to newcomer TelstraSaturn.