Media

KVP Venture, a $250 million venture capital fund founded by Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer and two Indian partners, has decided to invest in four Indian startup companies focused on the internet and software, the fund has announced ? and a sporting venture is set to be among the first to benefit.

South Korean sports site start?ups are proliferating and using US-based sports marketing models, according to a report from The Korean Times.

Sportsworld Media Group has integrated its SSM Freesports within the group and appointed a new commercial head of its media division.

Major League Baseball star Ken Griffey Jr has signed a sponsorship deal with Pepsi-Cola ? just one week after Sammy Sosa signed terms with the fizzy drink giant.

Yazaki North America, a supplier of vehicle power and data solutions to the automotive industry, has expanded its involvement in motor sports through a sponsorship agreement with LC Racing.

English soccer fans are to lobby the British government at Westminster today after demanding more say in the running of the sport.

Adidas UK has appointed Gordon Baird as managing director with sole responsibility for the company's UK and Ireland operations.

Vulcan Ventures, headed by Microsoft co- founder Paul Allen, will add The Sporting News to its extensive Internet portfolio, which includes Oxygen Media, ZDTV and DreamWorks.

Research undertaken by Sport England has revealed that spending on sports-related activities in England has increased from #8.8bn in 1995 to #11bn in 1998.

Marla Messing, the CEO for the successful 1999 Women's World Cup, has moved onto the web.

Orad?s virtual advertising systems will be used during the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games. to be held February 17-20 in Lake Placid, NY.

SSM Freesports, the UK-based specialist lifestyle sports agency, has announced three high- profile signings to its management team : Nick Kennerley joins as SSM's newly appointed Head of Television, Betty Maitland joins as General Manager and Dan O'Toole as Head of Business Development.

The Callaway Golf Company has terminated its multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with golf star John Daly after he violated a contract clause to not drink or gamble.

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.

A new, independent study comparing the effect of virtual advertising and conventional arena advertising on viewers of televised sports reveals that TV audiences had better recall and greater brand recognition with virtual ads.

Three of the six major categories at Sportel's Golden Podium Awards, the international sports TV competition held in Monte Carlo last week, were won by French media companies.