Media

Churchill Downs Inc. has launched a national branding programme for the company's expanding network of racetracks and off-track betting facilities.

Demands by leading European soccer clubs that their games should take priority over international friendlies are completely unacceptable, UEFA General Secretary Gerhard Aigner has said.

All-Stater Sports, America's high school sports magazine, almanac, and Web site, is now syndicating its content to other media, both print and electronic.

SportsLine Europe Limited, has launched its new rugby site, www.rugby.sports.com , as well as a strategic relationship to become the exclusive Internet sports media partner for the

UK broadcaster BSkyB is set to run into legal hot water over an on-going dispute over the broadcast of this year's Ryder Cup tournament.

The UK?s Horse of the Year show has reported a huge new surge of interest ? with a 10,000 increase in the number of people visiting the event for 1998.

Continuing the trend towards combined ownership of more than one sports franchise, the owners of Minnesota's NBA and NHL teams are were working on a deal to buy the Minnesota Twins, contingent upon the construction of a new stadium in St. Paul.

Three and a half years after the plan for a UK Institute of Sports (UKIS) was first tabled, the concept of a #100m green-field complex has been rejected in favour of a national network of centres with its administrative headquarters in London.

New World Publishing Inc. has unveiled SonicSport.com an Internet portal that will have live streaming video from major sporting events, fantasy sports, betting odds, sports scores and stock quotes.

Sydney's Olympic Games chief has apologised to Australians for a misleading public ticket ballot and promised to refund thousands of fans who had ended up with third-choice tickets.

The four big television networks are in a tight bidding race to win broadcast rights for stock-car racing, and appear willing to pay as much as $400 million annually, almost four times what Nascar races have brought in each year.

ISM Holding Corp will open its newest venture, www.racingcasino.com, for Thanksgiving Day.

Fox Sports World and Fox Sports World Espanol have been added to the basic channel programming line-up of 21st Century Telecom Group, the Chicago area cable company which broadcasts over 190 digital-quality channels.

British Sky Broadcasting, 40% owned by News Corporation, has agreed to pay $1.5 billion for a 24% stake in KirchPayTV, the German pay-TV operator.

Computer industry analyst, Chris Shipley has announced the formation of Pupule Sports, Inc, a new special-interest Web site designed for female athletes and sports enthusiasts. The site is expected to be launched in the second quarter of 2000.

Hi-tech firm Orad has announced its CyberSport and IMadGINE virtual advertising systems will be used by the Philadelphia Eagles NFL during the broadcast of their 2000 pre-season games.

The European Broadcasting Union has secured rights to broadcast the World Athletics Series beyond 2001.

Several private equity firms are looking into the possibility of competing for Premier League broadcast rights, according to the UK's Sunday Business newspaper.