Media

Online gaming company VIP is calling for global self-regulation of the online betting industry and the creation of a new forum to promote consultation between governments and industry members.

German industry sources have said media group EM.TV was close to completing a deal to obtain a majority stake in Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Administration Ltd.

Kelvin MacKenzie, head of the UK sports radio station Talksport is in talks to buy the newspaper Sport First in a deal that could see the two year-old title valued at more than #15m.

Celtic could soon leave the Scottish Premier League and join a new Atlantic League aimed at leading clubs who dominate Europe's second tier competitions, a club spokesman has said.

News Corp and Liberty Media has announced that its joint venture Fox Sports International is to launch a sports television channel targeting viewers in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.

WWF Entertainment has signed a new five-year deal with UK satellite and digital channels Sky Sports and Sky One set to generate more than $35m in revenues.

Ex-boxer Chris Eubank is joining a select group of former UK professional sportsmen to make a second career as media celebrities. Eubank?s lawyer, Mel Goldberg, explains how a starring role a new Nescafe TV commercial, is just the start of a new career in film, media and advertising. See `FEATURES?.

SOCOG staff were not incompetent, despite making ticketing errors that cost the Games $76 million in revenue, organisers said yesterday.

French media group, Groupe AB, has decided to exercise its option to sell its remaining 49% stake in Pathe Sport to Pathe. The transaction will generate a capital gain of FF 38.7 million for Groupe AB in the first six months of 2000.

Illegal gambling is siphoning an alarming amount of cash from Hong Kong horse racing, weakening the Jockey Club's grip on the sport, the club's chief executive has warned.

European soccer governing body UEFA is to examine a possible US-style salary cap to keep under control the spiralling wages of Europe?s top soccer stars.

English Premier League soccer club Leeds United have signed a new kit sponsorship deal with Nike.

The price of a 30 second commercial spot for this season's Super Bowl telecast has risen by 25% to a record $2 million, according to advertising buyers quoted by Associated Press.

Fox Sports Net and Southwest Sports Group, the Dallas-based sports and entertainment company controlled by Tom Hicks, have entered into a comprehensive long-term broadcast partnership agreement that will keep the Stanley Cup champion Dallas Stars and American League West Division Champion Texas Rangers on Fox Sports Net Southwest and add the Mesquite Championship Rodeo to the network's programming line-up.

Bally Total Fitness Holding Corp., has bought six George Brown fitness centres in Fresno, California and one club in the San Francisco area, expanding the fitness company's presence in California.

Adam Crozier, boss of advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, is set to become the English FA?s new chief executive, according to press reports.