Media

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.

Euro 2000 organisers have freed up well over 50,000 tickets for this summer's championships and plan to sell them from Thursday.

The court-appointed official sent in to untangle the financial situation at Atletico Madrid has warned that the club is "technically bankrupt" and in urgent need of 13,000 million pesetas ($74.75 million), according to local media reports.

Two controversial bills in Washington aim to ban wagering on college and Olympic games in Nevada, the last outpost of such legalized betting, reports APBnews.com.

Tel Aviv may bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics, officials have said.

A spokesman for BSkyB has denied reports it has made any bid for exclusive UK television rights to the soccer World Cup in 2002.

The New Zealand Rugby Football Union has appointed Media Content, the UK-based agency, to advise on exploiting its media and broadcasting rights.

National Football League owners have voted to bring club web sites and the league?s NFL.com under one national umbrella called the NFL Internet Network. The two-year plan was approved at the annual owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

I7, the online and broadband content and distribution subsidiary of Australian broadcaster Seven Network, has formed an alliance with Evolution Technologies to supply Evolution with a sports channel as well as three additional channels each covering the 2000 Olympics.

The 20 chairmen of the English Premier League soccer clubs are meeting today to start discussing the terms for the League?s lucrative new broadcast deal.

A spokesman for BSkyB has denied reports it has made any bid for exclusive UK television rights to the soccer World Cup in 2002.

BSkyB has opened talks with Ladbrokes, the leisure group owned by Hilton, that could lead to online betting on Sky Sports television channels and internet web sites, reports the Financial Times.

The president of Carlton, the Australian Rules football club, has called the AFL?s decision to impose heavy sanctions on any club that fails to adhere to the current television rights agreement ? an absolute joke?.

Glasgow Rangers have disclosed plans to float the business on the stock exchange and that talks are underway with a number of potential media investors.

BSkyB has offered #250million for exclusive UK television rights to the World Cup 2002, according to The Observer newspaper.

Internet company Pacific Century CyberWorks has snapped up the exclusive internet broadcasting rights to international cricket matches played in India.

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.

The New Zealand Rugby Football Union, whose All Blacks team is one of the world?s best recognised sports brands, has appointed Media Content Sports Media Advisors as television and media rights consultants.