Media
SKY BID #1BN FOR PREMIER LEAGUE RIGHTS
BSkyB has made England's top clubs an offer of #1bn for the exclusive rights to Premier League football for the next three years, according to today's Financial Times.
ASCENT SALE AGREEMENT EXTENDED
Ascent Entertainment Group Inc. has said it has extended to November 15 its agreement to sell its sports-related businesses, including the Denver basketball and hockey teams, to Denver billionaire Donald Sturm's Sturm Group.
PREMIER LEAGUE GIVE OK TO ONLINE BETTING
England's Premier League has became the first domestic competition in world soccer to authorise an on-line betting system.
DOT COMS PUSH SUPER BOWL PRICES SKY HIGH
Some Internet companies are paying more to advertise on January's Super Bowl telecast than they have generated in revenue and have helped push the average commercial price to a record of about $2 million.
RIVALS.COM HIRES FOX SENIOR EXECUTIVE
Scott Ehrlich, formerly the senior vice president and executive producer at News Corporation's News Digital Media, producer of FOXnews.com, FOXsports.com and FOX.com, has joined Rivals.com, the world's largest network of sports team and sports specialty channel Web sites.
BSKYB BUY INTO ANOTHER PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB
English Premier League soccer club Sunderland Plc has announced pay TV giant BSkyB was buying five percent of the company for #6.5 million ($10.50m).
USBL SIGNS 3 YEAR SHOE AND APPAREL AGREEMENT
Citizens Capital Corp, a holding company which acquires and/or develops operating entities, has announced that its SCOR Brands Inc. subsidiary has signed a three-year sponsorship and marketing agreement to become the official basketball shoe and apparel company of the United States Basketball League.
FIBA STRIKE DEAL WITH ISL
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has signed a new agreement with ISL Worldwide.
VENTURE CAPITAL CO BUYS MAJORITY STAKE IN NZ SPORTS SITE
IT Capital Ltd, a New Zealand venture capital concern and private investor Lindsay Fergusson, have paid NZ$1.9 million for a 68% stake in Virtual Spectator Ltd, the web site established to deliver real-time footage from the Louis Vuitton Cup, the challenger series for yachting's America's Cup.
NTL AND EUROSPORT JOIN PREMIER LEAGUE BIDDERS
NTL, the $14.4bn cable and communications company, is lining up a #1bn bid for exclusive Premier League football rights, according to the UK's Sunday Business newspaper.
NEW SUPPORTERS GROUP
Concerned about the commercialisation of soccer, the government launched "Supporters Direct" on Thursday to provide legal and financial advice and grants to set up organisations to campaign for a greater say in clubs.
SWISS TO INVEST SWFR 80M IN SPORTS FACILITIES
The Swiss government has unveiled plans to invest up to SwFr 80m in sporting facilities of national importance between 2000 to 2005.
UHLSPORT ACQUISITION PREDICTED BY GERMAN MEDIA
German sportswear company Uhlsport, which filed for bankruptcy in March is set to get a new owner.
SHARE CRASH LEAVES CLUB COUNTING COST OF DEFEAT
City investors in the UK have delivered a swift riposte to Sunderland Football Club?s failure to clinch a place in the Premier League.
WORLD CUP ADDS TO BANGLADESH POWER WORRY
Bangladesh has brought in Russian experts to repair disabled power plants after soccer fans threatened violence if the electricity fails during World Cup matches.
IMG AND GLOBAL SPORTNET COLLABORATE ON GERMAN FOOTBALL MARKET
International Management Group (IMG) and Global Sportnet the German marketing and consultanting group have joined forces to offer marketing services to first and second division German Bundesliga football clubs.
SEVEN STEPS IN TO FILL SPORTS VISION GAP
Australian Television group Seven Network Ltd has agreed to provide a dedicated 24 hour sports channel to Optus Communication's Optus Vision cable pay television network.
HOST NETWORKS’ NO-SHOW
Organisers of the Sydney Olympic Games have created their own broadcast organisation, The Sydney Olympic Broadcast Organisation (SOBO).