Media
LAZIO PRESIDENT SEEKS INVESTMENT PARTNER
Sergio Cragnotti, president of Italian soccer team Lazio is looking for a partner to invest in the Serie A club and says he would prefer a media company.
ESPN INTERACTIVE CHANNEL BREAKS 500,000 USER MARK
ESPN Today, the sports broadcaster?s dedicated interactive channel, has attracted 500,000 users since it launched last month.
Sport and Interactive TV: A new report from SportBusiness Group: Click here
Sport and Interactive TV: A new report from SportBusiness Group: Click here
NTL PASSES 1M SUBSCRIBER MARK
UK cable company NTL has boosted the financially-pressured digital television market by announcing that it has passed the one million subscriber mark for the first time, adding that it was on course to reach its end of year target of 1.25 customers.
SOFT AD MARKET HITS DISNEY PROFIT
ESPN-owners Walt Disney Co took a 26 percent hit in fiscal third-quarter pro forma profit as the entertainment company marked lower TV ad sales and theme-park attendance, and absorbed a $95million (?107m) charge for job-cutting costs.
MANUFACTURERS TO MOVE ON EM.TV F1 STAKE
Cash-strapped German media group EM.TV is poised to sell its 37.5 percent stake in Formula One in a move that could help resolve a long running battle over the future of the sport.
INTRADE CREATES SPORT BETTING DERIVATIVES MARKET
A new sport betting service based on derivative-style contracts will launch this week in the UK.
Online Gambling: The Regulation of Global Sports Betting: A new report from SportBusiness Group: Click here
Online Gambling: The Regulation of Global Sports Betting: A new report from SportBusiness Group: Click here
ITV SECURES RUGBY WORLD CUP RIGHTS
UK terrestrial and pay-TV broadcaster ITV has secured the rights to the next two Rugby World Cups in a six-year deal with the International Rugby Board (IRB).
LENNOX SIGNS WITH KING
Boxing promoter Don King said British boxer Lennox Lewis has signed a contract with him to challenge WBC and IBF world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman to a rematch.
ATP LAUNCHES NEW MARKETING STRATEGY
The ATP, the governing body of the men?s professional tennis circuit, has launched a new business and marketing strategy following the demise of ISL Worldwide, the rights holders since 2000.
NFL CLAIMS NEW STADIUM WILL BE BEST EVER
The NFL is claiming a yet-to-be-built stadium in downtown Detroit will be the most unique and innovative sports complex in the country.
FOX SPORTS ORDERS ROOM SERVICE
Fox Sports Net has signed a deal with LodgeNet Entertainment which will see the broadcaster?s array of digital channels installed in hotels around the US.
ESPN TO DIVERSIFY WITH NEW ORIGINAL CONTENT
US sports network ESPN is to diversify its range of content after its newly created Original Entertainment Division announced a raft of initiatives including sports-based reality TV shows and a made-for-television sports movie.
PRESIDENT CLINGS ON TO COPA AMERICA HOPES
A mystery bombing campaign means Colombia could lose South America's biggest soccer tournament and deal a blow to President Andres Pastrana's attempts to show progress in his quest for peace.
FIFA-ISL/ISMM: MORE REVELATIONS
After a week of accusations and counter accusations, the FIFA ISL/ISMM crisis took another turn at the weekend with the revelations that ISL/ISMM had received a Sfr277m($155.9m) syndicated loan in 1999 from Swiss bank UBS and that FIFA withdrew support for a Sfr700m($349m) bond issue that the bankrupt marketing agency was hoping to help keep itself afloat.
S&F FOOTBALL FUND WIDENS INVESTMENT BRIEF
The UK?s Singer & Friedlander Football Fund, the first investment fund dedicated to football related businesses, is to change its name to the S&F Global, Media and Leisure fund.
TYSON V LEWIS FIGHT ? BROADCASTERS IN TALKS
Rival cable television broadcasters HBO and Showtime are negotiating to present a fight between former champions Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.
CAR-MAKERS JOIN FORCES TO CHALLENGE FORMULA ONE
Europe?s leading car-makers met last week in Rome to discuss plans to set up a motor racing competition to rival Formula One.
TENDULKAR SIGNS $17m MANAGEMENT DEAL
Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has signed a five-year contract worth an estimated 800m rupees ($17m) with sports management company WorldTel.