Media

Research undertaken by Sport England has revealed that spending on sports-related activities in England has increased from #8.8bn in 1995 to #11bn in 1998.

The online betting market in the UK has boomed in recent weeks with a string of significant, big money, deals being struck.

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

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?.

BBC Sport has signed a deal to extend its live coverage rights of golf?s US Masters tournament.

Media Content Plc, a sports media rights consultancy whose clients have included the World Wrestling Federation, has bought a stake in a company planning to broadcast sports over the Internet.

ISL and Sport+ - the sports rights acquisitions arm of the Canal+ group ? have announced a strategic television and marketing partnership to further promote the new FIBA EuroLeague.

David Payne has been named to the new position of senior vice president and general manager of CNN/Sports Illustrated Interactive,. Payne will oversee all business activity of CNN/Sports Illustrated Interactive, which includes the 24-hour sports Web site CNNSI.com. Payne is based in Atlanta and reports to Jim Walton, president of CNN/Sports Illustrated.

BBC Sport has won a new three-year deal for exclusive live broadcast rights to the US Masters from Augusta.

Sports Internet, the web site operator and online sports betting company, has entered the e-commerce business with its #20m purchase of a 49 per cent stake in Sports e-tail.

The on-going legal wrangle between the English Premier League and two former executives of BSkyB looks set to kick off in the High Court this month ? unless last gasp talks can avert proceedings.

Artificial turf can be used for official international matches outside the finals of FIFA competitions, world soccer's governing body has said.

The German Football Federation (DFB) and top Bundesliga clubs are bidding to launch their own pay-TV channel for the live broadcast of matches, according to the soccer industry newsletter, The Soccer Investor Weekly Bulletin, based on a report in the Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Broadband Sports has named Marla Messing, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup President and CEO, as vice president of partner marketing, effective Feb. 7, 2000.

Sports Internet Group has said it is teaming up with British Internet company Freeserve Plc to form an online gambling service.

goalnetwork.com, the global online soccer network launched in November, has signed a deal to be the exclusive sponsor on 185 soccer matches broadcast on FOX Sports World and 175 soccer matches on FOX Sports World Espanol.