Media

Coral, the UK's third largest bookmaker is planning to float to take advantage of the high ratings attached to Internet-related businesses.

Alan Gold has been named NFL vice president of international media, following the departure from the post of long term incumbent Anne Murray.

Sports. Com, the sports Internet company, has signed an agreement with Motorola and BT Cellnet to provide its sports content over WAP-enabled mobile phones.

The European Hockey League has been suspended over disappointing television distribution deals.

The first dedicated worldwide football betting Internet service has been launched.

The Australian Olympic Committee has created a new web site with a new address ? www. aoc.com.au.

ESPN Star Sports has secured an exclusive cable and satellite deal with the ATP Tour for the new Tennis Masters Series, previously known as the Mercedes Super 9 Series and the Tennis Masters Cup for the 2000 though 2002 seasons.

The Liberty Media Group is on the verge of securing the Ascent Entertainment Group ? that includes the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and the teams? arena ? in a deal worth $755m.

Deutsche Bank's Morgan Grenfell Private Equity is negotiating to sell its 12.5 percent of Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One for $550 million, according to report in London?s the Times newspaper.

Adidas UK has appointed Gordon Baird as managing director with sole responsibility for the company's UK and Ireland operations.

ESPN and Princeton Video Image (PVI) have announced an expanded use of virtual advertising in the 2000 Major League Baseball season.

Teamtalk.com, the soccer Internet company, is planning to raise #60m ($97m) through a placing of new ordinary shares.

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.

Japan Sports Channel, Inc. (JSC) the loss-making digital sports channel, will be dissolved by its owners, Itochu Corp.

Churchill Downs is to sell 26% of Hoosier Park, LP, which owns the Anderson, Indiana racetrack and off-track betting operations, to Centaur, Inc. for $8.5 million.

The International Football Channel (TIFC), the world's first 24 hour soccer network, due to launch its Spanish-language, Latin American signal March 1, has revealed its programming schedule.

Extreme Sports Channel, the new adventure and adrenaline sports service, is now available on digital cable in Germany.

UK betting shop operator, Firststake Plc, has appointed Simon Grieve, previously NTL?s marketing director of online and interactive services, to head the group?s new Internet betting service.