Media

The European Commission has shrugged off a threat that Formula One motor racing could leave Europe if the European Union demands changes to the organisation and commercial agreements governing the sport.

BSkyB and Vodafone have signed an Internet deal, which will allow Vodafone customers to gain access to sports results, team news, audio commentary and statistics.

Britain?s biggest Internet service provider, Freeserve, is considering plans to bid for the online broadcast rights for live soccer.

European soccer's showcase club competition, the Champions League, should be shorter, according to Bayern Munich commercial manager Uli Hoeness.

Barcelona has made a bid to host the next bout of former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, according to local press reports.

SFX Entertainment and XM Satellite Radio have announced an exclusive sponsorship deal that will introduce XM?s new band of national, digital radio to the millions who attend SFX?s more than 24,000 events annually.

Univision, the leading Spanish-language television broadcast company in the United States, is to broadcast the "Copa Oro 2000" (Gold Cup) tournament, beginning on Sunday, February 13.

Bluetorch, the cross-media network for extreme sports, is to produce and take the title sponsorship of the largest surfing event in North America.

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.