Media

UK digital terrestrial channel ITV Sport has signed a two-year deal to cover the rugby union club competition the Heineken Cup for an undisclosed sum.

Australian broadcaster the Nine Network has unveiled the planned schedule for its newly acquired coverage of the Australian Football League (AFL) after winning the rights from main rival the Seven Network earlier this year.

Sportsworld Media Group has been appointed to handle pooled sponsorship for the UK’s 12 leading racecourses.

UK company Aggreko has won an exclusive contract to supply temporary power for broadcasters during next year’s FIFA World Cup in Japan.

Ericsson has signed as official mobile communications sponsor to sailing’s Volvo Ocean Race which sets sail this weekend.

Olympic leaders have painted an apocalyptic picture this week of the potential devastation from an attack on the opening ceremony of an Olympic Games.

Broadcasters are to be offered free news pool feeds of sailing’s Volvo Ocean Race.

Octagon UK’s success in attracting sponsors for European rugby union’s top club competitions has earned it the right to handle the event management and commercial arrangements of both the Heineken Cup and European Shield.

The town council of Spanish town Zaragoza is to demand compensation 'in image not in money' from Unipublic, the organisers of cycling’s, La Vuelta Ciclista a EspaC1a – the Tour of Spain – for not being able to broadcast the ninth stage because of strong winds.

Coverage of the UEFA Champions League by UK commercial broadcaster ITV is likely to be excluded from its planned satellite offering according to press reports.

The Board of directors at global internet sports media company SportsLine.com have repurchased up to six million shares in the Nasdaq-listed firm.

Attheraces, the UK media consortium run by BSkyB, Channel 4 and Arena Leisure, has appointed Simon Cooper as its communications director.

RTL Klub, the Hungarian unit of German media giant Bertelsmann , has won the broadcast rights until 2006 for Formula One motor racing, event organiser Hungaroring Rt has said.

Sportech, the London stock exchange-listed pools promotion, internet gaming, telephone betting, lotteries and lottery management company, has been awarded one of the first three online casino licences in the British Isles.

The Incepta Group has expanded its marketing services offering through the acquisition of the two leading UK sponsorship consultancies: Karen Earl Limited and Redmandarin – both of which are heavily involved in sport.

The Athens 2004 Olympic organising committee (ATHOC) has signed a deal with Athens International Airport as it ramps up plans for the Games.