Sponsorship & Marketing

Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid is close to finalising a deal for the sale of its city-centre training facilities which will mean the club clears its huge debt of more than $250 million in one fell swoop.

The Swiss court determining whether troubled marketing firm ISL will be consigned to bankruptcy will make its decision on Monday, according to soccer?s world governing body, FIFA.

England?s Premier League soccer competition is expected to finally secure a new title sponsor on Monday when the 20 club chairmen are called to a meeting to vote on who will take over from brewing company Carling.

Radio First, the AIM-listed broadcasting company, has hired consultants Bamber Forsyth to undertake the branding of its soccer digital radio stations, the first of which will be launched in August.

ZOO Media, the UK-based company that helps brands to optimise financial returns from their sporting rights, has announced a reverse takeover of three-dimensional image provider Kazoo3D, pending shareholder approval.

Sportingbet.com, the online sports betting company, has signed a five year contract with Ozmosa to provide online sporting and gaming bets in East and South East Asia. Ozmosa?s 7,000 customers can currently bet on televised US baseball and the casino game, Baccarat.

The four bids so far submitted for the sponsorship of the Indian cricket team are not satisfactory, the treasurer of the country's cricket board (BCCI) has said.

Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) saw its first quarter 2001 revenue decrease by $1.4 million to $6.4m, in the first quarter of 2001, compared with the same time last year.

French and German media giants Vivendi Universal and Bertelsmann are understood to have agreed a deal with Swiss marketing company ISL whereby they jointly acquire the financially crippled firm for the nominal sum of one Swiss franc.

French media firm Vivendi chief Jean-Marie Messier has spoken for the first time about acquiring Swiss sports marketing firm ISMM ? parent company of ISL.

Troubled Swiss marketing firm ISL refuses to confirm or deny it has secured an eleventh hour rescue deal with media giants Vivendi Universal and Bertelsman.

Australia has received part of an $80 million increase in sports funding to be used to encourage more people to take part in physical activity.

Eurosport is embroiled in a rights-row with the United States Tennis Association and its exclusive marketing agency SFX.

World soccer's governing body will lose 30 million to 40m Swiss francs ($17.4m to $23m) if ISL, the company with marketing rights to the World Cup, goes bankrupt, a top official said Tuesday.

UK based bookmakers Ladbroke saw its profits rise by 30 per cent for the three months to March 31, compared with the equivalent period last year.

A leading sports industry advisor has told SportBusiness 2001 delegates that the sports sector success story is set to continue - despite the drop-off in advertising spend and threat of recession.