Sponsorship & Marketing

Golf Entertainment has launched GolfBZ.com, an internet business to business resource for golf course, golf range and related manufacturing, apparel, equipment and accessory companies within the golf industry.

Hussey Seating Company and Seiko Epsom Corp, the global technology company, are to co-develop `an interactive media seating solution? for the sports industry.

Sports marketing giant Octagon has landed in Greece, after aquiring leading Greek sports agency ACT ? the company behind Athens? successful bid to host the Olympic Games in 2004.

Sporting goods company Umbro is planning to launch a content and e-commerce website in September backed by a major advertising campaign.

The Prost Formula One team, run by the French four-times world champion Alain Prost, has appointed Credit Suisse First Boston to arrange its sale for about #45m. According to reports, potential buyers include Hidden Creek, a US private equity company, and Vector Motor Sports, a Canadian motor racing concern.

Golden Bear Golf, Inc. has completed its ?going private? merger with its wholly-owned subsidiary, G.B. Golf Corp.

Major Japanese Internet investor Softbank Corp has affirmed that its affiliate will start an online sports news service in a joint venture with Rivals.com Inc, a U.S. operator of Internet sports news.

SportsLine.com is to offer its entire suite of Commissioner.com fantasy products free of charge on its flagship CBS SportsLine.com site.

Sports.com, the mobile and fixed internet provider of European sports content, community and commerce, has been designated as the Official Internet Sports Partner of The Open Championship (opengolf.com) by the Championship Committee of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

Adidas America is to feature the full collection of official U.S. Olympic apparel online on their Olympic concept shop located at thestore.adidas.com.

Sydney Olympic Games marketeers have cruelly ignored the two animals most associated with Australia in their choice of Olympic mascots. Kangaroos and Koala Bears have been sidelined to make way for a new cast of animal stars: the duck-billed platypus, the kookaburra and the echidna (a spiny anteater).

The Australian Olympic Committee and host broadcaster Channel 7 have created a web address, olympics.com.au, in competition with the official Games site, olympics.com, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Extreme Sports Channel has signed a deal for the ISF World Junior Snowboarding Championships and Freestyle Frenzy with ISP, the Utah based distribution company.

USA Swimming's Board of Directors have voted 15-6 to lift a ban on full bodysuits for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Swimming.

Five carmakers, including Ford , Daimler Chrysler and Toyota , are in talks to buy a third of Bernie Ecclestone's SLEC Formula One business, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Eurosport, the European sports channel, is setting up a separate sales team to handle advertising and sponsorship sales of events and youth programming, under the YOZ (Youth Only Zone) banner.

Major League Baseball?s Baltimore Orioles are set to sell the naming rights to their Oriole Park ballpark.

Fila USA has renewed its agreement with the USTA as official footwear and tennis apparel sponsor of the 2000 U.S. Open Tennis Championships.