Sponsorship & Marketing

The Portland Trail Blazers have received criticism from basketball fans for showing Game 2 of the playoff series against Utah on pay-per-view at a cost $24.95. The game was broadcast nationally by the TNT cable channel, and blacked out within a 35-mile radius of downtown Portland. Responding to the criticism Harry Hut, the Blazers Senior vice-president for marketing said: ``People get the idea there's an obligation on the part of the team to televise a game, but there isn't.? The team, he said, wants ``to protect the home gate ... to provide a sold-out crowd atmosphere'' at the Rose Garden. However, Sunday's Game 1 of the series against the Jazz, shown on NBC, attracted a capacity crowd of 20,351.

Dick Rugge has been named senior technical director of the United States Golf Association.

Internet portal Sportal has launched its first TV advertising campaign ? due to run until Euro 2000.

Britain's Football News Organisation, a young firm that provides an online "form guide" for UK football punters, has said it plans to list on the London stock market after next season kicked off.

Legislators are poised to approve next week a total loss to taxpayers of $945 million for hosting the 2006 Asian Games in Hong Kong along with an event for disabled athletes.

Sportsworld Media Group plc, has been appointed exclusive marketing and media agent to the International Triathlon Union (ITU).

Long-standing Bayern Munich fan Boris Becker will sit next to Franz Beckenbauer at meetings of the prestigious German club's advisory board.

Sportsworld Media Group plc, the sports, media and entertainment business, has been appointed as exclusive marketing and media agent to the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the governing body for the sports of Triathlon, Duathlon and related multi-sports worldwide.

International Cricket Council president Jagmohan Dalmiya and future presidents will not be involved in financial negotiations on the ICC's behalf.

Electronic Arts has unveiled a new branding strategy that will unify the company's nine businesses behind a consistent imagery based on the EA Sports model.

Japan Airlines has decided to end its ten-year run as title sponsor of the LPGA?s Big Apple Classic following the conclusion of this year?s event. The current owner of the event, Golf Magazine, is now looking for a new title holder that would be willing to sign a long-term deal.

Adidas-Salomon is set to enter a global co-marketing deal with SportsLine.com and its European subsidiary Sports.com

Glen Kirton, managing director of ISL Marketing in Switzerland, has quit his role to return to the UK to join sports sponsorship and PR agency Craigie Taylor International (CTI).

Dick Schultz, the former US Olympic Committee and NCAA executive director is expected to be named chairman of the marketing firm MAI Sports, according to a report in USA Today.

Quokka Sports has appointed Casper Moller its new director of business development for its European sports operation.

The turbulent stock market may be creating funding problems for the big sports web site players as they continue to burn through cash, but Rivals.com general manager Scott Ehrlich argues that sports community niche sites will prosper because they can market themselves using the already existing connections and affinities between fans and groups of sports participants.