Stadia

UK terrestrial broadcaster Channel 4 has continued its move towards mainstream sports by signing a TV and internet video rights deal for the Le Mans 24-hour motor race.

Enic, the leisure and media company, which has stakes in a string of European soccer clubs, is planning to sell its retail and restaurant unit to concentrate on its sports interests.

Sportal, the UK-based sports internet company, was still ?fighting like hell? to rescue it from administration on Friday.

Chrysalis, the media company which produces ITV?s Formula One coverage and is the financier behind UK-based sports website Rivals.net, reported a pre-tax loss of #5.6m ($8m)for the six months to February 28 compared with a profit of #100,000 ($142,000) for the equivalent period last year.

Cable operators NTL and Telewest are to work more closely together with the aim to compete more effectively with Europe?s second-largest pay-TV broadcaster BSkyB.

Africa?s hopes of staging the 2010 World Cup were dashed after more than 130 people were killed and dozens injured in a stampede at a soccer game in Ghana's capital, Accra, in Africa's worst soccer tragedy.

AS Roma captain Francesco Totti extended his contract at the Italian league leaders until 2005 on Wednesday in a deal which will earn him 87 billion lire ($39.7 million) over the next four years, the club said in a statement.

Finnish ice hockey officials have agreed to host the 2003 world ice hockey championship, swapping the 2004 tournament with the Czech Republic who need more time to finish their facilities.

Sportal, the UK-based sports internet company, will know if it is still in business after a board meeting in London on Wednesday.

A new 70,000 capacity stadium is to be built in Lisbon to help it prepare for the 2004 European soccer championships, for which Portugal is the host country.

US internet company Logictier, which designs and manages internet web sites, has pulled out of its web hosting deal for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Granada Enterprises is lining up six companies, including Coca-Cola, to bid for sponsorship of UK-based broadcaster ITV's coverage of English Premier League soccer should the league's new title sponsor, Barclaycard, turn down the rights. The other five companies involved in a potential bid for the TV rights have not been disclosed.

Emirates Airline is to sponsor the London and Wales rugby union World Sevens Series this season. The airline will fly in the 16 competing teams to play in the event on May 27 and 28 at the Stoop Memorial Ground and Twickenham in London and at Rodney Parade, Newport and the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on June 2 and 3.

Rugbee.com has finally clinched its big name deal ? and signed up the internet domain name, rugby.com.

Sportal, the UK-based sports internet company, will today make last-ditch attempts to save itself from administration.

A local group trying to lure a National Basketball Association team to Memphis is asking other business people to contribute money towards the construction of an arena.