IMG Productions, look part of IMG Worldwide, allergist has announced it will provide consultancy services on a new sports channel as part of a five year deal with Forever Group Co. Ltd in Myanmar. 

The deal is the first Production partnership that IMG have entered into within Myanmar.

Based at Forever Group’s HQ in Yangon, IMG worked with the broadcaster in the build up to the launch of the channel, For Sports 2, in July. 

IMG also delivered onsite training in contemporary production techniques to staff and will provide ongoing consultancy in the running of the channel, with a view to launching subsequent channels at some point in the future as well as advising on planned new studio programmes. 

Graham Fry, Managing Director, Sports Production Worldwide at IMG Media said: “This is a very important deal for IMG as we will be entering the Myanmar market as a production company for the very first time. Our experience of producing sports programming across the globe ensures we are extremely well placed to advise our colleagues at Forever Group, and we are very pleased to be working with them.” 

In addition to a global HQ in London, IMG Productions also has offices in Singapore, New York, Oslo, Stockholm, Glasgow and Sydney.

The Honda Classic has signed a deal to remain at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, anesthetist Fla., for at least the next four years, the tournament announced Tuesday.

“We feel like we have the best venue on the PGA Tour,” Honda Classic executive director Kenneth R. Kennerly said in a release. “The move to PGA National has allowed the Honda Classic to emerge as one of the top events of the year. The players love the course and enjoy their time in Palm Beach County, which is evidenced by the number of top players who continue to move to this area. We are excited that we will be able to stay at PGA National as we move into the future.”

Recently, PGA National underwent a $100 million renovation that included floor-to-ceiling makeovers over its 379 rooms and a new bar and grill called “Bar 91,” among other upgrades.

World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) have revealed their TV audience is growing exponentially fast.

Since the inception of the World Championship in 2005, symptoms figures grew from 70 million viewers across 20 broadcasters to over half a billion viewers across 84 broadcasters in 2012.

The full 2012 broadcast figures will be announced by IFM, ask the Germany-based sports research firm, help in its yearly report to be published by the mid of January.

“Among the  84 broadcasters, 49 were free-to-air channels, 31 were cable and satellite channels and four were news agencies. There was a total of about 1,400 hours of WTCC programming in 2012, compared to 1,237 hours in 2011, while the cumulative audience increased by nearly 10 per cent,” explained François Ribeiro, motor sport development director at Eurosport Events.

Speaking about the near future, Ribeiro said: “In 2013, our priority targets are Russia and USA. We are currently in negotiations with premier networks in both countries. On top of this we want to push for improving our coverage in Japan.”

WTCC’s TV strategies are directly connected to the importance of the automotive markets: “We really try to make sure that WTCC is aired, whether it is covered by Eurosport or not, in the main automotive markets. And then of course we try to place our programmes in the emerging markets, which are  key to the car manufacturers,” added Ribeiro.

The New Jersey Grand Prix is set to be added to the 2013 F1 Calendar at the expense of the European Grand Prix in Valencia, according to a provisional calendar.

The Grand Prix of America remains the subject of much discussion and rumour over its viability but a schedule leaked at the Singapore Grand Prix has it installed as the second part of a trans-Atlantic double-header with Montreal in mid-June. The race directly replaces the European Grand Prix in Valencia which, despite provide an interesting backdrop for the F1 circus, has yet to regularly produce either scintillating racing or large crowds.

The New Jersey race, which will also take place on a waterfront street circuit, is one of four dates still awaiting final confirmation – along with Germany, Singapore and Korea – and the calendar, which has still to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council, could continue to evolve amid rumours that France is chasing a place at the table and Turkey could be poised to return after a one-year break caused by a disagreement over fees as crowd figures struggled to match expectation at the otherwise well-loved Istanbul Park circuit.

While there are rumours that the latest Concorde Agreement contains the provision to expand the schedule beyond the current 20 races, doubts remain over the viability of both the German and Korean races, both of which have their own financial concerns. Singapore, meanwhile, reaches the end of its initial five-year deal with FOM this weekend, but is widely expected to continue as the calendar’s only night race despite organisers debating the fee it pays to host the F1 fraternity. According to Britain’s Daily Telegraph, the event is apparently looking for relief from its already favourable $12m fee on the grounds that it already faces vastly higher set-up costs due to being staged after dark.

Although the provisional schedule remains at 20 races, the loss of Valencia means that it features an historical low of just seven in the sport’s European heartland, with the extended travel requirements of going to Asia and the Americas also bringing a record high eight back-to-back rounds.

The Spanish Grand Prix will take place in Barcelona amid continuing suggestions that the Circuit de Catalunya could enter a date share with Valencia, while Spa’s new deal ensures that it remains a cornerstone of the programme.

The complete provisional schedule is as follows:

March 17 Australia
March 24 Malaysia
April 14 China
April 21 Bahrain
May 12 Spain
May 26 Monaco
June 9 Canada
June 16 United States (New Jersey) *
June 30 Britain
July 21 Germany *
July 28 Hungary
September 1 Belgium
September 8 Italy
September 22 Singapore *
October 6 Japan
October 13 Korea *
October 27 India
November 3 Abu Dhabi
November 17 United States (Austin)
November 24 Brazil

*Not Confirmed yet

Kobe Bryant has been ranked as the number one Basketball player in terms of international jersey sales.

NBA has for the first time released its list of top-selling jerseys internationally, and despite younger superstars such as Derrick Rose and LeBron James leading sales domestically in the past couple years, Kobe Bryant reigns supreme across the globe.

According to ESPN.com, Kobe led all jersey sales in the 2011-12 season overall, and in three regional categories, including China, Europe, and Latin America. The notch marks the sixth straight year the Lakers superstar led jersey sales in China.

Rounding out the top five sellers internationally were Rose, the Miami Heat’s LeBron James, the Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett, and the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard. Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers finished ninth.

Bryant’s teammate Pau Gasol, a native of Spain, had the top-selling jersey among non-American players at 11th. His countryman, point guard Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves, finished 15th.

While Kobe leads around the world, as previously reported, Derrick Rose leads in U.S. jersey sales.

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) are planning to have flagship weekly programme, buy renamed ICC Cricket 360 with the help from IMG Media, cough part of IMG Worldwide, prostate the global sports and media company in a deal lasting until the end of 2015.

The weekly half-hour programme is scheduled to begin in June 2012 and will be produced out of IMG Sports Media’s Singapore’s production base and will draw heavily on IMG’s production experience around the world.

The programme will cover news from the full spectrum of world cricket with features and action from the very best of the top cricketing countries through to the 95 ICC Associate and Affiliate Members where the game is growing in popularity.

The half-hour programme will include features such as star interviews with leading international players, the A-Z of Cricket and Featured Club of the Week, as well as news, reviews and previews from all levels of the game. There will be regular updates on the ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC World Twenty20, ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC U-19 World Cup as well as Test cricket. The continued success of women’s cricket, including the ICC Women’s World Cup, the ICC’s successful Pepsi ICC Development Programme and a weekly update on the latest Reliance ICC Rankings will also feature prominently. Among the leading players expected to feature in the opening editions of the show are Yuvraj Singh, Shane Watson and Kevin O’Brien.

ICC Cricket 360 will also allow supporters to engage with the show through the use of different Twitter hashtags for each edition’s main feature stories, while additional material not featured in the television programme will also be available on social media platforms, including the ICC’s official Twitter and Facebook page.

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC Chief Executive, said: “Our partnership with IMG and the launch of ICC Cricket 360 is fitting as it will showcase the splendour of cricket, including the three vibrant formats and the captivating ICC global events. Promoting the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka and the U/19 Cricket World Cup in Australia this year and the Champions Trophy in England next year will be an exciting start.

“The show will also be an excellent platform to present the growing success of our Pepsi ICC Development Programme and the rewarding strides achieved in women’s cricket. The weekly programme will be valuable to promote cricket both in traditional and new audience markets over the next three years.”

Executive producer, Andy Tait, said: “Our aim will be to give viewers and cricket fans a unique behind-the-scenes view. We will show how the game is growing in different parts of the world due to the ICC’s initiatives and competitions, especially at youth and grassroots level in the different regions.”

He added: “We will unearth truly amazing stories that will show the role cricket is playing in different parts of the world and in all walks of life. It is a truly global game and our objective is to demonstrate how far and wide cricket’s message is being heard as well as talking to some of the top players past and present and delving into the rich cricketing archives for historical elements to the show. The cricket fan is in for a real treat.”

EFLI (Elite Football League of India) has announced that Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg and ex- Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Kurt Warner have become the latest investors in the forthcoming league.

The league, ambulance which is set to launch in November with eight teams, cough is the first attempt at bringing American football to the subcontinent.

The EFLI will run through until February 2013 and includes representatives from around India – Bhubaneswar Warhawks, Mumbai Gladiators, Hyderabad Skykings, Goa Swarm, Pune Blacktigers, Kolkata Vipers, Delhi Defenders and Punjab Warriors.

Wahlber has promised to promote the EFLI brand through media and personal introduction and support. He stated, “I anxiously look forward to the inaugural 2012 season. I hope to bring my family to India for the opening game and to witness this miracle that is the EFLI”.

The amount of investment from either man has not been disclosed, but it has been released that Warner will invest $50,000 in the purchase and distribution of Warner Family footballs to schools and across India.

Warner added, “I am extremely excited about the possibilities of the EFLI. I became a partner for two primary reasons.

“First, to expand the reach of what I believe is the greatest team sport in the world. The game of football has a chance to impact the lives of many people and families in India, like it did for mine.

“Second, I believe the success of EFLI will present us with some amazing opportunities to impact their communities from a charitable perspective. I believe we will be able to use the great game of football to truly impact the people of India, both on and off the field, and help many to improve on their quality of life”.

Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka and ESPN NFL analyst Ron Jaworski have already been announced as investors in EFLI.

Looking forward, the league hopes to follow the IPL model and auction the franchises if they are successful.

Sports channel Ten Sports, which is owned by Zee Group, is committed to broadcasting the action.

India’s parliamentary committee of finance, headed by former finance minister Yashwant Sinha, has finalised its report on alleged financial wrongdoings in the country’s leading Twenty20 cricket competition Indian Premier League (IPL).

The four franchises involved are Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab.

In its report, the panel has accused the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) and the IPL franchises of violating Company Law and RBI regulations. It has also asked to process action against BCCI top brass for the alleged violations.

The panel has recommended that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigate the alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations of the BCCI and four IPL franchises.

It also asked that the investigations be completed within six-months.

The committee has come down heavily on the income tax department for being “lenient” towards the Indian cricket board and the IPL franchises.

The panel has asked ofr fastracking of the process of income tax assessment of the BCCI and IPL franchises. 

The committee has also pulled up several banks for not following know your customer (KYC) norms while dealing with IPL franchises with dubious ownership structures.

The panel has asked for an action taken report (ATR) on the matter to be submitted within a month of the tabling of its report.