National Hockey League’s (NHL) Phoenix Coyotes are set to stay in Glendale, Arizona as the city council passed a new arena lease.

The Glendale City Council voted 4-3 to approve a 15-year, $225 million lease deal for Jobing.com Arena to Renaissance Sports & Entertainment a.k.a. IceArizona, the NHL-backed group that will take over the Coyotes and keep them in Glendale.

Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers summed up the city’s exhausted approach to the latest Phoenix Coyotes ownership group, bidding to keep the team in Glendale: “I don’t know if we’re fixing a problem or delaying a problem.” 

The deal was approved without the controversial “out clause” the city asked for, allowing it to end the lease after five years. That was removed in the approved deal, although IceArizona continues to have one of their own in the lease, in which they can leave in the fifth year if the team loses $50 million.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman spoke before the council on Tuesday. “Through the fits, the starts, the ups and downs, we’ve had incredible support from the fans in the Valley,” he said. “In the face of all the uncertainty, the fans and the business community were supportive.”

The whole procedure, which started in May 2009, has taken over four years to get to this stage.

us ends an ordeal that began in May 2009 for the NHL.

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook has agreed to appear in a advertising campaign with Champs Sports and the Jordan brand.

The 30-second television commercial serves as the centerpiece for the campaign. It centers on a high school basketball player picking up the latest Jordan brand gear at a Champs Sports store. Once he dons fresh apparel featuring the iconic Jumpman logo, the teen looks into a mirror and sees Westbrook staring back. Through several fast-paced sequences that follow, the player morphs into Westbrook while driving to the basket in practice, leading his basketball team in a pre-game ritual and hoisting a state championship banner in front of hundreds of applauding classmates. At the end, the player spots Westbrook roaming the halls of his school and gives him a nod as a show of respect.

The spot will debut online through digital media placements appearing on the sites of key sports and lifestyle media partners beginning May 15. It will begin airing in cinema May 17 and on network and cable TV broadcasts, including the NBA Conference Finals, starting May 20.

“Champs Sports is an unrivaled destination for Jordan brand product. And we’re extremely excited to be working on this campaign with Russell, who really personifies on-court and off-court Game,” said Frank Bracken, vice president of marketing, Champs Sports. “We think this program will really connect with our consumer because of the great product that’s featured, the vivid color stories, and the clever use of Russell in the creative. And our ability to tell this campaign story through TV, cinema, digital and social media means we can surround the consumer with our story in the most relevant media places this summer.”

The lead agency for the campaign is Zambezi. The commercial was produced by Mothership and Digital Domain and was filmed at Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City on April 2. Rapper T.I.’s “Go Get It” serves as the commercial’s soundtrack.

The inaugural Chiangmai Golf Classic will be launched in Thailand in March, capsule 2013 in another positive development which underscores the strength of the Asian Tour as it expands professional golf in the Kingdom and across the region, online officials announced today.

The full-field Asian Tour event will be held at the magnificent Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai, store which is situated in northern Thailand, from March 28-31 and offer a total prize fund of US$750,000.

Organizers will assemble a collection of international stars along with the region’s elite players led by Thai heroes Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant to grace the Chiangmai Golf Classic.

In conjunction with IMG, who is the event promoter, Asia’s newest showpiece will be broadcast live over four days on the Asian Tour’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes. This will ensure the Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai and the picturesque city of Chiangmai, which the Asian Tour will visit for the first time, are beamed throughout the world.

The launch of Thailand’s newest tournament will raise the number of Asian Tour events in the country to four, which will boost Thai players’ aspirations to qualify for the Olympic Games in 2016 through the Official World Golf Ranking.

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said the birth of the Chiangmai Golf  Classic was another strong endorsement from corporate Asia towards professional golf at the highest level in the region.

“We are delighted to announce the inclusion of the Chiangmai Golf Classic on our 2013 Schedule. I would like to thank Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai and IMG for delivering a new and exciting tournament in Thailand, which is one of our biggest partners in developing professional golf in Asia,” said Han.

“This will be our first visit to Chiangmai and we look forward to competing and entertaining fans at the Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai. The launch of a new event is fantastic and exciting for the Asian Tour and our players. It will have a positive effect on the game here and inject new impetus for many more great players to emerge from the Kingdom.”

Alpine Golf Group’s Udomsak Ngowsiri said: “On behalf of Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai, we are delighted to partner the Chiangmai Golf Classic as the host venue. It will be memorable to stage Chiangmai’s first Asian Tour tournament and we will leave no stones unturned to ensure the Chiangmai Golf Classic is launched successfully. The tournament will extensively promote Thailand and Chiangmai as a leading golfing destination through the global live television broadcasts.”

Thongchai, the only player to win three Asian Tour Order of Merit crowns, said: “The launch of the Chiangmai Golf Classic is a wonderful development for the game as it shows the growing strength of the Asian Tour which continues to create playing opportunities for Thai players and Asian Tour members. I am looking forward to playing in a new destination in Thailand which will promote the game further afield in our country.”

IMG Senior Vice President, Grant Slack, said: “We believe the Chiangmai Golf Classic will positively impact the landscape of golf in Thailand and Asia, as achieved by other major events which IMG are involved in such as last week’s very successful Thailand Golf Championship on the Asian Tour and the long-running Honda LPGA.

“IMG is proud to add another Asian Tour event in a new and very beautiful area of Thailand and to be able to provide further playing opportunities for golfers in the region.

“Sponsors continue to support the game at the highest level in Asia via the Asian Tour. Through Asian Tour Media, which will produce the live television broadcasts, the Chiangmai Golf Classic will be beamed to every corner of the world which will place Chiangmai and Thailand firmly on the world’s golfing map.”

The Chiangmai Golf Classic will be a 72-hole strokeplay tournament showcasing 144 players with the leading 94 Asian Tour players featuring in the elite field alongside 10 players from the top-200 of the Official World Golf Ranking, 30 players from Thailand and 10 sponsor’s invitations.

Sauber Formula One team has said Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi’s future will not be decided based on the sponsorship funds he can raise for the team.

The team principal, vcialis 40mg Monisha Kaltenborn, said when the team signed Kobayashi in 2010 he had no sponsors and were fully aware of his sponsorship status.

Kobayashi has reportedly been courting potential sponsors in Japan and may well be looking at opportunities with other F1 teams next season.{jcomments on}

Waddell & Reed has picked up another $500 million stake in Formula One increasing their aggregate stake to 20.9%. 

CVC Capital Partners has nearly halved its stake in Formula One over the course of the year, thanks to the investment firm. 

CVC had a 63% stake in Formula One, but this latest news, which follows on from May’s $1.6 billion deal with Waddell & Reed, BlackRock, and Norway’s Norges Bank Investment Management, sees the private equity firm’s total share in the business reduced to 35%.

According to the financial analysts at Reuters, this latest deal with Waddell & Reed will reduce the pressure on CVC to get F1 listed on the Singapore stock market. The Formula One IPO expected to take place this summer was delayed two weeks ago following concerns about stability in the markets; as yet there is no news concerning a revised schedule for the flotation.

With a 21% stake in the business, Waddell & Reed are now part owners of Formula One. The investment management firm, which is based in Kansas, is itself a publicly traded company. One of the core elements of their business is retirement planning and pension packages. As such, many of their investments are businesses with long-term growth potential.

The fact that Waddell & Reed have decided to acquire a sizeable stake in Formula One speaks volumes about their confidence in the future viability of the sport.

London’s O2 Arena will host the 2013 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Fours, Europe’s premier basketball event, with a mutual option to hold the 2014 edition.

Euroleague Basketball and AEG will join forces to put on the tournament in the 20,000-seat indoor arena which will host the basketball and gymnastics at the 2012 London Olympics and staged a series of NBA exhibition games..

It is the first time a European basketball title game will take place in the United Kingdom and the announcement took place in Istanbul ahead of this year’s final on Sunday.

The event features the best four teams from the Turkish Airlines Euroleague season as well as the annual Nike International Junior Tournament and other parallel events.

Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, said: “Six years ago we signed a strategic agreement with AEG, which has already borne wonderful fruit.

“In these six years we have worked together, with AEG as both consultants to our teams to maximize their arena resources and as hosts for our Final Fours.

“After our very successful Final Fours in Berlin and Paris, in which AEG has displayed great efficiency and professionalism in developing such a major event like the Final Four, we arrive at the opportunity to host it at London’s magnificent O2, one of the most modern and spectacular arenas in the world.

“I am confident that the Final Four, which is already an unforgettable experience for Turkish Airlines Euroleague fans, will take another step forward in London.

“We’re trying to help the growth of basketball in the UK and this is one of the ways we can make a contribution.

“The success of the NBA games proves that the interest is there from the public. The British team participating in the Olympics has to add value to promoting the game.”

Jay Marciano, President & CEO AEG Europe, said: “We’re very excited to announce that AEG and the O2 will be hosting the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four in both 2013 and 2014.

“Whilst The O2 is no stranger to basketball – it has hosted regular season NBA games and is gearing up for the London 2012 basketball finals –we are proud that Euroleague Basketball have, for the first time, chosen to hold the Final Four at the O2 for the next few seasons.

“I’m personally looking forward to building upon this great relationship after two extremely successful Final Fours organized jointly at the O2 World Berlin in 2009 and at the Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy in 2010.”

Lou Imbriano, former chief marketing officer of New England Patriots, believes there is “huge potential” for the NFL in Europe.

In an exclusive interview for his iSportconnect featured profile, Imbriano said: “I think the NFL views themselves as a global game. I went to Wembley and saw the Patriots play Tampa Bay.  The place was jammed packed and the fun part about it was that they were wearing every jersey from every team. It’s a great game to watch, it’s a great game for television and it’s a great game to gamble on. With all those three things, I don’t care where you’re from, there’s a tendency for a majority of folks to migrate to that sort of sport.

I think there’s some huge potential in Europe, because of the proximity. The only real drag is the time difference, but you’re talking only two hours so you just need to prepare and plan differently. I don’t see any reason why it can’t be done, and that you won’t see a team in London in the not too distant future.”

Lou Imbriano Joins iSportconnect as Advisory Board Member

iSportconnect is pleased to announce Lou Imbriano has joined as an advisory board member. Imbriano is a fantastic acquisition for iSportconnect’s US office; he has vast experience in the sport business industry having held prestigious marketing roles at top US sports clubs New England Patriots (NFL) and New England Revolution (MLS).

Imbriano studied at Boston College, where he is now a Professor of Sports Marketing, before he began his career as Executive Sports Producer at WHDH in 1987. Between 1997 and 2006 he was Chief Marketing Officer of The New England Patriots. He held the position of Chief Operating Officer at MLS club, New England Revolution between 2001 and 2005.

Since 2006 Imbriano has been President and CEO of TrinityOne, a Marketing Strategy and Business Advisory Consultancy that helps businesses, particularly in the sports industry, to attain and retain customers.

Imbriano wrote a highly-acclaimed business advisory manual ‘Winning The Customer,’ which was published in summer 2011 by McGraw-Hill.

Chris Campasano, iSportconnect’s US Managing Director said: “We are very excited that Lou is joining iSportconnect. His knowledge, insight, and experience in sports marketing will be invaluable in helping iSportconnect grow in the US and globally.”

Imbriano added: “The sports business has many brilliant minds around the world and it’s time that we stop looking in our own backyard and truly begin to communicate and consult with everyone in our business. I love the concept of iSportconnect because it will allow the varying points of view in the sports industry to connect and collaborate with ease and efficiency across the globe. I am looking forward to working with Sree, Chris and the board to help the concept flourish.”

Read Lou Imbriano’s featured profile.

Jack Warner, the CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president suspended alongside former presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam last month, is refusing to meet with the organisations investigators tasked with probing bribery allegations.

Warner, along with Bin Hammam, was alleged to have paid bribes totalling US$1m to Caribbean associations and stated: “I have not received any summons asking me to speak with them [the investigators] nor do I plan to.”

A total of 25 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) associations are alleged to have been paid or offered bribes of $40,000 (£25,000) each – and up to 18 of these have refused FIFA’s call to go to Miami to provide evidence.

Warner will not be among those questioned after FIFA agreed to move the venue for the interviews with those CFU members who refused to travel to Miami.

However, a CFU source said that its associations were prepared to co-operate with any “independent and unbiased” investigation.

The president of the Barbados Football Association, Ronald Jones, has insisted that neither he nor his officials were offered any bribes by Bin Hamman or Warner.

“None of our delegates were offered any inducements or gifts to support any of the candidates during the meeting on 10 May,” said Jones in a statement.

“The Barbados Football Association was made aware that the trip and accommodation were sponsored by Mohamed Bin Hamman under the auspices of the CFU.

“The BFA did not and does not see this as akin to bribery or any inducements as in the past trips by Caribbean delegates to meetings have been sponsored by the organisation and agency that wanted to put on the programme.”

The Soccerex European Forum on 30-31 March in Manchester has announced that Nike, Konami, Facebook and Lionside will feature in a special session on Digital Media in soccer.

The session, titled ‘Digital Media: The Changing Face of Fan Interaction’, will feature a series of interactive presentations looking at how digital media has moved the goalposts of fan engagement and the different challenges and opportunities presented to the football industry by the new media landscape.

The presentations will be made by Rick Kelley, Head of Mid Market Sales EMEA, Facebook, Florian Stronk, Head of Online Business Development, Konami and Mario Turza, Global Digital Lead, Nike Football. The panel will be chaired by Michael McBride, VP Business Operations at leading sports social gaming company Lionside.

Konami’s Florian Stronk commented on his involvement, stating: “The European Forum is a great opportunity for us to present our involvement in football, including but beyond the gaming aspects that Konami has been known for. It is a rapidly changing business field for license owners as well as for sponsors. This session should bring everyone ‘up to date’ and will surely provide interesting insights into the rapidly evolving monetization and promotion opportunities in the digital space.”

Spanish La Liga football club Real Madrid has reported an almost 50 per cent increase in ticket revenue thanks mainly to an increase in foreign visitors to its Bernabeu Stadium.

The nine-time European champions made €27 million (US$34.4 million) in ticket revenue for the year to 30 June –  a 48 per cent increase on the previous 12 months, health according to its annual report.

The report also said that Spanish-based season ticket holders handed back more than 100,000 match tickets for resale over that period, while sales to visitors from the UK and US climbed.

The club sold 15,500 match tickets abroad last season, which was a 29 per cent increase.

Spain is currently coming out of its worst economic slump in 60 years, with an unemployment rate of 20 per cent.

CEO of Spanish marketing agency Prime Time Sports, Esteve Calzada, said: “More tickets are available to foreigners because of the economic crisis.”