AEG and MGM Resorts International have announced an agreement formalizing the details of the previously announced joint venture to build a new arena project, between New York-New York and Monte Carlo resorts, extending from Las Vegas Blvd. to Frank Sinatra Drive. 

They have selected Populous, designers of many of the world’s most memorable sports, concert and entertainment venues as the Architect of Record and designer for the new approximately 20,000-seat indoor arena.

The arena is expected to break ground in summer 2014, with the grand opening projected for spring 2016.  The project is anticipated to cost approximately $350 million and be financed with equity contributions from each of the partners as well as privately funded third-party financing.

“Finalizing our agreement with AEG and selecting Populous, a world-class design firm, as the architect of this project are both important milestones in this process,” said Jim Murren, MGM Resorts International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  “The combination of MGM and AEG, along with the excellent Las Vegas Strip location, is already driving interest from potential investors in this exciting new development.”

Populous is underway creating designs for the state-of-the-art arena set to become Las Vegas’ premier destination for sporting events, major headline entertainment and special events that will drive significant visitation and revenue to Las Vegas. The venue will feature a variety of unique premium seating offerings as well as other hospitality areas for entertaining and private events.

Dan Beckerman, President & Chief Executive Officer, AEG, said, “After spending many years exploring a variety of arena opportunities in Las Vegas, we are excited to have consummated a partnership with MGM Resorts International, the leading gaming and hospitality company, to begin designing and building a state-of-the-art arena on such an ideally located site. Bringing together the knowledge, experience and assets of our respective organizations, we will create an arena that offers fans the best live entertainment experience.”

AEG Global Partnerships, an affiliate of AEG that collaborates with more than 100 venues and other AEG assets worldwide to create sales and marketing platforms, will undertake the sales of sponsorships, premium seating and luxury suite sales as well as seeking a naming rights partner for the new Las Vegas showplace.

Chris Carver, Senior Principal at Populous, said, “The new MGM-AEG arena in Las Vegas will provide the nation’s preeminent entertainment destination with a world-class venue that will redefine amenities and premium offerings tailored to the demanding Las Vegas market. We very much look forward to working with MGM and AEG to fulfill their progressive aspirations and quality standards for the entire development.”

World leaders in the design and development of iconic arena projects, Populous’ portfolio of sports facilities includes more than 20 projects in association with AEG or ICON Venue Group (serving as project managers for the project) including London’s O2 arena, Berlin’s O2 World arena and Kansas City’s Sprint Center.

Crumbs Bake Shop, anesthetist Inc. today announced its partnership with NBC Sports Group and the NHL to create a unique campaign to promote the start of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs on NBC Sports.

As part of NBC Sports Group’s “Because It’s The Cup” marketing campaign, Crumbs has designed and created a limited edition of custom sets of “Stanley Cup(cakes) that will be delivered to local sports radio stations, to affiliate and RSN television networks, and to media and key business partners.

Additionally, Crumbs will be selling, in each of its 69 retail locations throughout the country, Stanley Cup(cakes) designed with either the Stanley Cup or team specific logos. In a collaborative effort, NBC Sports Network, the NHL and Crumbs Bake Shop will co-brand a mobile vehicle touring key playoff cities distributing the specialty “iced” cupcakes.

“We are excited to partner with Crumbs Bake Shop on this unique element of our “Because It’s The Cup” Stanley Cup Playoffs campaign with the NHL” said John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Sports Group. “Working with Crumbs on this promotion is important to our overall efforts to connect with fans in fun and unique ways.”

Julian R. Geiger, President and CEO of Crumbs Bake Shop, said “We are thrilled to partner with NBC Sports Group and the NHL on this exciting opportunity. Priding ourselves on our creativity, exclusivity, and design expertise, this chance to innovate while celebrating the Stanley Cup Playoffs is as exciting as scoring a shorthanded goal for us.”

Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C., in Potomac Falls, Va., has been named the site of the 38th Junior PGA Championship, to be conducted July 30 – Aug. 2, 2013.

One of the nation’s premier events in junior golf, the Junior PGA Championship has been a stepping stone to both collegiate and professional careers for many of golf’s past and current performers.

“The Junior PGA Championship has a proud tradition in providing one of the best golf experiences possible for the next generation of golfers,” said PGA of America President Ted Bishop. “To bring this Championship to a facility like Trump National Golf Club in the shadow of our nation’s capital reflects our Association’s commitment to offer an outstanding venue to identify the finest young golfers in our country.”

Donald J. Trump, Chairman & President of The Trump Organization, welcomed the Junior PGA Championship to Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C., just one of his 14 golf world class golf properties throughout North America and Europe.

“I am extremely pleased that The PGA has recognized our course as the perfect location for their 2013 Junior Championship. It is an honor to welcome such young talented individuals to Trump National and I look forward to continuing to support their success and the Junior PGA for many years,” said Mr. Trump.

The 18-hole Championship Tournament Course at Trump National Golf Club was designed by Tom Fazio and fronts entirely on the majestic Potomac River.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity and are determined to provide an unforgettable venue for the best young golfers in the Country. The course is in amazing shape and I look forward to a fantastic tournament this summer,” said John Valder, PGA head professional at Trump National Golf Club – Washington, D.C.

The Junior PGA Championship is where the best in the world get their start. Begun in 1976, the Championship has been a popular stop on the national junior circuit for many of today’s PGA and LPGA touring professionals. Past competitors who have gone on to successful professional careers include Stewart Cink, Trevor Immelman, Cristie Kerr, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Michelle McGann, Phil Mickelson, In-Bee Park, Dottie Pepper, Alexis Thompson, Michelle Wie, and Tiger Woods.

In 2012, Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand became the first girls’ division champion since In-Bee Park of South Korea to claim back-to-back titles, while Robby Shelton of Wilmer, Ala., claimed the boys’ title at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Askari H. Zaidi, cialis Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications of the Jaypee Group is not optimistic of a full house for this year’s Indian Grand Prix. 

Inklings that Formula One and India would be incompatible were initially proved wrong when a 95, bronchi 000 capacity crowd packed into the Bhudd International Circuit for the event, doctor but numbers for this week’s race are not expected to hit such high numbers. 

Speaking exclusively to iSportconnect, Zaidi said: “The attendance will not be 95,000 this year. 

“Last year, many people were very curious as it was the first time F1 was being held in India, but we are confident that a good number of people will come. 

“The exact number would be difficult to predict right now because people don’t really plan in advance. Last year, more than 45% of tickets were sold in the last ten days.” 

Despite a predicted lull, Zaidi is assured that motorsport will eventually become a success in Indian the subcontinent. 

“It will take time because in this part of the world, motorsport is not very popular,” added Zaidi. 

“In some pockets in South India, like Bangalore or Chennai, motorsport facilities are up to international standard. But, some circuits are of the required standard and that has encouraged many people to take up motorsport. 

“The Indian government remains positive and we are very hopeful that in coming years, we will improve a lot in terms of public support.” 

Stay tuned in to iSportconnect to read the interview, coming soon.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has cast fresh doubts of the inaugural staging of the Grand Prix of America in New Jersey by suggesting organisers have not been keeping up with contract deadlines.

The race is planned to run on 3.2 miles of public roads which snake alongside the Hudson river opposite Manhattan’s historic skyline. It is located in the towns of West New York and Weehawken in the state of New Jersey and was announced with great fanfare in October.

Since then, there has been little news about progress and Ecclestone says “I don’t know if it is going to happen. I hope everything will be OK. They are sorting things out internally with some of their funds. If they are ready for 2013 we will have them.”
Ecclestone adds that the delay has led to the race organisers paying penalties. “We are waiting for different parts of the contract to be agreed. They are late,” he says.

The race is run by US fund manager Leo Hindery and although it has been confirmed that public money will not be used to support the project, its backers have not been named.

Ecclestone may have higher tolerance with the organisers than he would with their rivals since he has been trying to bring an F1 race to the New York City area for nearly 40 years.

A spokesman for Grand Prix of America said: “We don’t comment on our contractual relationship with Formula 1 or its details. We are on track for a June 2013 race, with all course engineering and construction progressing precisely on schedule, a strong management team in place, and strong ongoing support from New Jersey, New York City and the local communities involved. We are very confident that the 2013 F1 Grand Prix of America will be a great event.”

It is the second new F1 race scheduled to take place in the US over the next 12 months. The first is the United States Grand Prix in Texas which will be the penultimate race of this season and will run on 18 November. After a troubled development the Texas race is now on track and Ecclestone says “they are doing a good job with it. Every week they send me updates.”

The two races are part of Ecclestone’s strategy to strengthen F1’s roots in the US where its popularity is eclipsed by the home-grown NASCAR racing series. There may be more US F1 races on the way as Ecclestone is currently renegotiating the Concorde Agreement, the contract which controls the location of Grands Prix and limits them to 20 per year.

He reveals that under the new contract, which begins in 2013, “we could do in America very much like we do in Europe with three or four races in the same month. NASCAR probably wouldn’t be happy. If we planned it carefully we could probably go to two or three more races.”

 

Chiacgo Bulls secured the top position as NBA’s Most Popular Jersey and Team Merchandise while reigning MVP Derrick Rose took the individual honours, based on sales at the temporary NBA Store on New York’s Fifth Avenue and on NBAStore.com from April 2011 to present. 

Rose, who climbed from No. 5 last year to No. 1 on the jersey list for the first time in his career, helped the Bulls reclaim the top overall spot in team merchandise sales for the first time since April 2001. 

At No. 2 on the list is New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin, whose breakout season also propelled him to the most popular jersey spot for February and March.Rounding out the top five are Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant (No. 3), Miami Heat’s LeBron James (No. 4) and the Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (No. 5). Since 2001, Bryant has claimed the No. 1 position six times and James has held it twice. 

The Knicks, who also have Amar’e Stoudemire (No. 11) on the jersey list, advanced two spots from last year to No. 2 on this year’s team list followed by the Lakers (No. 3), Heat (No. 4), and the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks (No. 5). Prior to this year, the Lakers occupied the top spot in team merchandise since the end of the 2008 season.

by Ismail Uddin

The National Football League (NFL) could begin testing its players for human growth hormone (HGH) within two weeks, herbal commissioner Roger Goodell announced.

The league and NFL Players Association met with a House committee in Washington, viagra 60mg D.C., viagra 60mg to discuss the specifics of HGH testing. The two sides had agreed, in principle, to put HGH testing in place as part of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Whenever the NFL officially begins its tests, it will be a landmark moment in professional sports — baseball tests its minor-league players for HGH, but there is no system in place yet for the majors.

The NFL already has in place a relatively strict drug-testing policy, one that has led to the suspension of some high-profile names, like Brian Cushing and Shawne Merriman, for steroid use. The added HGH tests would continue to push the NFL to the front lines in American professional sports, regarding its anti-drug policies.

Part of the reason for the delay, and for the NFLPA’s hesitancy to jump into the agreed-upon plan, is that questions continue to arise about the safety and accuracy of HGH testing.

Despite Goodell’s claim that this would begin soon, the NFLPA repeatedly has expressed concerns over those issues.

The current HGH test, which the NFL is trying to implement, reportedly can only trace HGH in a person’s system for 24 hours resulting in a possibility of beating the test, especially since the NFL currently gives its players a day’s notice before running drug tests.

Any baseball minor-leaguer who tests positive for HGH receives an automatic 50-game suspension. Cushing’s steroids suspension, by comparison, was for four games — a similar percentage of the overall season. Then-Patriots safety Rodney Harrison and then-Cowboys QB coach Wade Wilson were suspended four games each at the start of the 2007 season after admitting to taking HGH.

Prior to the 2010 season, Canadian doctor Anthony Galea was charged with the smuggling and unlawful distribution of HGH to athletes across several leagues, including the NFL. The Redskins’ Santana Moss was linked to Galea but not suspended.

The NFLPA’s discomfort with the current testing system initially made it look unlikely that the NFL would be able to implement the HGH tests before the start of the 2012 preseason, at the earliest.

Friday’s meeting in Washington, D.C., seems to have changed that timetable, though there’s no guarantee that the window Goodell provided will remain accurate.

English Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hotspur have started a second High Court legal action over West Ham United’s successful bid for the 2012 stadium, asking for the roles of the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) and two government departments involved in making the decision to be reviewed.

Last month Tottenham had sought permission from the court to bring a claim against the east London Borough of Newham after they arranged a £40m (US$65.75m) loan to finance West Ham’s successful move, with the club due to move into the stadium in the summer of 2013.

Tottenham have now widened their appeal by asking the High Court to start a separate judicial review into the roles of several other key parties involved.

A statement from the club said: “The club has today sought permission from the High Court to bring a claim against the Olympic Park Legacy Company Limited, the Mayor of London, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for judicial review of a series of decisions made by them to appoint a joint bid by the London Borough of Newham and West Ham United Football Club as preferred bidder in a competition for the lease of the Olympic Stadium.”

Tottenham also said they were continuing discussions with both local and national government bodies to seek to agree a “feasible stadium solution”. English League One side Leyton Orient also demanded a judicial review against Newham’s role in partnering West Ham’s bid last month.

The High Court will now assess all claims that have been made before deciding whether to hold a judicial review into the case.

The Austrian Ski Association (OSV) has signed an extended four-year agreement with Austrian telecommunications company A1 Telekom.

As part of the deal the telecoms company will sponsor the OSV Women’s and Men’s Alpine Ski teams.

Chief executive of A1 Telekom Austria, Hannes Ametsreiter, said: “The Austrian Ski Federation is the most powerful sports body in winter sports, we are number one in the Austrian telecommunications market. Success combines us and together we can achieve more yet.”

Professor Peter Schröcksnadel of the Austrian Ski Association added: “For years, A1 have been reliable and extremely loyal partners of the Austrian Ski Federation. Their commitment as a team sponsor for the entire alpine teams – men and women – is a partnership of the best kind.”

The debt of Spanish La Liga champions Barcelona is much greater than first thought, after a new audit into the club’s finances have revealed a deficit of US$575.6 million following a loss of more than US$100 million last season.

The previous president, Joan Laporta, had previously claimed the club was US$14.3 million in the black last month.

But an audit carried out by Deloitte for new president Sandro Rosell has revealed extensive losses.

Barcelona vice-president Javier Faus told a press conference: “There is a structural problem. The sporting excellence of the past few years has not been reflected in excellence in economic management.”

At the end of June, the club was forced to take out a US$195 million loan to help pay players’ wages.