Arena Football League (AFL) franchise Cleveland Gladiators have been taken over by Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena organization.

The announcement was made by Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena President Len Komoroski.

The Gladiators now join Dan Gilbert’s sports and entertainment family of companies based in Ohio.  That portfolio includes the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA, buy the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League, the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL), Quicken Loans Arena, Veritix, Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, opening this spring and Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, slated to open in 2013.

“We’re very excited about adding the Gladiators to our family of teams here at The Q. The AFL offers a high-energy, action-packed product that fits very well with our own approach to sports and entertainment. We will operate the Gladiators in a new, expanded way that will result in an even better value and fun, super-charged experience for our fans, while also creating a great platform for the team’s future success on and off the field,” said Komoroski.

The Gladiators were acquired from former Gladiators majority owner and CEO, Jim Ferraro. Ferraro originally purchased the New Jersey AFL franchise in 2000 and relocated the team to Las Vegas as the Gladiators in late 2002. Following the 2007 season, the Gladiators relocated to Cleveland and began play at The Q for the 2008 season.  Cleveland Browns legend Bernie Kosar became part of the franchise with the move to Cleveland for the 2008 season and has remained a special advisor to the team. Kosar will continue in his role with the new organization as special advisor to the Gladiators.

Veteran Gladiators executive Phil Tesar will lead the team’s business transition to the Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena organization working closely with its executive leadership team. The Gladiators will also immediately begin a transition process to relocate their team offices to The Q.

The franchise will begin their 17th season on March 12th, 2012 on the road against the Georgia Force. To start their nine-game regular season home slate at The Q, they return to Cleveland on March 26th to take on the Kansas City Command.  The 2012 season also marks the 25th Anniversary Season of the AFL.

AFL Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz, said: “It is a historic year for the Arena Football League. As we enter the League’s 25th Anniversary, it speaks volumes to partner with Dan Gilbert and the Cavaliers organization. Already having a major footprint in the Cleveland sports arena, with the Cavaliers, Monsters hockey and Quicken Loans Arena, this partnership is far reaching. It is a tremendous honor to welcome Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Komoroski and the Cavaliers organization to the Arena Football League as they have always shown such commitment to their fans.”

Renewed optimism that a new labour accord can be reached by the National Football League (NFL) and its players has risen after meetings between the two sides could end a three-month-old shutdown of the sport in time to avoid missing part of the season.

Owners of the league’s 32 teams are scheduled to meet June 21, stuff with clubs being told to prepare to stay late or overnight, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. The news comes after three weeks of labour talks have produced progress that may prevent a delay of the regular season, according to two people with knowledge of the situation who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of negotiations and a media blackout imposed by a U.S. judge.

The approach of the season is thought to be encouraging efforts to reach a deal on how to divide about US$9bn in revenue, according to Bob Bruno, who teaches labour and employment relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

In a telephone interview with Bloomberg, Bruno stated: “They’re getting there. I wouldn’t put a time frame on it but I would expect that there’s going to be football and going to be training camp and going to be something positive for both sides to talk about.”

Aiello declined to comment on the progress of talks though spokesman for the NFL Players Association, George Atallah said on the social networking site Twitter that “We’re focusing all our efforts on a long-term settlement, agreement and resolution.”

The NFL locked out players in March, who then sued the league for antitrust violations and wage-fixing in federal court, led by Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) is determined to take its dispute over running costs of the London 2012 Olympics with its organising committee to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled in favour of the Games body (LOCOG) on Friday, March 18.

The BOA claims that the running costs of the Paralympics should not be taken into account when calculating the surplus Games revenues to be awarded to the national body. Irregardless of the IOC’s decision to support the side of LOCOG in the row, the BOA had already lodged a submission with the CAS prior to Friday’s ruling.

A statement from the IOC read: “The IOC was asked to reach a final and binding decision on how the surplus of the Games should be defined. Having studied the documents and the past recent history of the Games bidding process we have decided that the word ‘surplus’ clearly represents the financial results from the staging of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games combined.”

A London 2012 spokesperson responded to the IOC’s judgement by saying: “We are pleased that the IOC has ruled on this technical point confirming we should continue to determine any surplus on the basis of combined costs and revenues from both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Now this is settled we look forward to moving ahead together with the BOA to realise our shared vision of hosting a spectacular Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

However, the BOA insisted it would continue with its CAS appeal, adding: “Decisions made by CAS are final and binding, and CAS is the agreed forum for resolution as specified by the Olympic Charter and the key contractual agreements between the various Olympic stakeholders.”

Drinks brand Powerade has taken advantage of its link with the Great Britain Olympic team by launching Powerade Zero – the official drink of Team GB.

The drink has been scientifically produced to provide hydration to athletes with hardly any calories and will form part of the British Olympic Association’s (BOA)hydration regime in the build up to the London 2012 Games.

Trade communications manager at Coca-Cola Enterprises, which owns Powerade, Selena Taylor, said: “The launch of Powerade Zero represents a huge opportunity to drive profits for retailers in the Sports & Energy sector. There are 1.8bn active sporting occasions among Powerade’s core audience each year.”

British athlete Jessica Ennis is a Powerade ambassador and would most likely front any marketing campaign that is rolled out surrounding the product.

USA Gymnastics has awarded four international events in 2014 to the Daytona Beach (Fla.) Ocean Center.

The events include the World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships, Nov. 7-9; the World Trampoline and Tumbling Age Group Competition, Nov. 14-16; and the 2014 Junior Pan American Championships and Stars and Stripes Cup, May 9-11.

“Daytona Beach has truly stepped up for USA Gymnastics, and we are excited to partner with such a fun destination,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “We look forward to bringing the world’s best gymnasts to Daytona Beach and hope the community will come out and support these athletes.

“Daytona Beach is no stranger as a host for gymnastics events because the community has already staged the 2010 Senior Pan American Trampoline and Tumbling Championships and 2013 Stars and Stripes Cup (trampoline/tumbling) and will host the 2015 Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships.

The World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships, held annually except in the Olympic year, determines the men’s and women’s World champions in four events: trampoline, synchronized trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline. The World Age Group Competition showcases the world’s best boys and girls in those four events in four age groups: 11-12, 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18 years of age. The two events are expected to showcase more than 1,100 athletes.

The Junior Pan Am Championships is the qualifying event for North, Central and South America in rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. The Stars and Stripes Cup is an international competition for rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, synchronized trampoline, double mini-trampoline and tumbling. The two events will be held concurrently. Both of the events combined represents nearly 1,000 athletes, coaches and officials.

The local partners for these events include the Central Florida Sports Commission, the Ocean Center, Volusia County and the Daytona Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, and National Travel Systems is a partner for the World Championships and World Age Group Competition.

“We are delighted to welcome these four prestigious events to Volusia County, something that would not have been possible without the partnership between USA Gymnastics, the Sports Commission, the Ocean Center, Volusia County Government, Daytona Beach CVB and the Volusia County hotel community,” said John Bisignano, president and CEO of the Central Florida Sports Commission. “Together, these events will have a positive economic impact for the region. We look forward to working with our partners to ensure the success of these international events in our community, as we serve our mission to drive economic development through sports.”

MediaCom Sport has been appointed to manage activation activity around Dell’s Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games brand ambassadors. 

With 12 months to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland, seek the sports marketing agency will help Dell to maximize the opportunity around this landmark sporting event by helping it connect with local schools, arthritis small businesses and Dell staff via a group of exciting young athletes. MediaCom Sport have identified and recruited four up and-coming sporting figures, allergist all of whom have a good chance of medalling at the games, to act as athlete ambassadors for Dell.

The team of inspiring athletes are: Lynsey Sharp, Scotland’s 800m runner who was recently crowned European Champion; Welsh racing cyclist, Elinor Barker, the reigning junior world time trial champion and 2013 World Championships golf medalist; and brothers Sam and Oliver Hynd (MBE), both two-time Paralympic gold medallist swimmers.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing Dell’s commitment to Glasgow 2014 alive via an exciting programme of events. These four selected Brand Ambassadors represent some of the UK’s finest emerging talent, and the dedication they have shown to their sport is truly incredible. We’re convinced that they will inspire not just future generations of athletes, but also Dell staff and businesses in general,” said James Hough, Director of Sport at MediaCom Global.

The Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha will be the final Regular Season event in 2013, a key week on the reconfigured Web.com Tour schedule, it was announced by tournament director Chad Mardesen and Web.com Tour president Bill Calfee.

The 18th annual Cox Classic will be played Aug. 22-25 at Champions Run, the only course to host the event. The tournament purse will be $750,000, with a first prize of $135,000. Golf Channel will return to provide four-day coverage.

“We are very excited that Omaha will be the site for the final Regular Season event on the Web.com Tour,” said Mardesen. “We know that the support we receive from our sponsors, volunteers and from the city of Omaha will provide an incredible stage for the event and that support, coupled with the increased attention and drama that will come from that week, will make the tournament substantially stronger in 2013. Exciting things tend to happen in Omaha. The 2013 Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha could prove to be our most dramatic and competitively charged year yet.”

“Cox is pleased to be the title sponsor for the 2013 tournament,” said Marilyn Burrows, Cox Communication’s Senior Vice President and General Manager. “This event has such a positive economic impact for Omaha and continues to attract increased attendance year over year. We especially value the Cox Classic’s continued focus to give back to our local charities, providing financial support for organizations that have such a positive impact and meet the many needs of our community.”

“We are excited to end our Regular Season in Omaha next year,” said Calfee. “There will be a lot at stake with the Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha being the final stop to determine which 25 players earn their PGA TOUR cards off the Regular Season money list and which 75 advance to the four Finals events that will begin the very next week. The Cox Classic is a great tournament on the Web.com Tour and enjoys strong community support. We know it will provide a great atmosphere for the end of the Regular Season and all that will be on the line.”

Beginning in 2013, all 50 PGA TOUR cards for each new season will come through the Web.com Tour. The Regular Season will run from February through the Cox Classic in August, followed by four Finals’ events in September, to be played in Fort Wayne, Ind., Charlotte, N.C., Columbus, Ohio and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

World Superbike action will be returning to the fabled Corkscrew and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and spanish circuit Jerez after the venues announced it has reached a three-year agreement with Infront Motor Sports.

Infront confirmed today that a three-year deal has been arranged stating “the United States round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship will take place at the Californian circuit next season and in 2014 and 2015.” The last time World Superbike riders competed at Laguna Seca was eight years ago when Chris Vermeulen won both races on the Ten Kate Honda. 

“We are absolutely delighted to be returning to Laguna Seca for the US Round for the first time since 2004. Over the ten-year period in which we were last there, medical we witnessed an extraordinary growth in interest and in overall attendance and we are sure that this event will once again become one of the most prestigious on the calendar. The return of Laguna Seca to the Superbike World Championship, site with its six competing manufacturers, will definitely be a boost to the championship’s growth in the US market as California has a special tradition and offers significant opportunities for the motorcycle industry, sponsors and media,” said Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports, in the press announcement. 

This means both of the world’s premier motorcycle road racing leagues will now be competing at California’s prestigious road course as MotoGP races there too. 

“We have a strong history with World Superbike and are thrilled to have them commit to a three-year race schedule,” said Gill Campbell, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca CEO/general manager. “Their return to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca solidifies our position as THE premier circuit in the U.S. for motorcycle racing.” 

The question now is whether the U.S. will get two World Superbike rounds or was 2012 the last year for an event at Utah’s Miller Motorsports Park. The venue has hosted the lone U.S. World Superbike round since 2008. 

Infront Motor Sports announced it added Jerez de la Frontera to the 2013 schedule as well. The deal with the popular Spanish circuit is comparable to the one arranged with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a three-year collaboration from 2013 – 2015. The first race will take place on October 20, 2013, and will be the final round of the 2013 World Superbike season. 

“We are delighted with the addition of another prestigious name to our World Championship calendar. Jerez de la Frontera is a circuit that is synonymous with great motorbike racing in general and is situated in a catchment area with an extraordinary sporting tradition and cultural heritage. It gives us great pleasure to return to Jerez for the first time in over twenty years and we are sure that together we will work hard to make the event a great success,” said Flammini. 

The only World Superbike race held at Jerez de la Frontera was back in 1990 when Raymond Roche doubled up on race wins. Roche would go on to win the World Superbike championship that year.