Sportradar, medical a German sports and betting data company, has signed a multi-year data partnership with the Slovak League Clubs Union (ÚLK), the governing body of the two top-level football leagues in Slovakian club football.

As part of the deal, Sportradar will become the official data partner of the Liga top division and the 2.Liga second tier.

Sportradar will also acquire the worldwide and exclusive rights to collect, archive and distribute sports data from the two leagues, as well as distribute data to the media and betting industry.

ÚLK and Sportradar will also jointly implement an advanced data collection system for all matches in the Liga and 2.Liga.

Sportradar secured the agreement with UFA Sports Slovakia, the ÚLK’s exclusive marketing representative.

“Together we will enable all fans of Slovak football to be able to utilise the full breadth and depth of the content offered,” ÚLK president Dušan Tittel said.

“This partnership opens up some really interesting opportunities.”

Carsten Koerl, chief executive officer of Sportradar, added: “Today, Slovakia is a rising football nation developing with steady footsteps. Our market leading betting and sports data services will help to engage fans of Slovak football in new ways and across all platforms.”

The European Judo Union (EJU) has announced Italian Judo President Matteo Pellicone has passed away this morning after a long illness.

The President of Italian Federation FIJLKAM was 78 years.

In December of 2012 Pellicone was re-elected as President of the Italian Federations for Judo, discount Lotta, Karate and Martial Arts (FIJLKAM), for the next Olympic cycle.

Born in Reggio Calabria at 11 January 1935, he graduated in Economics and Commerce and exercised the activity of accountant. He had practiced different sports from a young age and later he was dedicated to wrestling Greco Roman style.

Under his guidance, Italian judo won numerous successes, and he celebrated various medals at the Olympic Games: two gold medals for Giuseppe Maddaloni and Giulia Quintavalle, three silver medals and seven bronze medals.

The EJU reacted: “With deep sorrow, the Italian Federation announces that President Matteo Pellicone left us in the early hours of the morning. His passing leaves a great void in the world of Sport that has had in his figure, humanly passionate and sporting expert, a great reference point.”

European Tour Chief Executive Officer, George O’Grady, said the Hong Kong Open faces an uncertain without increased sponsorship, as local institution HSBC said it was not interested in backing the tournament.

O’Grady said the European Tour could not “write cheques to sponsor Hong Kong”, although it is the underwriter for next week’s tournament at the Hong Kong Golf Club.

The open was without a title sponsor until UBS agreed to return for one edition. Prize money is down to US$2 million from US$2.75 million and organisers needed a handout from the government’s Mega Events Fund.

Because of the financial crisis in Europe, the tour has lost a number of events. O’Grady didn’t say Hong Kong would be next, but stressed that finding financial backing is vital.

“We might look rich, but we’re not. We can’t just write cheques to sponsor Hong Kong,” he said. “Sponsors can choose whether they want to keep Hong Kong going. We would like to keep it, but it is a factor of economics again.

HSBC has ruled out sponsoring the tournament. Giles Morgan, the bank’s global head of sponsorship and events, said: “Sponsorship is a business investment and we don’t need to sponsor everything in golf, we need to sponsor flagship events. We already sponsor the rugby sevens, which is Hong Kong’s most iconic event and we don’t need to do both.”{jcomments on}

Geoff Cousins, advice Global Sponsorship Director for Jaguar, generic has speculated the prestigious car brand may return to motorsport in the near future.

Although Mr Cousins said a return to Formula One – where Jaguar Racing had a five year stint at the beginning of the twenty-first century – is unlikely, he said “our roots are in racing and we would love to go back at some point, possibly at Le Mans or Class Racing”.

Mr Cousins also said that sport has helped turn around the way Jaguar is perceived by the public. “Five or six years ago, Jaguar was seen as the old man’s car and the old man’s brand” he said. “I think it (sport) has been absolutely fundamental in turning the Jaguar brand around in the UK.”

He also outlined his criteria for selecting potential sponsors: “For me, it is important to work with a partner who wants to work with you as much as you want to work with them. Therefore, you get the stuff that’s not written down in the contract because it’s a two way street.” 

Finally, after talking about the Olympics, Mr Cousins talked about the Jaguar Academy of Sport, where potential stars of the future, with ambassadors such as Jess Ennis, Mo Farah and Sir Chris Hoy heavily involved. He said that being involved with younger athletes means that they have an affinity with the brand, before stressing that the Academy was “holistic development programme”, designed to coach and help younger athletes.

Read more about Geoff Cousins in our exclusive interview here>>

Leicestershire County Cricket Club has announced today that the Club made a profit of £294, see 022 for the year ending 30th September 2011.

Total income increased by £650,000 with increased funding from the ECB due to the India Test series and Donations from members.

Most of the other income streams have exceeded budget, helped by winning the Friends Life t20 Trophy and the subsequent participation in the Champions League.

The Foxes also said the expenditure had secured major savings in the coaching department and a further coach not being employed until after the financial year end.

Chief Executive, Mike Siddall said: “The Board is delighted to see a healthy profit after the massive loss in 2010.

“We have implemented a number of measures to bring the Club’s finances under control. The Club has no debt and all payments to HMRC and creditors are up to date, which is a far better position than we were in 12 months ago.

“Leicester City Council has signed a Deed of Variation with regard to the covenant on Grace Road which now gives the Club some tangible security to offer its bankers.

“However, the current year will not have the benefit of the exceptional income received in 2011 and, with the economy close to recession, commercial income is difficult to secure.

“The Directors have set a break-even budget for 2012 and we will need the support of members and corporate sponsors to achieve this target. With this in mind we have strengthened the commercial department in order to produce greater sponsorship and related income.”

The meeting on Monday has become the most crucial meeting in this prolonged NBA labour dispute with now both parties airing their laundry out in public.

The players’ association will meet in New York on Monday morning, a session that could lead to the end of the lockout or send it into a bigger tailspin. Representatives from all 30 teams are expected, as are other players, to examine and discuss a seven-page summary of the NBA’s latest collective bargaining proposal to the union.

The proposal was dated Friday and addressed to union executive director Billy Hunter. Some who will be in the NBPA meeting said Sunday they had not yet seen it, creating some confusion over what exactly is on the table.

“We haven’t asked for anything more than what we had,” Miami player representative James Jones said Sunday. “We understand the times. We understand the economy. We just want a fair deal where both sides are bearing the weight of the present times and with an eye on the future of the game of basketball.”

By Monday, things could finally become clear – because this union meeting may decide if basketball will be played this season.

Both parties in the past have tried to keep the dealing of the situation between them and not broadcast the details on social media but a bold move was played on Sunday when NBA players and owners discussed their problems openly with the public.

Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver went on Twitter and talked everything from contraction (which has been discussed) to sending players to the D-League at slashed salaries (which isn’t in the proposal).

Among those asking: Miami’s Dwayne Wade and Philadelphia’s Spencer Hawes. One of Hawes’ questions was “since we have covered all of your alleged losses(and more)why am I not getting ready for a game tonight.” The league said it disagreed with the premise.

Wade asked, “why are all your “system solutions” only impacting the PLAYERS?? What have the owners (given) up of significance??” The NBA responded, “The economics & system favored the players in prior CBA,” then again said team losses topped $300 million last season.

Someone asked if the league would consider replacement players. The answer: “Our goal is a season with our current players.” Another wanted to know if contracts would become void if the NBPA decertified, and the league said yes. These were some of the issues brought up.

Stern has always been adamant if a deal is not taken the next deal would be worse but in this case another offered deal is not a guarantee with Basketball likely to lose out.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard has ruled that National Football League (NFL) team owners must end their lockout of players, prostate rejecting the owners’ request to delay enforcement of her earlier order while they appeal it.

Nelson, yesterday, April 27, denied the league owners’ request to stay her April 25 decision in an antitrust lawsuit filed by 10 top American football players.

Nelson said in her decision: “The NFL has not met its burden for obtaining a stay pending appeal, expedited or otherwise. Defendants are under no obligation to enter a new contract with any player. Conversely, the players face the real and immediate harm of a lost season in a typically short professional career.”

The NFL ordered the lockout on March 12 after negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement collapsed as the players association disbanded, announcing on March 11 that it would no longer act as a union. The players case, led by the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, alleging league policies and the lockout violate U.S. antitrust law, was filed that day.

Spokesman for the league Greg Aiello said it would ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for a stay, adding: “We believe there are strong legal and practical reasons that support a stay and that the Court of Appeals should have an opportunity to address the important legal issues that will be presented.

“We are evaluating the district court’s decision and will advise our clubs in the morning on how to proceed.”