Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), has admitted the prospect of game cancellations is drawing closer as the labour lockout continues to rumble on after its first casualty saw the NFL cancel its annual rookie symposium this week.

The symposium, which was scheduled for June 26, offers rookie players advice on issues such as money management and life skills and gives them a chance to meet current and former players.

A hearing on June 3 is set to determine the validity of the lockout, but Goodell admitted the prospect of losing preseason games is forthcoming, adding: “We don’t have a date, but obviously that time is arriving.

“We are getting close enough where those will have to be considerations. But obviously we would prefer to reach a negotiated agreement so we don’t have to make those decisions.”

The NFL’s pre-season is scheduled to kick off on August 7, with the regular season scheduled for September 8. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay had stated that a labour deal must be reached by July 4 to avoid raising question marks over the regular season and warned of the effects of game cancellations.

Irsay told the Associated Press: “If you miss those preseason games, or a game or two (of the regular schedule), or start late, you have lost significant money, in excess of US$1 billion.”

Meanwhile, Goodell admits the lockout is having an effect on the NFL’s status as America’s most popular sport, stating: “I think it’s clearly had an impact on our fans already. You see that in the various metrics we have, whether it’s ratings or traffic on NFL.com — we see that. For example, I think you all are aware that our (TV) ratings were down in the draft.”

After the National Football League’s (NFL) players’ union took the decision to decertify, which in turn led the league to enforce a lockout against its athletes, an antitrust suit was filed by a collection of the NFL’s top stars to represent players against the League was issued. It has since been revealed that the case will be heard on April 6 in a federal court in Minnesota.

Top quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are leading a ten-strong group which has filed a class suit against the league following the breakdown in talks on a new collective bargaining agreement on Friday.

The collapse in talks came after the NFL Players’ Association decertified on Friday, and the League subsequently locked out the players on Saturday.

The April 6 hearing is to be heard by Judge Susan Nelson, and the players are expected to ask for an injunction against the lockout declared by the NFL. Nelson was the third judge assigned to the case after two previous judges recused themselves.

If the court grants injunctive relief to the players, the lockout could be invalidated and League operations could resume. All operations between players and teams, including free agency moves, are currently on hold, and if the lockout remains in place it could jeopardise the start of next season.

With the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Olympics fast approaching, sale cialis the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced today that Olympic champion Kjetil Jansrud will be an Ambassador for the Games.

The Norwegian Alpine skier, viagra who won the gold medal in Super-G at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, ailment will share his advice and experiences of top-level competition with the next generation of young athletes in his home nation and abroad, while inspiring young people around the world to get active and embrace the Olympic values.

Kjetil got straight into action today by hosting a training session for several young athletes aiming to compete in Lillehammer 2016 at the world famous Holmenkollen ski jumping venue, which has been at the heart of Norwegian ski history for over 100 years and was used for the 1952 Olympic Winter Games in Oslo.

He commented, “I started skiing when I was three years old not far from Lillehammer, so it is a real honour for me to be an Ambassador for the Youth Olympic Games almost in my own backyard! This event will really inspire the young athletes in Norway and around the world, and I hope that I can help just a little bit to show how amazing sport is!”

IOC President Thomas Bach said, “We want to get kids active and enjoying the benefits of sport, and the support we have from Kjetil is key to this mission. He is a superb role model, and his passion and dedication to sport will have a big impact on the young people and help ensure that the Youth Olympic Games have a long-lasting benefit in Norway and beyond. I look forward to working with him in Lillehammer!”

Weightlifting is the only sport out of seven which has had its UK funding restored, it has been revealed today.

Basketball, synchronised swimming, water polo and Paralympic sports wheelchair fencing, goalball and five-a-side football continue to lose out after a recent appeal.

Weighlifting’s reinstated Olympic funding is £894,000, taking it to £1.8m in total.

Badminton has had £250,000 reinstated, taking its total funding to £5.9m.

Rod Carr, chair of UK Sport, said: “The starting point for UK Sport and the board is that we want to be able to invest in as many Olympic and Paralympic sports as possible but they must be able to credibly demonstrate medal-winning potential within eight years.

“Weightlifting came back to us with a compelling new strategy focussed on developing their most talented female athletes with a view to challenging for medals by Tokyo 2020.”

Around £350m is to be spent preparing Britain’s best medal chances at both the Olympics and Paralympics.

After UK Sport announced its funding in February, chief executive Liz Nicholls said that it would be “high risk” to continue funding sports with little chance of winning a medal by 2020.

“If the nation values sporting success, we can deliver it but only if we remain focussed as the Olympic and Paralympic environment is becoming increasingly competitive,” Nicholls said after Wednesday’s decision.

“I am confident our approach will continue to deliver more wonderful moments to inspire the nation.

“These are tough calls to make and we know that it is even tougher for the sports and athletes directly affected by funding withdrawal.”

British swimming chief executive David Sparkes said the decision not to reinstate synchronised swimming’s funding marked a “very dark and sad day for British sport”.

He added: “How can an elite programme such as Synchro, which has long been held by UK Sport as a model of world-class athlete development and leadership, that has achieved all of its performance indicators since it first received funding, have its funding removed just 12 months after it was enhanced?

“It is a sport that has never failed to deliver on its performance promises and this decision beggars belief – it clearly highlights a fundamental flaw in the UK Sport funding system.”

British basketball is considering whether to make a formal appeal against the decision.

“If there is the political will and the leadership, a solution can be found. Other countries have done so,” said Roger Moreland, performance chairman for British Basketball.

“We are still planning for success this summer and in the short term, our focus has to be on backing our teams as much as we possibly can, so they can do their jobs on the court. We are still on the road to Rio and the next step is to qualify for EuroBasket 2015.”

Watch our recent Interview with UK Sport CEO Liz Nicholl Below:

 

The International Sports Federation (FISU) has revealed a record number of broadcasting hours for its 2013 Winter Universiade in Trentino.

The 26^th edition of the Winter Universiade will be broadcast worldwide amounting to a total of approximately 170 hours by different TV channels.

FISU will operate as the Host Broadcaster of the event with live production of 78 competitions and live production of all final events.

Moreover, doctor 21 daily highlights (26 minutes each) and 3 and 4 minutes news items will be produced daily. Eight OB Vans will be used for the production and four ENG crews will be operating on the venues.

Television Channels airing the competitions include Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific; CBS USA; RTR Russia; CCTV China; KBS Korea; KZTV Kazakhstan; Czech TV and RAI Sport Italy, ailment bringing the games to all continents.

The 26^th Winter Universiade officially opens on 11 December with the Opening Ceremony, while the ice hockey tournament already starts a day earlier. When the Winter Universiade gets underway it will mark the sixth time that Italy has hosted the FISU Winter Games. Around 2,800 athletes from 52 countries will descend upon the mountainous Trentino region ready to compete in ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, short track, curling, alpine skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping; cross country skiing, free style skiing, snowboarding and biathlon. The games will end on 21 December.

Salford City Reds owner Marwan Koukash has announced the Rugby Super League team will undergo a rebrand for the 2014 Super League season and will be known as the Red Devils.

Koukash is keen to stamp his brand on the top-flight strugglers and feels a change of identity from the City Reds will enhance the club’s appeal.

Not only will the team wear a Red Devils logo for home games but the team will also adopt a grey and gold for away matches – the same colour scheme as his race horses.

“I feel it is far better for us to be known from next season as the Red Devils,” Koukash told the Manchester Evening News. “It is also a far stronger and appealing title.

“We are up against teams in Super League who are known as the Bulls and the Warriors and I want us to be seen as the Red Devils. Warriors playing the Red Devils sounds so much better.

“This is all part of a major plan to rebrand the club, make a new start and make more people aware of who we are and for them to become involved.”

Koukash has also confirmed Salford are closing in new signings, stating up to four big-name players could be signed inside the next two weeks.

“We have three or four big-name players lined up and they will make a massive difference to the squad,” he added.

“What we are doing may be finalised in a week or two. One player we have targeted will have a huge impact on the game if what we intend to do comes off.

“I may well have to go out to Australia to oversee these deals and to tie them up, or I may meet with agents in Dubai. We are doing our very best to secure the right kind of players we know are needed to take this club forward.”

Rugby World Cup 2015 tournament organiser England Rugby 2015 has launched its search to find its ‘Team Base’ following their recent announcement of the stadiums hosting matches during the tournament.

Team bases will play a key role in the tournament, stomach hosting the 20 participating teams in the lead-up to and throughout Rugby World Cup 2015. England Rugby 2015 will identify the best possible facilities to ensure the optimum training environments for the world’s best players to perform to the highest level.

A team base consists of five core components: team hotel, treat outdoor training venues, cough indoor venue, gym and swimming pool. England Rugby 2015 will consider a variety of locations for team bases, both in and around host cities where match venues are located, in neighbouring towns and cities, and further afield, to provide teams with a variety of training environments and locations.

In turn this will also see the tournament spread throughout the country, giving local communities the opportunity to engage with the world’s third largest major sports event.

Team base information is now available to facilities across the country, allowing interested parties to understand the minimum requirements. The deadline for team base bids is June 7, 2013, and the final list of bases will be announced later next year, following discussion with the participating teams and their managements.

England Rugby 2015 Chief Executive Debbie Jevans said: “Following the announcement of the venues and match schedule, which has brought this tournament to life for teams and fans, we are pleased to launch the team base selection process, giving facilities and regions across the country the opportunity to be part of a hugely rewarding programme of hosting participating teams.”

“England has a fantastic range of high-class sports, conference and accommodation facilities and we are determined to provide players and management with the very best environment in which to train and prepare.”

“Rugby World Cup is the showpiece for the Game and will attract vast numbers of domestic fans, as well as an anticipated 500,000 visitors to the UK. Team bases will provide local communities with a unique opportunity to be part of this global event.”

Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset added: “Rugby World Cup 2015 will be a career pinnacle for players and team management, showcasing the very best of Rugby, its character-building values and England within a nationwide festival that will engage, innovate and excite. Team bases are at the very heart of that festival providing the facilities and environment for the world’s best players to perform to the highest level while enabling the tournament to reach out to the length and breadth of the nation.”

Hilton Worldwide today announced that it has signed a franchise agreement with Urbano Rural Hotelara SL to open its first DoubleTree by Hilton hotel on the site of Emporda Golf Club in Spain.

Set to convert by the end of the year, sales DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Emporda will be an upscale, see 87 guestroom property. The site boasts two 18-hole golf courses created by Robert von Hagge, the award-winning golf course designer. Only five minutes drive to the nearest beach, the hotel will provide a contemporary, new accommodation offering for holidaymakers on the Costa Brava.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said: “Hilton Worldwide has had a presence in Spain for more than 20 years and the country remains an enduringly popular travel destination with the latest visitor numbers demonstrating year on year growth. As well as city centre and airport locations, such as Barcelona and Madrid, our brands are equally suited to resort locations and we’re delighted to be introducing DoubleTree by Hilton to such a prestigious Spanish golfing destination.”

Emporda is a region of the province Girona, set within one of Spain’s most renowned tourist resorts, the Costa Brava. Also known as the ‘rugged coast’, the Costa Brava stretches for 60km along the coast of Catalonia and is famed primarily for its warm climate and idyllic beaches.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Emporda is located near the city of Girona (capital of the province bearing the same name), with its city centre 48km from the resort and easily accessible by car. Transport links from Girona include the International Girona-Costa Brava Airport and Girona Rail Station. Regular trains and buses connect Girona to the Catalan capital city of Barcelona, whose principal airport of El Prat sees 34 million visitors pass through its doors each year.

Rob Palleschi, global head, DoubleTree by Hilton, said: “The DoubleTree by Hilton brand continues to gather momentum across Europe with more than 60 hotels now trading or in the pipeline, and we are delighted to be entering Spain as our eleventh European market. We look forward to welcoming travellers seeking the delights of the Costa Brava and the top-class facilities at Emporda Golf Club along with our award-winning service culture and delicious, signature chocolate chip cookie at check-in.”

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Emporda will feature a restaurant as well as a barbecue during the summer months. Guests will be also enjoy access to a 24-hour business centre, fitness centre and a spa with in-door pool. A range of meeting rooms will also be available totalling 354 square metres with capacity from 10 to 350 guests.

Miguel Angel Carulla, Urbano Rural Hotelara SL, said: “We are proud to be working with Hilton Worldwide in introducing the DoubleTree by Hilton brand to Spain. The conversion will allow us to benefit from the experience of an established global brand renowned for its unique style, which allows the resort to maintain a unique Catalan flavor and connection with the neighbouring Emporda Golf Club.”

Hilton Worldwide currently operates five hotels in Spain in Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo and Palma, Mallorca. Earlier this year, Hilton Barcelona underwent a €23 million renovation and reopened in June 2012. The signing of DoubleTree by Hilton hotel & Spa Emporda follows the recent opening of Conrad Algarve as Hilton Worldwide continues to increase its presence throughout the Iberian Peninsula.