World All-Star Classic Exhibition Tour Featuring NBA Players Postponed

The  spanning six games and four-continents featuring two squads of All-Star NBA players is delayed, with Sunday’s scheduled game in San Juan, Puerto Rico, postponed indefinitely.

The other five games on the tour, scheduled for London, Macau and Australia, already had been pushed back until late November. There was hope the game in San Juan could be salvaged and serve as proof to the other venues and investors that Atlanta businessman Cal Darden and his son, Cal Jr., were capable of pulling off the event.

Sources close to the organizers said that as of October 23, contracts had been signed with 18 of the league’s biggest names, including Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade.

Players were promised anywhere from six figures to $1 million to participate, sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard.

Rose and Westbrook withdrew on Tuesday, Rose citing a conflict with the USO Tour he participated in along with his off-season training schedule.

James, Anthony and Paul later decided not to take part, sources with knowledge of the situation told Broussard. The players want to use the lockout to spend more time with their families, and Paul wanted to be available for labor meetings with the NBA’s owners, sources said.

Howard has also backed out, sources told the Orlando Sentinel on Friday.

By Thursday, sources said there were also questions about whether Durant and Bryant planned to participate.

It remained to be seen if the game in Puerto Rico and the rest of the tour would be resurrected in light of NBA commissioner David Stern canceling regular-season games through Nov. 30 after labor talks broke off Friday without a deal.

Tickets already had been selling briskly in Puerto Rico, sources close to the organizers said, but there were no provisions made for refunds if the event was canceled or postponed.

NFL Oppose Players’ Bid to Block Lockout

National Football League (NFL) owners have voiced their opposition to a bid by 10 of the league’s leading players for an order blocking a lockout during collective bargaining, saying the federal court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute.

According to the NFL, only the National Labor Relations Board has the authority to resolve the fight, with owners arguing: “The jurisdictional bar applies as long as this case ‘involves or grows out of’ a labor dispute, a test that is clearly satisfied here.”

Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees led the group that sued the league on March 11 after negotiations to craft a new contract collapsed and the National Football League Players Association said it no longer would function as a union.

Owners declared a lockout hours later, during which players won’t be paid, and teams can’t practice, sign new players or make trades, shutting down the most-watched and wealthiest U.S. sport at midnight.

Players’ attorney Jeffrey L. Kessler said today in a telephone interview: “There’s nothing unexpected in these papers.

“We obviously disagree,” added Kessler.

UCI President Tight Lipped Over Successful Contador Appeal

President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling’s world governing body, Pat McQuaid refused to comment on the recent decision to clear Alberto Contador, Spain’s three-time Tour de France champion of doping charges.

The case could well drag on four several months if taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and McQuaid stated: “I can’t – and don’t want to – give a personal opinion until the whole affair is finished, and it’s not finished yet.”

The Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) cleared Contador of doping allegations after the Spaniard tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol upon winning last year’s Tour de France.

Last month, the RFEC’s Disciplinary Committee proposed a one-year suspension but Contador has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming the substance was in some contaminated meat, and appealed, successfully, and the ban was lifted.

But the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) both have the right to appeal themselves against that decision, in which case the CAS will rule.

McQuaid added: “We still have to get the documents from the Spanish federation about their decision not to sanction Contador translated, and then we’ll discuss it with WADA.

“We’re yet to receive the full documentation, but once we get that we’ll have 30 days to decide whether we appeal or not.”

Barcelona president insists club isn’t facing bankruptcy

The new president of Spanish La Liga champions, Sandro Rosell, has denied the club could be facing bankruptcy despite negotiating a US$188 million bank loan to pay players’ wages.

Rosell, who replaced outgoing president Juan Laporta last week, said the club was in talks with several banks, and that the loan should be secured in the next couple of days. The club has reportedly missed a deadline to pay a number of players and coaches.

However, he dismissed claims the club could go bankrupt, saying: “Our members can be rest assured. The club is not bankrupt. This week we will have everything in place to impose a policy of austerity so we are able to make savings in certain areas and meet very important commitments such as paying the wages of our players, coaches and employees.”

Only last week Barcelona announced a revenue increase of 16 per cent, making it the richest club in the world. However, bonuses paid out to players and coaches also went up by US$50 million.

As well as this, there are concerns over the fact the club’s lucrative television deal with Mediapro is not secured by a bank guarantee. While it has received assurances from the agency, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month, payment issues are a concern.

Rosell also admitted that the sale of defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy had been motivated by financial factors.

Andretti Sports Marketing Hires Industry Veteran Tim Ramsberger as VP & General Manager

Andretti Sports Marketing has appointed veteran event management executive Tim Ramsberger as their Vice President and General Manager of it’s growing sports, entertainment and experiential marketing business.

Ramsberger brings a depth of experience to his new role including World Cup, Olympic, Disney and IndyCar event management tenure. Ramsberger most recently served as President of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. His focus will be to further advance the sports, entertainment and experiential event marketing initiatives of Andretti Sports Marketing and it’s clients.

“We are thrilled to announce that Tim (Ramsberger) is joining our strong events team. Tim is a leader in the events business and we have worked with Tim over the years while admiring his promotions. He did a fantastic job at building the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and he brings world-class capabilities to our operations,” stated John Lopes, President of Andretti Sports Marketing.

“It’s a special opportunity to work with my long time friends at Andretti Sports Marketing. I am truly excited to be joining such a strong, professional and fast growing sports marketing, entertainment and experiential marketing business with great clients on both a national and international scale,” said Ramsberger. “What Michael (Andretti), John (Lopes) and Starke (Taylor) are developing is tremendous.”

Ramsberger’s focus will include furthering Andretti Sports Marketing’s Red Bull Global Rallycross event operations business as well as leading emerging event projects both in and out of sports.

FA Pulls Out of Bidding Race to Host 2019 Women’s World Cup

The Football Association has exited the running to host the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

The FA had originally registered an expression of interest with FIFA but has now dropped its bid.

Other than England, four other countries had shown an interest in hosting the competition including France, Korea Republic, New Zealand and South Africa.

A statement from English football’s governing body said: “The FA can confirm that it will not be progressing its initial interest in hosting either the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019, or the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in 2018.

“Expressions of interest were lodged to gain a wider understanding of the bidding process, the benefits associated to the tournament and the competition to host the tournaments.

“Having assessed all of these factors The FA will not be furthering its interest in these competitions at this time.

“The FA remains committed to growing women’s football and continues to invest in the game domestically both at the elite and grassroots level.”

Other than England, four other countries had shown an interest in hosting the competition including France, Korea Republic, New Zealand and South Africa.

These member associations will have to submit their definitive bids including all signed bidding and hosting documents by 1 October 2014. The host will be appointed by the Executive Committee at its meeting in December 2014.

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RISCO to Provide Security Solutions for World Cup Stadium Arena Pantanal

RISCO Group, therapy a leading provider of integrated security solutions, ed has been selected to provide security management and additional security solutions for the new Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba for the upcoming 2014 World Cup games in Brazil.

RISCO Group will provide their Command and Control solution in addition to access control and a customized ticketing and validation system. The Command and Control solution will enable to control other systems such as: hundreds of security IP cameras deployed in the stadium and its surroundings, lighting systems, gates, and PA system.

Michael Isakov, Managing Director RISCO Security Management Solutions BU, said: “We are honored to have been selected to provide the security solutions for the Arena Pantanal for the 2014 World Cup and thereafter. Our professional teams have been working together with the System Integrator, to ensure that all integrated systems work together seamlessly and efficiently to assure a successful and safe mega event.” 

The Arena Pantanal is one of 12 stadiums constructed or remodeled in Brazil for the upcoming 2014 World Cup, and will host several matches. The Arena itself has a capacity for 44,000 spectators, and was constructed with a total investment of US$537.7 million.

IOC Pleased with Preparations for PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) are pleased with the progress being made by PyeongChang ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

The PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee provided a five-hour venue tour Tuesday for the IOC on there three day visit, stopping at several venues and venue sites in the PyeongChang Mountain Cluster which included the sliding centre, IBC-MPC, Yongpyong resort and the Mountain Olympic Village; and the Gangneung Coastal Cluster where the Coastal Olympic Village, Media Village, Gangneung Sports Complex and accommodations will be located.

Following the tour IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg said: “Following a very detailed briefing yesterday on the status of the different venues and with only four years to go until the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games begin, it was important for the Commission to be able to survey the progress being made on the different venues.

“We are pleased to see that work on key sites like the sliding centre and coastal Olympic Village has begun. The information provided to us on site reassures us about the development of the venues that have not yet been started.

“Also, the participation of the winter International Federations and National Federations this week in our meeting shows the strong spirit of cooperation between the different stakeholders, which will undoubtedly allow PyeongChang 2018 to deliver the best venues possible for the athletes.”

The IOC’s three-day visit ends Thursday.

FIFA Extends El Salvador Match-Fixing Sanctions

El Salvador yet again was thrusted into the limelight for unwanted reasons it was announced today. 

FIFA extended its sanction on the team and banned yet another El Salvador player due to an on-going match fixing Investigation. 

The sanction imposed by FIFA on a player relating to match-manipulation follows a worldwide ban on three other El Salvador players which occurred last October. 

So far a total of 21 El Salvador players have been punished. 

The three players who were not named will suffer a ban from all football-related activities lasting six months, price 12 months and five years by their federation. 

In a statement FIFA said: “Following the worldwide extension of sanctions imposed on 21 El Salvador players in October and November 2013, the deputy chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the sanction of life ban from all football-related activity imposed on one additional El Salvador player.” 

FIFA hopes to tackle this problem by working closely with its member associations and the confederations to tackle match manipulation. 

They hope to do this by offering initiatives which include the signing of an integrity declaration by officials, the monitoring of the betting market via FIFA’s subsidiary Early Warning System (EWS) and the setting up of an e-learning ethics tool, an integrity hotline and e-mail address and a confidential reporting system.

AFL’s Collingwood Reveal Net Profit & Record Membership

Australian Football League team Collingwood have revealed a net operating profit of more than AUS$5.2 million on the back of record membership.

The Magpies announced a net profit of almost $16.4 million for the financial year ending October 31, which included development funding of $11.15 million.

Collingwood raised their year-on-year revenue by $2.6 million and lifted overall turnover above $75 million, with record membership exceeding 80,000 – a new club and AFL record.

“As per our promise to supporters, the profits will continue to be invested back into the club’s two key stakeholders, being the playing group and fans,” Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert said.

“This year, we invested an extra $600,000 into our membership services and an extra $1.3 million into our football department.

“The rest of the club profits are earmarked to help fund the new community facilities bordering our Westpac Centre training ground, which will require extra club funding of $15 million over the next three years.

“It has never been more important in Australian sport to be financially sustainable, to be able to determine our own future, retain our identity and protect our brand.”

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire praised the profit and said it was great work by the entire team.

“This is a great result for the club built on the outstanding support of our members and corporate partners, strong board level leadership and the efforts of a first-class administration,” McGuire said.

“The club’s strong financial position has allowed us to create the ultimate Collingwood vision of Australian sport’s best training and administrative complex, a facility that can hold its own against the best sports clubs around the world.

“We know that to provide our players, coaches and staff with the best facilities and opportunities to succeed in an increasingly difficult environment that we must remain financially healthy and independent.”