The NBA has set its deadline September 15 for a new collective-bargaining agreement to be reached before the NBA officially starts to cancel training camp and preseason games, league sources told Hoopsworld.

Should even one preseason game be canceled, advertisers and sponsors would start pulling commitments and season ticket holders would likely start asking for refunds, sources told the website.

The next negotiating session is reportedly scheduled for Wednesday in New York, which will be attended by top executives on both sides, including NBA commissioner David Stern and deputy commissioner Adam Silver, and NBPA executive director Billy Hunter and president Derek Fisher.

Still, there is little optimism that much progress will be made this week and with only two weeks to go the realisation has sunk in that the NBA season is likely to be affected.

During this lockout the players have been on high-alert not to make public relations mishaps like they did in the last lockout. Among the many public relations gaffes made by players 13 years ago was Kenny Anderson joking that he may have to sell his Mercedes to cope with his lost salary.

To stop this from recurring the union, at the direction of president Derek Fisher, last fall distributed a 56-page lockout handbook to all players. In the “media” section, players were implored, “Please be sensitive about interviews or other media displays of a luxurious lifestyle.”

“It was a huge emphasis,” Fisher told The New York Times about the focus on winning the public relations battle. “The reality is, we’re in a great position, where guys have worked to put themselves in this place where they can potentially earn millions of dollars.”

Last season, players’ average salary was about $5 million, from a minimum of $474,000 to a maximum of Kobe Bryant’s $24.8 million. “We don’t expect that people are going to feel sorry for us,” Fisher added.

So far, the players have heeded the union’s advice. While Dwyane Wade and George Hill have made jokes on Twitter about applying for jobs or collecting unemployment, players have largely kept their commentary on point and their Twitter feeds in check.

The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission found that the National Football League (NFL) side, clinic Minnesota Vikings lost more than US$10m in gate receipts as a result of the roof collapse at the Metrodome arena in which they play their home matches.

The caving in of a portion of the roof was caused by excessive weight and pressure from the prolonged period of snowfall at the end of lat year and forced the game against the Giants to be moved to Detroit and the one against the Bears to move to TCF Bank Stadium.

The team also took in $789, brand viagra online 000 in concession sales in 2010, down from $1.15m in the previous year, a total that again reflected 11 Metrodome dates in 2009 compared with eight in 2010.

The European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) have signed an continental affiliation agreement during the European Championships.

Newly elected ETTU President Ronald KRAMER signed the affiliation agreement with ITTF’s Deputy President Thomas WEIKERT during a special ceremony in Schwechat, Austria.

ITTF President Adham SHARARA stated after the historic occasion: “I am personally very happy and proud that the European Table Tennis Union has decided to sign the ITTF-Continental Affiliation agreement. This is an indication that the ETTU and its newly elected President, Mr Ronald KRAMER, have understood the benefits of this agreement and have decided to work closely with the ITTF for the development of our sport in Europe and in the World. This is a very positive step forward and I am sure that our work together will reap benefits for Europe and will bring the ITTF family closer together for the benefit of our sport.”

“To sign such an agreement does mean that it is not just a financial benefit for Europe, additionally it means that Europe can implement development projects as well as plan with the ITTF marketing activities to generate more income for the ETTU.”

“The ITTF and both its Development Plan staff and Marketing Division staff will now work together with the ETTU to catch up on time lost in 2013, and make sure that the ETTU is back on track with its development plan and open new frontiers with new marketing initiatives” concluded the ITTF President.

ETTU President shared the excitement of President SHARARA: “I am very pleased that, so soon after being elected, the new ETTU Executive Board, has agreed to this very important Continental Affiliation Agreement. It is a basis for productive cooperation for ITTF and especially for ETTU in the near future. It will help present our lovely sport in a more uniform way in Europe and in the World.”

The Annual General Meeting of the ITTF held in Dortmund (Germany) on 27 March 2012 approved a Resolution stating that Continental Federations be affiliated to the ITTF according to established criteria proposed by the Development and Continental Council, and that the application for affiliation be renewed every 4 years in the year of the Olympic Games.

This affiliation system links continental events to the ITTF world title events and also gives the continental federation the right to access ITTF development plan funds, as well as share in ITTF marketing income for specific events and have official recognition from the ITTF.

In addition to full recognition, continental federations receive funding directly from the International Table Tennis Federation for development purposes; there is a confirmed increase of 30 per cent over the previous quadrennial, and close to USD 700,000 is available for ETTU for the period 2013 to 2016 by signing the agreement.

ETTU President KRAMER explained some of the criteria for affiliation: “We encourage and support the development of our sport in a sustainable, structured, progressive and professional manner and we will work with the ITTF on a quadrennial development plan basis. In addition, we agreed to respect the principles of the ITTF: unity of action, mutual respect of associations in their dealings with one another, and the inadmissibility of discrimination against associations or individuals on racial, political, religious or other grounds.”

ETTU will link continental events for qualification to the ITTF world title events, specifically World Championships, World Cups and Olympic Games to reinforce greater marketing value and to ensure the participation of top players through specific agreements with the ITTF Competition Program, including the prerequisite that associations wishing to participate at the World Championships must first participate at the Continental Championships.

Former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw has signed with IMG for the global sports company to provide worldwide management and representation in broadcasting, marketing, sponsorship, endorsements and new business ventures.

In making the announcement, Sandy Montag, Senior Corporate Vice President and Head of IMG Clients division, said: “IMG is proud to work with some of the most talented and recognizable athletes and broadcasters in the world. Terry Bradshaw is an American sports institution with a larger-than-life personality. He is a hardworking, dedicated, likeable professional that has a universal appeal that we can leverage to further expand his personal brand through strategic marketing partnerships.”

Bradshaw is a four-time Super Bowl champion NFL quarterback, an Emmy award-winning broadcaster for FOX on “Fox NFL Sunday,” New York Times best-selling author and popular film and television actor.

Terry Bradshaw said, “I’m so excited to be joining the IMG family. I’ve accomplished so much in my career already, but I truly believe that IMG can offer me the opportunity to tap into and create unique business opportunities with their unrivalled resources and access to diverse industries across the world.”

Bradshaw’s career in the NFL began in 1970 and spanned more than 13 years playing for only the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Robert McNeil, of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), has announced the formation of MDC Global Golf to serve the growth of the game of golf in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Robert has been providing comprehensive Golf Course Design Services for over 20 years in the golf industry, and as Principal of The Northeast Golf Company and McNeil Design Collaborative (MDC) since 1996.

MDC Global Golf is built upon a productive and innovative collaboration executed in practice since establishing the McNeil Design Collaborative and The Northeast Golf Company. MDC Global Golf provides full service golf course design, agronomic consultation and golf course construction management.

MDC has nurtured many long standing international strategic alliances. Pod Designs, a Landscape Architecture and Land Planning firm based in Shang Hai, China, leads MDC into the Asian market providing golf course design, resort and land planning services.

Green Consulting, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia provides maintenance and construction management services. MDC and GC have been working together for many years pursuing and providing golf design and development services throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Currently, MDC Global Golf is in the early stages of a new course development in Cluj, Romania at Sun Garden Resort.

MDC’s long time Agronomic Consultant Mr. Melvin B. Lucas, has been active throughout Europe for over 25 years, providing leadership for growing the golf course maintenance industry in many countries from the ground up.
GolfConsult, led by MDC collaboration member, Mr. Terry Riordan, brings international golf course construction management experience to our team with commissions throughout both the Asian and European markets.

McNeil states, “Golf is a global endeavor for our team. We understand the broad reach of the game and embrace the cultures that have embraced it. The MDC Global Golf team has a philosophy built on growing the game and bringing the best out of projects and sites based on the indigenous landscapes presented, sustainability and business success.”

“We enjoy working on sites throughout the world, both existing and new courses, that provide the opportunity for us to learn from the people we work with and find the uniqueness and sometimes hidden character within the landscape. Ultimately our objective is to develop long lasting, productive relationships and along the way provide our clients with great vision and excitement to help them realize and exceed their goals.”

Havas Sports & Entertainment (HSE Group) have officially opened a new office in Moscow, ambulance Russia.

Havas Sports & Entertainment Russia’s roots stem from an internal group within Havas Group, that had been working in the country for the past seven years, with clients including LVMH, Heineken, Reckitt Benckiser, Hyundai, Kia, MTS and Lexus.

Having led the internal group, Maria Gavrilova has been appointed Managing Director of Havas Sports & Entertainment Russia.

She said: “The opening of Havas Sports & Entertainment Russia comes at a very strategic time, as Russia continues to attract an increasing number of international events.

Crucially we have the local insight and can benefit from the support of the global Havas Sports & Entertainment network to help both local and international brands develop meaningful and long-term relationships with Russian consumers.”

Dmitry Konstantinov, President, Havas Sports & Entertainment Russia added: “Havas Sports & Entertainment Russia brings a unique offer of specialty services to the Havas Goup which reinforces Havas’ leading position in Russia and the CIS, and strengthens our capabilities in sports and entertainment,” said Konstantinov.

Lucien Boyer, President and Global CEO of the Havas Sports & Entertainment concluded:  “Russia will be hosting several major global sporting events in the coming years.

“Our experience working for 10 Olympic sponsors around London 2012 combined with our global track record with major sports and entertainment stakeholders and brands, notably with the FIFA World Cup, gives us the expertise to advise clients looking to connect with consumers around these big events.”