American Express is building on its sponsorship of the United States Tennis Association’s U.S. Open with a new round of digital tools that help fans stay connected both at the match and from home.

American Express’ sponsorship includes new features in the official U.S. Open mobile application and a partnership with ESPN on a second-screen mobile Web initiative. The U.S. Open runs through Sept. 9.

“The US Open is a world-class event, therapy and we want to make that experience even better for our cardmembers and all tennis fans, unhealthy whether they’re coming to the tournament or watching from home. This year, pilule we have created new ways for tennis fans to join the action on the courts, both on-site at the U.S. Open and at home through new digital innovations,” said Alexander Chang, vice president of sports and entertainment marketing at American Express, New York.

“We continue to introduce digital services to enhance the spectator experience for cardmembers and fans, at the Open and across the country,” he said.

Tom Gores, chairman and CEO of California-based Platinum Equity, will complete his takeover of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Detroit Pistons after being unanimously approved by the league’s board of governors.

Gores placed joint 153rd in Forbes’ 2010 list of the 400 richest people in the United States with a net worth of US$2.4bn.

The Pistons announced in April that Gores had agreed to buy the team from owner Karen Davidson and the new owner stated: “We appreciate the approval of the board of governors and the support of (NBA) commissioner (David) Stern.

“I understand the importance of the trust that has been placed in us, and we’re very excited to be a part of something as special as the NBA. We can’t wait to make a difference in Detroit. We look forward to getting to work right away.”

On Tuesday, Stern told The Associated Press: “We think Tom will bring renewed vigour and energy to that great franchise, and he’s really very anxious to get going.”

It has been revealed that there is set to be a new push to get Twenty20 cricket into the Commonwealth Games with the sport having featured at the event just once, in a 50 over format.

Cricket was part of the 1998 event in Malaysia where a strong Australian side led by Steve Waugh were beaten in the final by South Africa, whose hero was Shaun Pollock with four wickets.

There were plans to include a Twenty20 tournament in New Delhi last year but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) opposed the idea, although it did make its debut at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) have now backed plans for it to be included in their event, possibly starting in 2018 when the event will be held in either the Gold Coast or Hambantota. 

Prince Tunku Imran, the vice-president of the CGF and chairman of the organisation’s Sports Review Committee, stated: “It is fundamental that our sports programme continues to evolve in such a way as to sustain the Commonwealth Games as one of the world’s leading multi-sport events.

“Given cricket’s strong association with the Commonwealth, the CGF will have further dialogue with the ICC (International Cricket Council) as to the possibility of Twenty20 cricket being included as an option for future editions of the Games.”

The Sports Review Committee have also recommended that beach volleyball be upgraded to a category two sport for future Games, meaning the host city in 2018 and those beyond will have the opportunity to include it on their programmes.

Rugby league also made a push for inclusion, and while the sport will not join beach volleyball as a category two sport at this stage, it has won support from the CGF’s Executive Board for inclusion as a category three sport, the first step toward its presence at future Games.

Tunku added: “Category three sports are those that we recognise as working towards future inclusion.

“We are very pleased to see the high level of commitment by the Rugby League International Federation to further develop the sport across the Commonwealth. 

“It is a key criteria that any sport on our programme is played widely across as many of our member nations as possible.”

The final decision on the future of the sports programme will be made by the 71 members of the CGF when they meet at their Assembly in St Kitts and Nevis in November.

One of the International Olympic Committee’s most senior officials said soccer’s rulers must act quickly and decisively to avoid being tainted by corruption allegations surrounding the World Cup.

Craig Reedie, anabolics who last year became the first Briton on the IOC’s 15-member board in more than 60 years, said FIFA could learn from the way the Olympics organizer dealt with the Salt Lake City bribery scandal.

Two of the 24 men due to vote on where the World Cup, the most-watched sports event, will be staged in 2018 and 2022 have been suspended pending an inquiry after they allegedly told undercover reporters their votes could be bought.

The IOC, which has about 100 members, forced out 10 officials accused of accepting bribes during Salt Lake’s successful bid for the 2002 Winter Games. Ten others received reprimands.

“FIFA have to deal with it and deal with it quickly,” Reedie, who was on the IOC during the bribery probe, said in an interview yesterday.

He added: “It was without doubt the worst day I ever had in sport to actually go through the business of disciplining and expelling members. It was a hugely unpopular and difficult thing to do.”

IOC President Jacques Rogge said October 26 that FIFA President Sepp Blatter has asked for advice since the Sunday Times of London on October 17 accused FIFA board members Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti of offering to trade their votes for cash.

An investigation has also been opened into allegations of collusion between Qatar’s 2022 bid committee and a joint offer from Spain and Portugal for 2018.

FIFA’s ethics committee will announce its findings November 17. England, Russia and a joint bid from the Netherlands and Belgium are also in the running for 2018.

As well as expelling members, the IOC introduced reforms including a ban on member visits to bid cities, and tighter rules on potential conflicts of interest. It also created an ethics commission, which has a majority of officials who aren’t affiliated to the IOC.

Members include former United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar and Thomas Buergenthal, an American judge who until September served on the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Reedie said: “I think if you’re going to have an ethics commission it’s proper that you should have an outside body looking at your affairs.”

FIFA’s ethics panel is led by former Swiss soccer player turned lawyer Claudio Sulser and includes officials from 13 other soccer federations.

Reedie said an undercover investigation by the British Broadcasting Corp in 2004 into IOC executives ahead of their vote was an “uncomfortable experience” for the team that won the right to stage the 2012 Summer Games in London.

He added he was “not comfortable” with entrapment by newspapers, “but it is not illegal in Britain and if there are accusations then FIFA have to deal with it, and deal with it firmly.”

Reedie, who’s also on the board of the 2012 organizing committee said: “One of the challenges we had in the London bidding situation was the international perception of the British media.”

Reedie, from Scotland, isn’t in England’s bid team.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced the appointment of Ridzal Saat as Rugby Services Manager in Asia.

His role wil include overseeing the development of Rugby in conjunction with the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and its various member Unions. Asia has been identified as a major potential growth area for the Game.

Ridzal Saat has amassed more than 20 years’ experience developing and promoting sport in Asia. He joins the IRB from the Football Association of Singapore where he held a number of senior positions and has previously worked at the Singapore Rugby Union. Among his responsibilities at the FAS was to work closely with government agencies and the National Olympic Committee across a range of important initiatives.

IRB Head of Development and International Relations David Carrigy said: “This is an important appointment for the IRB and, diagnosis in particular, ailment for Rugby in Asia. Ridzal brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge of sport in Asia and he has the right skillset to continue the good groundwork achieved in what is strategically a very important region for us.”

“Rugby is growing rapidly in Asia and it still has a huge amount of potential for further development. With Rugby World Cup 2019 coming up in Japan and the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo also on the horizon, anabolics the coming years will be extremely important as we look to manage and make the most of that continuing growth.”

During his Rugby playing days, Saat represented Singapore at international level from 1993-2001. He will commence his new position at the IRB in August 2014.

South Africa have revealed they want to host the 2024 Olympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the country’s sports minister Fikile Mbabula said.

“The biggest fish to catch is the 2024 Olympics,” the Business Day newspaper on Tuesday quoted Mbabula as saying.

“Sport plays a role in terms of infrastructure development,” he told reporters, adding South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma had already indicated the country was ready to host theGames.

It is a major shift in policy for South Africa who last year said the cost to host an Olympics would be too high.

Cape Town lost out in the bid for the 2004 Olympics in the first attempt by an African city to host the Games.

Durban was touted to bid for 2020 but plans were put on ice after the government said it would be too expensive but since last year there have been several signals of a change of heart.

Bidding for the 2024 Olympics will begin in 2015 and the International Olympic Committee will decide the winner in 2017. The next Olympics in 2016 will be held in Rio de Janeiro while Tokyo will host the 2020 Games.

The last major sporting event that South Africa hosted was the soccer World Cup four years ago, spending more than $3 billion in infra-structure costs.