The Irish Football Association have applied for planning permission to redevelop Windsor Park.

If permission is granted Northern Ireland’s stadium, which is also home to IFA Premiership club Linfield, will have its seated capacity increased to 18,000.

Irish FA chief executive Patrick Nelson said: “We had made it a key target to have our planning application submitted by this date and I am delighted that we have achieved this.

“The design for our redeveloped national stadium truly is impressive, and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to give their thoughts and ideas to us during the community consultation process.

“I know that the new Windsor Park will be a stadium that we will all be proud of.”

The IFA now hopes a £29.2m project, with £25.2m provided by the Government, will begin in September next year.

Canterbury Crusaders and Wellington Hurricanes are set to be run by private investors after the New Zealand Rugby Union granted licences to private investors for the Super League clubs.

NZRU chairman Steve Tew revealed a joint-ownership deal has already been struck for the Hurricanes licence and a similar arrangement is expected to be finalised for seven-time Super Rugby champions the Crusaders within a month.

As part of the Wellington sell-off, existing owner the Wellington Rugby Football Union will jointly run the team with a business consortium that includes investors linked to the Wellington Phoenix A-League football club.

The NZRU, which is eager to improve its finances, did not disclose how much the consortium paid for a 50 percent stake in the Hurricanes licence until 2016 and the option for a five-year renewal after that.

Expressions of interest were invited by the NZRU last December in four of the country’s five Super Rugby teams – the Otago Highlanders were not included – but no deals were finalised in time for the 2013 season for the Auckland Blues and Waikato Chiefs.

NZRU chairman Steve Tew said: “These new arrangements are a step forward in terms of putting Super Rugby on a stronger financial footing to ensure the game at the professional level is better placed to prosper and deliver for its fans.”

TaylorMade-adidas Golf (TMaG), denture the largest and most profitable golf equipment, ed apparel and footwear company in the world comprised of four powerful brands (TaylorMade, adidas Golf, Ashworth and Adams), today announced global sales of $514.7 million in the second quarter of 2012 — a 25% increase over the prior year on a currency-neutral basis.

TMaG’s strong second-quarter showing elevated its first-half sales to $1.02 billion (+29% over last year), making it the best first-half, in terms of sales, in the company’s 33-year history.

The company’s strong Q2 success was based on growth in all categories, with metalwoods, irons, putters and footwear all recording growth rates above 20%.

In terms of first-half 2012 sales, TMaG experienced currency-neutral, year-over-year growth in metalwoods (+25%), irons (+37%), putters (+29%), balls (+16%), footwear (+29%), apparel (+9%) and bags (+110%).

“Part of our definition of being a great golf company is to make every product we bring to the marketplace the best in its class,” said Mark King, TMaG CEO and President. “With that in mind, we’re very pleased to have recorded significant sales growth in all of our key product categories in the second quarter and the first half of 2012. That kind of balanced excellence is an indicator that our methods of product development, marketing, sales and service are strong across all four of our brands.”

Procter & Gamble is set to up the ante in terms of Olympic marketing by introducing a new marketing campaign featuring junior athletes and a raft of brand-led activity in the run up to and during the Games.

The ‘kids’ themed advertisement will break online later this week and on TV during the opening ceremony on 27 July.

The ad, the latest in its “Thank You Mum” global corporate campaign, uses the strapline “To their mums, they will always be kids” and features child athletes and non-athletes in the place of adult competitors preparing for and competing in a number of Olympic events such as swimming, gymnastics and sprinting.

Nathan Homer, Olympics and Paralympics project director for P&G, said: “You’re going to see ten to 20 brand promotions over July, August and September. Given the number of brands we have, you can pretty much expect to see all of them activated over the next four to six weeks. It’s the intensity that’s increasing, so our brands are going to be using more touchpoints at once whereas up until now they’ve just used above the line or below the line.”

He also said the spot will be supported by advertising activity for all of its top brands including Pampers, Gillette and Oral B as the company looks to tie everything together under its ‘Thank You Mum’ strategy.

The Olympic Worldwide partner will increase its use of athletes such as Paula Radcliffe and Sir Chris Hoy fronting its promotions during the coming weeks to differentiate its marketing from its competitors as the Games get closer.

The spot will be supported by print, online and social media activity.

A record 21 Grand Prix schedule has been revealed ahead of the 2012 Formula One season, with the United States Grand Prix returning to the calendar for the first time since 2007.

The Texas Grand Prix in Austin will debut on June 17 next year having recently signed a 10-year deal with motor sport’s world governing body, the FIA, which decides the calendar.

The programme reached a record 20 races for the first time this year, and now looks set to be extended again for next season.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will have another attempt at opening the season after it was rescheduled from its starting slot until October for the 2011 campaign, due to political protests.

The heavily criticised Turkish Grand Prix is also provisionally included on May 6 despite its future being called into doubt because of its struggle to win over local fans in recent years.

The Korean GP, which made its debut last year, has been moved from its normal October weekend to April 22, while the season will culminate with the Brazilian GP on November 25.

The 50-over biennial cricket tournament, The Champions Trophy may well be scrapped from the calendar as the sport’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) look towards creating a pinnacle event in each format of the game.

ICC chief Haroon Lorgat said the ICC wanted to create a “pinnacle” in all three formats with a Test world championship, the 50-over World Cup and World Twenty20.

Lorgat stated: “What we’re trying to work towards is a pinnacle event in each format. So if we’re looking to our next cycle we might think definitely about (losing) the Champions Trophy.”

He added it was difficult to see where the Champions Trophy, currently held by Australia, would fit into such a schedule and the possibility of removing the tournament
would also make sense because it will be difficult to accommodate the event in post 2012 FTP.

The ICC had last year approved a Test league to provide context for all Test matches. The league would determine the top four teams to qualify for an ICC Test play-off. The play-off should be held once every four years to determine the Test champion team with a request to hold the first such play-off in 2013.

The FTP will also consist of a One-Day International league, the first to run from April 2011 until April 2014, culminating in the crowning of an ODI league champion. This ODI league will run separate to the ICC Cricket World Cup.

American Express have teamed up with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to become a key marketing partner in a new multi-year deal.

The credit card company will also support USA Basketball, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League under the terms of the new agreement.

The deal is not the first of its kind between the two parties after the NBA did previously have a long-standing marketing partnership from 1995 to 2005. A multi-year contract has been confirmed though the exact duration and financial details behind the deal were not disclosed.

As the league’s official credit card partner, American Express will offer card members special deals and access to games and other events.

Courtney Kelso, vice-president of global sponsorships and marketing at American Express stated: “From the array of spectacular young talent, to the growing international market, enthusiasm and excitement with the NBA is at an all-time high

“We’re proud to be the official credit card partner of the NBA to provide our card members with access to tickets and unique experiences with the NBA, USA Basketball, Women’s NBA and NBA Development League to enhance their passion for the game,” Kelso added.

Prozone, the company which has pioneered the use of performance analysis in football, has re-signed as a major partner of the Leaders in Performance conference.

The conference, which is dedicated to the identification, development and management of sporting talent, is taking place on 7 October at Chelsea FC.

75 per cent of football clubs from the English Premier League now work with Prozone, and in total, over 100 clubs, leagues and federations world wide now benefit from the company.

Marketing and business development manager of Prozone, Simon Edgar said: “Prozone have an unrivalled passion and knowledge of the performance analysis industry and our partnership with ‘Leaders in Performance’ is a perfect alignment of two businesses that are focused on providing world class services to the professional football industry.”

CEO of Leaders in Performance James Worrall added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Prozone. Analysis has become a vital part of sport, all top athletes are using analysis to improve and also get an edge on their opponents, so we feel there is a natural fit with what Leaders in Performance is looking to achieve.”