Tottenham Hotspur’s new training ground is currently under construction, and on schedule for completion by the beginning of next season.

The ground covers 67 acres, which include 11 pitches and an impressive training centre designed by KSS Architects, featuring curved steel sections fabricated by Barnshaws Section Benders.

Designed around a 70 x 50m indoor artificial pitch, the training centre will feature a transparent ETFE roof, and will act as an integral part of the landscape. The centre will contain state of the art facilities, such as a gym, media centre, medical facilities, hydrotherapy/ swimming pool, and a learning centre.

Barnshaws were commissioned by Watsons to undertake a significant amount of metal bending work for the £45m ($71.6m) project. Sections curved include 305 columns, 323.9 x 16 tubes, and 152 tees all multiple radius bends in the same length bar. Metal bending for the build was carried out across 4 months, afterBarnshaws won the contract based on their technical expertise.

World Snooker is set to make fundamental changes to the structure of the World Professional Tour in an attempt to help grow the sport.

At a recent board meeting it was agreed that the number of players competing on the professional circuit will increase from 96 to 128 from the 2013/14 season.

It was also agreed that players gaining a tour card after Q School next May will keep their card for a period of two years rather than one.

These decisions are part of a complete review of the structure of the tour, medic currently being made in conjunction with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).

A further part of this review will include the option of fundamentally changing the ranking system so that it is based on prize money earned, medic rather than ranking points.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn, said: “Our sport is changing and we need to adjust the structure of the pro tour to reflect that.

“We are expanding on a global scale and we need to provide more opportunities to international players, and allow all players to develop their careers with the most talented ones rising quickly to the top.

“We are currently in a consultation process and will continue to work closely on this with the WPBSA. Further updates will be announced in due course.”

Victoria has secured the right to host the first ever ranking snooker tournament to be staged in Australia, the Australian Goldfields Open, taking place from July 18-24.

IMG Worldwide, the Victorian Government and World Snooker announced the deal to stage the event in Australia for each of the next three years at Bendigo Stadium.

Australia’s Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher stated: “The Australian Goldfields Open will provide an outstanding opportunity to see top sporting action in regional Victoria. The Australian Goldfields Open is the latest addition to Victoria’s award winning major events calendar of exciting, world-class events that is sure to thrill and entertain Victorians and visitors alike.”

IMG will act as the promoter of the event while IMG Media will produce and distribute worldwide television coverage of the tournament to a global audience, and Martin Jolly, senior vice-president and managing director of IMG Asia Pacific, added: “As part of IMG’s long-term relationship with World Snooker, it is our strategy to expand the World Tour into the Asia Pacific region. Victoria has an enviable reputation for staging world-class sporting events and it is therefore fitting that they will host the first World Snooker event in Australia.”

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said: “Snooker is going global like never before as we also have new events in Thailand and Brazil within the next few months, plus many more in the pipeline.”

The Australian Goldfields Open will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, which has provided coverage of several leading snooker events such as the Grand Prix Snooker, Premier League Snooker, Snooker Masters and the UK Championship.

The Cleveland Browns have announced today that Chief Executive Officer Joe Banner has stepped down from his role.

The team also promoted Ray Farmer to General Manager. Farmer will immediately take the over the team’s football operations and lead the Browns during free agency and the draft. 

Additionally, troche the team announced that General Manager Michael Lombardi is departing the organization. President Alec Scheiner will continue in charge of the organization’s business operations.

Owner Jimmy Haslam made the announcement: “First of all, medstore we wanted to capitalize on the knowledge, experience and character we’re fortunate to have in Ray Farmer. Ray has a tremendous football IQ, he’s compelling, and he understands the types of players we need to acquire and develop in order to win in Cleveland. He embraces his partnership with Mike Pettine, which is critical in helping build the right team. Ray will provide excellent leadership in our front office. 

“We appreciate Joe’s contributions to the Cleveland Browns, especially in helping us as new owners. He was committed to creating a successful organization and bringing in talented individuals. We thank him for his work and dedication. We wish him and his family the best. 

“Alec will continue in his role as President of this team. I think he’s one of the most intelligent and innovative young executives in the NFL. 

“We’re also grateful for Mike Lombardi’s efforts and commitment since rejoining our organization. He is an experienced and creative NFL executive with a unique ability to see the big picture. He has tremendous instincts and I know he’ll be a valuable addition to any NFL organization. We simply wanted to give Ray this opportunity that he’s earned. We wanted to move forward under his leadership and capabilities. 

“The purpose of these moves is to unify our team with one, unequivocal goal: Provide our fans with the winning organization they have long deserved.”

The Utah Jazz and EnergySolutions Arena have announced a partnership with Spotlight Ticket Management to provide seamless online ticket management to all companies with luxury suites and premium seating.

The ticket management leader will provide Jazz suite owners with the ability to measure the business impacts of their corporate-owned suites and help demand more out of their tickets.

“As an organization we believe Spotlight will help our customers identify opportunities related to revenue and ROI, buy ” said Clay Jensen, denture Jazz VP of Ticket Sales. “We recognize our customers use their suites as a key marketing and sales tool. Spotlight will allow us to provide our customers with an internal mechanism to utilize their suite at a higher level.”

Spotlight Ticket Management has proven crucial to all companies with tickets and recently reported record growth numbers with the additions of over a dozen Fortune 1000 firms to their already impressive stable of customers including AT&T, illness Google, KPMG, HP, and Fox Sports. The Jazz are the latest addition to the Spotlight team, who partners with over 50 teams and venues along with leading CRM provider Salesforce.com and travel and expense management leader Concur Technologies.

“Spotlight is very excited to be partnering with a first-class and respected organization like the Utah Jazz,” said Spotlight CEO and Co-Founder Tony Knopp, “The Jazz are committed to their customers and we have clear marching orders: help them get more from their tickets.”

Spotlight is a SaaS (software as a service) provider meaning there is no technology to install or download and Jazz customers can begin using it immediately. Spotlight simplifies tickets by allowing users to request and buy tickets on their mobile phone, in their CRM as an official Salesforce.com partner, or right in their inbox with the new Spotlight for Microsoft Outlook add-in.

“We recognize the importance of maintaining a close relationships with our premium seating customers and see Spotlight as a means of strengthening our partnership,” said Jensen. “Spotlight provides a clear and coherent platform for our suite holders to track, allocate and analyze the use of their tickets and allows us to quantify our partnership as an important and beneficial investment.”

“Companies that use Spotlight are blown away by how valuable their sports tickets are,” said Knopp, “Every dollar spent on sports tickets entertains over $2500 in revenue for them. It’s a no brainer.”

English squash world champion, ailment Nick Matthew, allergist has joined the Wasserman Media Group.

The agency has been tasked in developing his commercial & PR opportunities over the coming months.

Matthew is currently competing in the Canary Wharf Squash Classic at East Wintergarden this week, an event in which the current world number three is bidding for a hat-trick of victories.

“I’m really excited to be joining Wasserman,” said Matthew. They have a superb client base and I’m looking forward to a long and successful partnership with them. I’m determined to help take Squash to the next level and believe that with the support I’ll get here they can help me to achieve my goals.”

Wasserman President Sam Rush added: “Nick is the best in the world at his chosen sport and we’re delighted to welcome him on board here at Wasserman. Squash is a sport with great potential and one that one day we hope to see in the Olympic Games. We have no doubt that Nick will prove a valuable asset to the company.”

Matthew joins the likes of Jack Wilshere, Steven Gerrard and Mark Cavendish as part of the Wasserman athlete representation division.

by Ismail Uddin

UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner has claimed the London’s Olympics Stadium will be used for athletics purposes after next years summer games for up to 99 years.

That means that West Ham United – or any other tenant at the Stadium, whether it is a football club or not – will have to comply with any major athletics event that takes place, with the running track guaranteed to remain for the duration of the 99-year lease period.

The news comes as a major boost for UK Athletics given the controversy surrounding the future of the Olympic Stadium beyond 2012, and also means that the use of the Stadium is guaranteed at any potential World Championships in 2017.

Warner said: “We have been able to communicate to all members of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) Council that athletics will be guaranteed in the stadium for 99 years. London will have a global standard athletics facility in its heart for many generations to come.

“We also have a right to host a major competition every few years provided we give the landlord two years’ notice, and any football club will have to arrange to play away from home during those competitions.

“It allows us to completely close the circle, bring the World Championships into the Stadium – which will be a better stadium than is the case for 2012 – and for generations to come we will be in a position to bid for great events and for great athletes to come to London.”

FIFA is analysing documents related to the ownership of land that Worawi Makudi, FIFA executive committee member, says he signed over to the Thai FA.

The title deed documents are being examined by Chris Eaton, FIFA’s head of security.

In September, FIFA requested Makudi provided clarification after allegations he benefited from grants to build facilities on land he owned. Makudi denies the allegations.

Makudi has given documents to FIFA in his quest to clear his name

Thai president Makudi has continually denied using money from FIFA’s “Goal” development programme to build Thailand’s national football centre on the outskirts of Bangkok. He claims the land is owned by the Thai FA.

The land is in the Nong Jok district of Thailand, which is the location for the Thai national football centre that was opened in by Sepp Blatter in September 2009.

It was constructed using £542,000 of development money from the “Goal” project.

There is currently no ethics committee investigation regarding Makudi. It is possible FIFA will begin a formal inquiry if it is not convinced by the documents Makudi has handed over.

In May, Makudi was named in Parliament by former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman as one of four Ffia members who sought “bribes” in return for backing England’s failed 2018 World Cup bid. Fifa refuted Lord Triesman’s allegations.

A campaign named the ‘Big Splash’ has been launched by the BBC, British Gas, Kellogg’s and Speedo, aiming to encourage swimming in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

The project was launched yesterday, May 12, by Australian Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe and sport minister Hugh Robertson and will launch nationally over the coming weekend.

The UK’s national governing body British Swimming, will be working with the brands to encourage people to take up the sport, with brand work by Studio Output.

The BBC will include a special piece on children’s presenter Andy Akinwolere overcoming his fear of water and learning to swim – as well as a longer feature on the Great Salford Swim, to air on Sunday, with promotional pieces throughout the week.

BBC Sport director Barbara Slater said: “The Big Splash is part of the BBC’s commitment to the 2012 legacy, by working with British Swimming to make the nation healthier, safer, fitter and more active, ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“Throughout the year, the BBC will highlight swimming as an important life skill and gateway to a host of fun activities, through a range of well-known programmes across TV, radio and online.”

Figures suggest 20 per cent of adults are unable to swim, while 20 per cent of children leave primary school without being able to swim.

David Sparkes, British Swimming chief executive, said: “The Big Splash is part of our ongoing drive to increase the participation in swimming. It’s got fantastic health benefits and it saves lives.

“Working with the pools and the BBC, we expect to see many more people getting active as we move towards the greatest sporting event in the world, the Olympic Games, coming to London next year.”