English Championship’s Leeds United have announced reduced turnover and gate receipts.

The sale of Max Gradel and former club captain Jonathan Howson helped the club post an overall profit of £317,000, although that was well down on the £3.5m recorded during the previous 12 months.

“Leeds United have underlined the importance of GFH Capital’s recent takeover by publishing new figures which reveal a major financial downturn at Elland Road,” read a statement on United’s official website.

“The club’s results for the 12 months leading up to June 30, 2012 show marked decreases in turnover and gate receipts and an operating loss of more than £3.3million.

“United posted an overall profit of £317,000, helped by the sale of ex-player of the year Max Gradel and former club captain Jonathan Howson, but the figure decreased dramatically from £3.5million during the previous 12 months.

“Gate receipts were down 10 per cent and turnover fell by almost five per cent to just over £31million.

“United’s parent company Leeds City Holdings Limited, saw more severe decreases with its operating loss standing at £4.193m and its overall loss recorded as £536,000.

“Along with the club, Leeds City Holdings Limited owns Yorkshire Radio – United’s official radio station – Leeds United Media Limited and the Centenary Pavilion.

“The results have emerged a week after GFH Capital, the Dubai-based private equity firm, secured a 100 per cent buy-out of Leeds City Holdings Limited and acquired the majority shareholding of Leeds chairman Ken Bates.

“The 12 months covered by United’s latest accounts span a period in which Bates faced long-running protests against his running of the club and average league attendances fell by almost 4,000.”

According to reports, Sir Clive Woodward is set to announce he has stepped down as director of sport at the British Olympic Association (BOA).

Woodward has spent six years at the organisation and was a key player in the recent London 2012 Games. The BOA is currently undergoing restructuring in the aftermath of the hugely successful Olympics and insidethegames.biz reports that the decision was “entirely amicable”.

It is also understood that Woodward will “maintain ties to the BOA in an ambassadorial role” and that he is “expected to retain his seat on the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Entourage Commission”.

But the news of Woodward’s decision will spark rumours of a return to rugby – the sport where he made his name. The World Cup-winning coach was previously linked with performance director role at the Rugby Football Union and with the country hosting a home World Cup in 2015, there is a chance that the organisers of the tournament – England Rugby 2015 – could look to bring him onboard to aid preparations for rugby’s global gathering.

ER2015 has already recruited one of the architects of the London 2012 Games in Debbie Jevans who is set to start work as the organisation’s new chief executive this month.

cialis sans-serif;”>SPORTEL is proud to announce its return to Rio de Janeiro for our 2013 spring market, erectile which will be held from the 11th to the 13th of March, at the Sofitel Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The inaugural SPORTELRio, held earlier this year, was deemed a success as it played host to nearly 600 registered attendees from the international sports content and new media industries. “With the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we had high hopes for SPORTELRio 2012, but this market exceeded our expectations by far” stated Ms. Amparo Di Fede, General Manager of SPORTEL.

SPORTEL intends to build on the success of SPORTELRio 2012, and has answered to the demands of its participants who chose Rio as the destination of choice for the 2013 spring market.

SPORTEL Markets (SPORTELMonaco, SPORTELAmerica, SPORTELRio, SPORTELAsia) are recognized globally as the largest, most influential business venue for high-level sports and media executives for the past 23 years. SPORTEL is globally respected as the one “must-attend” business market for sports media professionals involved in sports programming across all media platforms.

The Football League has signed a new partnership with YouTube giving supporters access to a whole new world of free online video content.

The new agreement will see the Football League’s online arm FL Interactive – which includes clubs from across the Football League, Premier League and non-league game – launch official YouTube Channels for more than 85 clubs, as well as the Football League itself. From launch, they will become football’s largest network of Official Club Channels across the YouTube platform.

Each season more than 20,000 videos will be launched across these channels, including match highlights and clips from Football League competitions – including the Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League 1, Sky Bet League 2, the Capital One Cup and the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. It will also give supporters behind the scenes access at their club, live programming, match preview and review shows, as well as footage and compilations from the Football League archive.

The new channels, which will be available globally, will also feature co-productions with established YouTube partners in the sport, music, entertainment and gaming spheres that will enable clubs to interact with an ever wider audience.

The Football League’s Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Heaselgrave said: “This is completely new territory for The Football League and fits with our vision of entertaining fans seven days a week, 365 days a year rather than for just 90 minutes every Saturday.

“To do this we are investing in new resources and platforms to deliver better, more diverse content to fans when and how they want it.

“This new agreement is a crucial element of that strategy as it gives clubs a truly global platform from which to engage with both new and existing fans through regular, creative and original programming.”

Stephen Nuttall, Senior Director, YouTube Sports EMEA: “A partnership with The Football League, notably during its 125th Anniversary season, will expand the fast growing range of football content that YouTube’s viewers the world over can enjoy. The Football League and clubs in its FLi network will provide entertaining, fresh and fun content, including match highlights and news, throughout the week.”

Leeds United’s new owners, Dubai-based investment company GFH Capital, believe they can deliver a “fresh start” for the Championship club as they outlined their plans for the future.

GFH Capital’s reported £52 million takeover sees GFH deputy chairman David Haigh, who became a director last month, to be joined on the Leeds board by fellow executives Salem Patel and Hisham Alrayes.

A statement on Leeds’ website confirmed the company would take 100% charge, while they have been in protracted talks with Ken Bates, who is relinquishing ownership, over a deal that Patel believes can reinvigorate the club.

“We are delighted, but also honoured and proud to be the new owners of Leeds United football club,” Haigh said. “We have had over 4,000 e-mails of support from fans and we have been overwhelmed by the reaction. Everyone we have spoken to in the city has been fantastic.”

GFH has previously stated a desire to take the club back to the top-flight and Patel added: “We are looking forward to a bright future. This is a fresh start for the football club and we welcome fans both old and new to Elland Road.”

Leeds have been outside the top-flight since 2004 following financial turmoil that, at one point, instigated a fall into the third tier.

A new club chairman will be appointed by the new owners at the end of the season when Bates will become club president.

With five months still to go, sale Soccerex has confirmed that 80% of the exhibition space for the Global Convention in Rio de Janerio has already been sold. For the third year running the demand for spaces has exceeded expectation which confirms the Soccerex Global Convention’s reputation as the world’s leading event for the business of football.

With over 4, order 500 industry decision makers in attendance the exhibition provides a unique platform for businesses from around the world to share their latest industry products and services with the people who matter.

Exhibitors at this year’s event include leading brands such as Adidas, sale Honda, Errea, Nielsen and Unimed; rights holders Boca Juniors, Flamengo, Mamelodi Sundowns, Spanish FA and Lagos State FA; international agencies including XYZ Live, IMG, Sportfive, Alliance Sports and Works; stadium specialists Rapiscan, Smiths Detection, Terraplas, Mobiliario Seating, Soccer Grass and Forbex; hospitality specialists The Russell Partnership; plus host cities, regional governments and ministries, financial companies, charities and media to name just a few.

Exhibitors and delegates will also have the chance to listen and learn from some of the biggest names in football during specially tailored conferences. Previous speakers have included the governor of Rio de Janerio Sergio Cabral, Brazil’s Minister of Sport Aldo Rebelo, Honorary Life President of FIFA João Havelange, FIFA Director of Marketing Thierry Weil and football legends such as Ossie Ardiles, Zico, Eusébio, Carlos Alberto Torres, Bryan Robson and already confirmed for this year is Sir Bobby Charlton. The conference programme will cover a range of footballing issues focusing on Goal Line technology, Major Event legacy, Player Development, Fan Engagement, The Future of Sports Rights, Media and the World Cup, Player Transfers & ownership, The Power of Image in Sport and Football Social Responsibility.

Another key attraction of the event is the Football Festival held on Copacabana beach, players already confirmed for this year’s legends match include Juliano Belletti, Marcel Deasilly, Gaizka Mendieta, Carlos Valderrama and Marcelo Salas.

The remaining exhibition space left at the convention is in high demand and will soon be fully sold out. If you are interested in exhibiting at the Soccerex Global Convention then please contact the Sales Team on +44 (0)208 987 5522.

An Irishman living in Australia has extended his mortgage to buy the Australian rights to Ireland’s upcoming World Cup qualifier, after being frustrated at missing out on watching his country play.

David Feeney, a Sydney-based IT director, contacted a friend in broadcasting from Ireland, who put him on to Kentaro, a German media company which owned the rights.

Feeney has bought the rights for “tens of thousands of dollars” to show Ireland v Sweden next Saturday and England v Ukraine four days later, airing the matches in sports bars and casinos up and down Australia’s east coast.

“They said my bid was too low, but that it was close. Then I raised the bid and they said OK,” Feeney said, who first had to run the idea by his wife.

“Both our names are on the mortgage, and when I told her about the idea, I don’t think she was too crazy about it. But if it works out, I’m hoping we can do more in the future.

“She was hardest to convince alright, but we have an agreement that if it makes any money, she gets to keep it.”

Feeney is also negotiating to televise both matches in New Zealand and some Pacific Islands.