USA Rugby is making bold and aggressive moves to advance its organization by appointing Pam Kosanke as Chief Marketing Officer to lead all internal and external marketing and sponsorship efforts for the organization.

Kosanke joins USA Rugby from Leo Burnett in Chicago, IL where she was a Vice President and oversaw several highly awarded blue-chip consumer product goods (CPG), retail and QSR (quick service restaurant) accounts including McDonald’s. She also led sponsorship activation for various football, Olympics and NASCAR events on Allstate Sports. Additionally, Kosanke volunteered on the communications team for the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid Committee. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan where she played Varsity Softball as an Academic All-American, and earned her Bachelor’s of Business Administration.

“Pam is uniquely suited to spearhead our marketing department and help position USA Rugby as a world class organization that champions and develops the sport of rugby in America,” said Nigel Melville, USA Rugby CEO and Director.

Kosanke’s expertise on and off the rugby field will help prepare the organization for the sport’s first appearance at the 2016 Olympic Games and beyond. She is a well respected and seasoned rugby veteran who is a current USA Women’s National Rugby Team player and played in both the 2006 and 2009 Women’s Rugby World Cups. Kosanke was recently selected as an International Athlete representative to the USA Rugby Congress and was named Rugby Magazine’s Female Player of the Year in 2011.

“I am thrilled to create a reinvigorated expression of the USA Rugby brand leading into the 2016 Olympic Games,” said Pam Kosanke. “Joining USA Rugby is a perfect marriage of my passion for sport and career. Now that rugby is an Olympic sport again, the opportunity for growth is legendary. USA Rugby must turn the corner with podium-worthy performance on all levels.”

David Dein, ampoule former Vice Chairman of Arsenal FC and the Football Association, remedy has joined the line up for the inaugural Soccerex Seminar Lagos, sales 27 – 28 September 2012.

David will call upon his vast local and international experience to deliver a masterclass on the hot topics in football today, with particular focus on the market in West Africa. David has been a regular visitor to the region and a strong advocate of its business potential. Commenting on the Soccerex Seminar Lagos, David said:

‘Nigeria is like my second home – I have been travelling there for over 30 years. The passion and ability that West Africa has for the beautiful game is immense and the economy is now growing rapidly, resulting in increased opportunities around football. In that sense, it is perfect timing that Soccerex has decided to come to Lagos – and I am really looking forward to being part of it.’

Given David’s strong Arsenal connections, his participation has added relevance as it will come shortly after the club have completed their first ever pre-season tour of Nigeria.

David’s session will be part of an agenda designed to promote industry best practice and highlight the growth potential of the region. The conference line up for the event will address key regional and international issues such as Football in West Africa, Youth Development, The Business of Football, Doing Business in West Africa and Social responsibility.

For more information on the Soccerex Seminar Lagos please go to www.soccerex.com/lagos

Major League Soccer (MLS) is exercising it’s plans to add a second team in New York but David Beckham will not be allowed to buy into the new franchise when he retires from playing.

MLS commissioner Don Garber, speaking to reporters on Monday in his annual “state of the league” call, said the organisation was in talks with New York City and was hoping to add a second team in the United States’ biggest market in 2016.

If agreement can be reached, the team would be based in Queens, near the national tennis center and Citifield stadium where Major League Baseball’s New York Mets play their home games.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to happen to finalise our agreement with New York City over our use of the land and our ability to lease that land to build a stadium,” Garber said.

“I do believe that we will resolve that shortly. I can’t put any timetable on that, but we are at the finish line.

The addition of the team would lift the total number of sides in the MLS to 20 and create an instant local rivalry in New York, which already has the Red Bulls.

Garber said ”many ownership groups“ were interested in funding the team but Beckham would not be considered despite expressing interest in owning a franchise when his playing days are over.

As part of the deal to lure the former England captain to the United States, Beckham has an option to buy an expansion franchise but Garber said there was a clause in his contract excluding the Big Apple.

”Anything’s a possibility other than his right to exercise that option in New York,“ Garber said.

Beckham, who joined the Los Angeles Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007, is quitting the MLS after Saturday’s Cup final against Houston.

Garber said his contribution to building the fledgling league was impossible to calculate but there was no doubt he was leaving the league in a better state than when he joined.

”No-one could argue that he hasn’t over delivered,“ Garber said.

”His presence here served without doubt as a catalyst for other world class players to come here.

“We needed David Beckham in 2007 to help drive our credibility … but we don’t need anything today to get us to the next level.”

London Mayor Boris Johnson will chair his London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) following the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Johnson said the Games legacy, including the future of the Olympic Park and the continued regeneration of East London, is a top priority as he personally oversees the process as chair of the LLDC Board. 

“Securing the future of the Olympic and Paralympic legacy and building on the regeneration of East London is a matter of huge importance to me personally,” Johnson said.

“It is vital that I continue to be at the forefront of the decision-making, driving forward the huge task of delivery. The chairmanship of the LLDC will enable me to do just that, building on what has already been achieved.”

The former MP for Henley also confirmed the appointment of Daniel Moylan, his aviation advisor and current chair of LLDC, to spearhead a new aviation policy unit with a brief to develop air infrastructure links to benefit business in London and the South East.

“Daniel Moylan is a gifted politician with a superb brain. I’ve asked Daniel to take on one of the most important challenges of my second term, the vital task of driving our aviation policy,” Johnson added.

“London is the heartbeat of the UK’s economy. We must remain competitive, and to do that we need a coherent aviation strategy for 21st century London. Daniel Moylan will help me deliver that.”

Dentsu Inc. has secured the Olympic broadcast rights in 17 countries across Asia for the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, shop Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and Rio 2016 Summer Olympics after a new deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Dentsu has acquired exclusive gatekeeper broadcaster rights (all languages; all media platforms) for the three editions of the Games in Afghanistan; Brunei; Cambodia; Chinese Taipei; East Timor; Hong Kong, case China; Indonesia; Iran; Laos; Malaysia; Mongolia; Myanmar; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Singapore: Thailand and Vietnam.

Dentsu will now seek broadcast partners on all platforms within the 17 territories, with an obligation to the IOC to ensure that the largest possible audience has access to broadcast of the Olympic Games. Earlier this month, the IOC awarded Dentsu the broadcast rights in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “An organisation with a long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement, Dentsu has a proven track record in broadcast rights sales in Asia; and the agreement ensures comprehensive coverage of the 2014 and 2016 Olympic Games, as well as the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, across Asia.”

“We are delighted to have secured a strong partner in Dentsu in order to negotiate broadcast arrangements for these editions of the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games in 17 important markets,” said IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations. “We are confident that Olympic fans in these countries will be more than satisfied with the quality and quantity of the coverage provided.”

Dentsu Inc. Executive Officer Kiyoshi Nakamura said: “We are honoured to sign the agreement with the IOC for the broadcast and exhibition rights in 17 Asian territories for the Olympic Games in Sochi and Rio de Janeiro, and the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. Together with the five Central Asian territories that have been awarded to Dentsu, we are committed to contributing to the development of the Olympic Movement in Asia by distributing media rights in a total of 22 Asian territories.”

Reebok International Ltd. said Thursday it has reorganized its senior management and eliminated the position of global president.

Uli Becker, denture who was named in 2008 to oversee Reebok’s business around the world, medicine is now president of Reebok North America. The Canton maker of athletic shoes is following the structure of its German parent company, mind Adidas, and there is no longer a global president for either brand, said Dan Sarro, a Reebok spokesman.

Reebok’s chief marketing officer, Matt O’Toole, now reports to Erich Stamminger, the Adidas Group board member based in Germany who is responsible for the global brands. Adidas disclosed its reshuffling earlier this year.

The management change at Reebok follows months of disappointing earnings at the Canton company.

Additional details on the restructuring will be disclosed at an Adidas Group investor conference in California that starts Sept. 20.