Universal Sports Network to Air Boston Marathon

Universal Sports Network, the year-round destination for Olympic and endurance sports programming, has announced it will have live coverage 117th Boston Marathon. 

UniversalSports.com will offer a live stream of the event presented by Timex. The network’s exclusive national TV coverage of the world’s oldest annual marathon will showcase more than 20,000 runners tackling the historic 26.2-mile course, including many of the sport’s elite marathoners.

In addition to the highly anticipated race, Universal Sports will air a special preview show presented by Xendurance, featuring analysis of the elite field, on Sunday, April 14 at 4 PM ET. On Monday, April 15, LIVE race day coverage from Copley Square will include the network’s pre- and post-race shows presented by Slow-Mag at 9 AM ET and 12:30 PM ET respectively, and a recap show at 4 PM ET.

The Network’s LIVE on-site coverage will be hosted by Paul Sunderland, alongside analyst and elite distance runner Josh Cox, analyst Juli Benson, field reporter Nick Gismondi, and Special Guest Analyst Frank Shorter, the only American male to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the marathon.

“As America’s top TV and online destination for marathons, we are proud to offer this in-depth coverage of the world’s ultimate distance running race,” said Dean Walker, SVP, Production of Universal Sports. “The Boston Marathon is the linchpin of our Marathon-A-Thon programming and a must-watch event for the growing endurance sports community.”

Keith Ryder Completes Port Vale Takeover Deal

English League Two team Keith Ryder has completed his takeover of Port Vale following the approval of the Football League and Football Association. 

Lancashire businessman Ryder and the club’s administrators Begbies-Traynor last week completed all the necessary paperwork, but the deal was still subject to approval.

That approval was granted on Friday afternoon.

The npower League Two club confirmed via a brief statement on their official website: “In accordance with Football League Regulation 94.1 – Publication of Ownership. Port Vale FC Ltd is owned 100% by Mr. Keith Ryder.”

Sir John Major Quits from MCC Committee after Lords Development Disagreement

Former British Prime Minister Sir John Major has resigned from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) club committee, after having a disagreement with the rest of the panel over the Vision for Lord’s project.

“For me, cricket has been a lifelong and enduring passion and it will remain so. The solace the game has given me in good times and bad, the friendships I have made, and the sheer joy of the game will never fade,” he told The Telegraph.

“My decision to resign from the committee of the world’s pre-eminent cricket club has been reached with very great sadness and I wish other members of the committee well in their future deliberations,” he added.

The move by the likes of Major comes as a setback for the MCC.

An MCC statement said it had accepted his resignation, which was “due to fundamental disagreements over the direction of policy on the Vision for Lord’s; the manner in which decisions have been reached, and their wider implications for the club”.

It also acknowledged Major’s contributions to the committee.

Major had been member of the MCC’s development sub- committee, which was re- developing the Lord’s as a majorcricket venue.

The £400 million ($620.6m) plan was floated in 2007 to increase Lord’s capacity with new stands at the Nursery End of the ground.

But the cost of the plan was reduced to £100 million ($155.5m), and the committee dissolved since MCC Chairperson Oliver Stocken adopted a cautious line of approach in the wake of recession.

But the decision to scrap the committee did not go down well with Major, who was in favour of strong development subcommittee.

Former Kiwi Test cricketer Martin Snedden is likely to succeed Major.

To vent your thoughts on this issue go to our latest discussion: Was Sir John Major right to resign from the MCC committee?

Chinese Super League Salaries Soar

Data recently published about the Chinese Super League (CSL) shows salaries are soaring for top coaches and players alike.

The league’s highest paid personnel are Shanghai Shenhua duo Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka who both earn US$15.19 million anually.

Marcelo Lippi, who was recently appointed coach of Guangzhou Evergrande, is third in the list with his annual salary of US$ 12.66 million.  Other coaches in the list of top 15 highest paid CSL staff are Beijing Guoan’s Jaime Pacheo and Nelo Vingada of Dalian Shide.

Shanghai Shenhua coach Sergio Batista, who replaced Jean Tigana following the side’s poor start to the season, will be under to pressure to succeed with four of his club’s players being among the league’s top ten highest paid staff.


=Didier Drogba —Shanghai Shenhua *$15.19m p/a

=Nicolas Anelka— Shanghai Shenhua $15.19m p/a

3. Marcelo Lippi— Guangzhou Evergrande $12.66m p/a

4. Lucas Barrios— Guangzhou Evergrande $8.23m p/a

5.Yakubu Aiyegbeni—Guangzhou R&F $ 7.85m p/a

6.Dario Conca— Guangzhou Evergrande  $$7m p/a

7. Moisés Pinheiro— Shanghai Shenhua $3.50m p/a

8. Giovanni Moreno— Shanghai Shenhua $3m p/a

9. Takeshi Okada— Hangzhou Greentown $2.36m p/a

10. Jaime Pacheco— Beijing Guoan $2.2m p/a

11. David de Jesus— Guangzhou R&F $2m p/a

12.Frédéric Kanouté — Beijing Guoan $2m p/a

13. Nelo Vingada— Dalian Shide $2m p/a

14. Aleksandar Jevtić— Jiangsu Sainty $1.5m p/a

15.Cléo Córdova— Guangzhou Evergrande $1.5m p/a

*All salaries are in US dollars

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Luis Perez-Sala Becomes New Team Principal at Spanish F1 Team HRT

Former Spanish Formula One driver Luis Perez-Sala has taken the top job at F1 minnows HRT as the replacement for team principal Kolin Kolles, pharm the team announnced today.

Kolles, a Germany-based Romanian, had led the financially-strapped Spanish team since they made their Formula One debut last year. His departure was announced on Wednesday.

“With the naming of Luis Perez-Sala at the fore of the team, HRT F1 team closes one chapter and begins a new one, which will hopefully come with new successes and satisfactions,” HRT said in a statement.

Perez-Sala, 52, completed two seasons for Minardi, achieving his best result at the 1989 British Grand Prix when he finished sixth. He initially joined the Spanish team as an advisor to the new owners, investment group Thesan Capital, this summer.

“We must be patient and keep in mind that we cannot expect to achieve great success in the short term,” he said.

“But we can take a team forward that we can still feel proud of. The simple fact that Spain has a team at the pinnacle of motor sports is already a great feat.”

The team is being moved to a new base in Valencia and are trying to establish themselves as an all-Spanish outfit.

Naming Rights – Revenue Opportunities Under Marseille Spotlight

The national and international event management industry is under growing pressure to
maximise revenues, anesthetist not just for increased profitability, viagra sale but to maintain the lowest possible
prices for customers, and maximise event attendances.
And the Stadia & Arena Conference in Marseille (June 15-17, 2011) has secured Chris
Marking, Head of Sponsorship Strategy at AEG Europe, to make present: ‘Maximizing
Commercial Partnerships: Increased revenues and enhanced customer experiences’.
AEG Group, one of the biggest names in the industry, believes that venue sponsorships can
deliver significant long term revenues through naming rights and other sponsorships, but the
most successful are the ones that also enhance the visitor and tenant’s experience.
Commercial partnerships can deliver revenue, new events, increased ticket sales and better
guest experiences for all venues.
There is a Early Bird Discount for the conference, but the closing deadline is April 29. To fly
to Marseille for one of the biggest events of the year as an Early Bird – book now
(www.sam.uk.com).
The wide range of world-renowned speakers at the Conference also includes Phil Mead,
Managing Director of the NEC Group – who is speaking about the re-development of the LG
Arena and the UK’s National Indoor Arena. Phil has also been a consultant in the
development of a new 12,000 to 15,000-seat indoor arena near Lyon, France.
“The industry is changing rapidly, driven by finance – the single worldwide language of our
business – and every forward-looking professional in the industry must be aware of those
changes,” says Alan Levett, Event Director.
The venue management industry is growing and diversifying and the Stadia & Arena
Conference has recognised this by providing speakers covering a diverse range of venue
types. Frederic Longuepee of the French tennis National Association, will speak about the
plans for the Euros 256 million development and expansion of the world famous Roland
Garros tennis complex in Paris from 21 acres (8.5 hectares) to about 33.8 acres (13.5
hectares); and Tom Jones, Associate Principal of Populous, the global design practice for
all types of public arena, will be presenting on plans for the sustainable legacy to be left by
next year’s London 2012 Olympic Games.
The national and international event management industry is under growing pressure to maximise revenues, not just for increased profitability, but to maintain the lowest possible prices for customers, and maximise event attendances.

And the Stadia & Arena Conference in Marseille (June 15-17, 2011) has secured Chris Marking, Head of Sponsorship Strategy at AEG Europe, to make present: ‘Maximizing Commercial Partnerships: Increased revenues and enhanced customer experiences’.

AEG Group, one of the biggest names in the industry, believes that venue sponsorships can deliver significant long term revenues through naming rights and other sponsorships, but the most successful are the ones that also enhance the visitor and tenant’s experience. Commercial partnerships can deliver revenue, new events, increased ticket sales and better guest experiences for all venues.

There is a Early Bird Discount for the conference, but the closing deadline is April 29. To fly to Marseille for one of the biggest events of the year as an Early Bird – book now (www.sam.uk.com).

The wide range of world-renowned speakers at the Conference also includes Phil Mead, Managing Director of the NEC Group – who is speaking about the re-development of the LG Arena and the UK’s National Indoor Arena. Phil has also been a consultant in the development of a new 12,000 to 15,000-seat indoor arena near Lyon, France.

“The industry is changing rapidly, driven by finance – the single worldwide language of our business – and every forward-looking professional in the industry must be aware of those changes,” says Alan Levett, Event Director.

The venue management industry is growing and diversifying and the Stadia & Arena Conference has recognised this by providing speakers covering a diverse range of venue types. Frederic Longuepee of the French tennis National Association, will speak about the plans for the Euros 256 million development and expansion of the world famous Roland Garros tennis complex in Paris from 21 acres (8.5 hectares) to about 33.8 acres (13.5 hectares); and Tom Jones, Associate Principal of Populous, the global design practice for all types of public arena, will be presenting on plans for the sustainable legacy to be left by next year’s London 2012 Olympic Games.

Asian Supporters Disappointed After Man Utd Chooses US IPO

Asian supporters said Manchester United may have made a mistake by opting to take out a US share listing rather than tapping their fanatical fan base in the region for funds.

The club, which says it has 325 million Asian followers, had received in-principle approval for an initial public offering (IPO) in Singapore.

But the club filed papers to float shares in the United States.

“It is disappointing that the club is not raising funds in Asia,” said Sean Seah, a securities trader and Manchester United supporter in Kuala Lumpur.
He said may not make as much money from a US listing as they might have in Asia.

“If the Red Devils float their shares in Asia, supporters will swamp it. It is simple. Manchester United supporters are familiar with the team. Owning shares (in it) will be akin to having a souvenir or collectible,” Seah said.
”I do not think the stock will perform well in the US, where interest for football is less, unlike across Asia.”

Hong Konghad also been considered for the IPO but Singapore was the odds-on favourite to clinch the deal right up to the announcement.
The Singapore and Hong Kong stock exchanges had no immediate comment.

“I’m disappointed,” said Ken Lai, chairman of United for United, the team’s official supporters’ club in Singapore.

“It would have been nearer to us, it would have been a great honour to Singapore to actually host this,” he said.{jcomments on}

 

Cleveland Cavaliers Announce Personnel Promotions

NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers have promoted Mark Cashman to Director of Team Operations, Trent Redden to Director of College Player Personnel and Dan Vincent to Manager of Video and Advance Scouting, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Cashman started with the Cavaliers prior to the 2001-02 season as the equipment manager/travel coordinator. In his role as Director of Team Operations he handles all duties associated with the team’s equipment, apparel, and uniforms and the team’s air and ground transportation, as well as accommodations for each road trip. Cashman has over 20 years of NBA experience, having worked with the Portland Trail Blazers (1994-99) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (1990-94) before joining Cleveland.

Redden enters his sixth season with the Cavaliers. He was promoted to basketball operations manager/scout in September of 2010 and his duties as Director of College Player Personnel will include managing the college draft process, including the scouting all of the top draft prospects nationally.  He will also assist General Manager Chris Grant with other select areas in the team’s day-to-day basketball operations.

Vincent was promoted from assistant video coordinator/advance scouting manager. As Manager of Video and Advance Scouting, he will perform video breakdowns of upcoming opponents and assemble personnel reports for use by coaches and players. The 2011-12 season marks Vincent’s fifth season with the Cavs.

Gareth Maybin Signs USD50m Deal with Sportsrisq

GARETH MAYBIN SIGNS $50M DEAL WITH SPORTSRISQ
28th March 2011
European Tour golfer, bronchi Gareth Maybin has agreed a sponsorship deal with leading
sports risk advisory Sportsrisq Capital that includes bonus payments of up to $50m.
The landmark deal is believed to be the largest sponsorship agreement ever signed in
professional golf.
John Nagle, Managing Director at the London based company said “We’re delighted to
be backing such a promising golfer as Gareth. He has the potential to be a major force
on the tour for years to come and we’ll hopefully be along for the ride.”
The eye-watering bonus structure is made possible because of Sportsrisq’s expertise in
pricing performance. Nagle said “W
European Tour golfer, Gareth Maybin has agreed a sponsorship deal with leading sports risk advisory Sportsrisq Capital that includes bonus payments of up to $50m. The landmark deal is believed to be the largest sponsorship agreement ever signed in professional golf.

John Nagle, Managing Director at the London based company said “We’re delighted to be backing such a promising golfer as Gareth. He has the potential to be a major force on the tour for years to come and we’ll hopefully be along for the ride.”

The eye-watering bonus structure is made possible because of Sportsrisq’s expertise in pricing performance. Nagle said “We were able to leverage that to create and manage the bonus structure. All the risk is placed through our risk capacity partners so we can cheer on Gareth without worrying about the huge liabilities.” While the exact details of the structure are confidential, it is primarily based on tournament finishing positions and The Race to Dubai rankings. A cumulative effect would trigger the $50m payout.

Bonus structures are an integral part of most sports sponsorship deals. With the Maybin deal Sportsrisq was able to showcase their product in a way that was both relevant and easy to understand. “Our clients are sponsors and agencies so this is a great way to show the possibilities of what we can do. At the same time we’re demonstrating our commitment to professional sport by becoming a sponsor. We’ll continue to explore innovative sponsorship opportunities as we grow.”

Conor Ridge of Horizon Sports Management, Maybin’s management company, said “The Sportsrisq deal represents an exciting, new type of sponsorship deal that both Gareth and Horizon are proud to be involved with. Gareth doesn’t need any more motivation but the prospect of $50m certainly won’t hurt!”

Maybin tees off on the road to $50m in Agadir, Morocco next Thursday.

Football League Lifts Birmingham City Transfer Embargo

English Championship club Birmingham have had their transfer embargo lifted by the Football League.

The Blues have been unable to sign players since being placed under embargo in March for not filing their 2010/11 accounts in time.

Previous Birmingham owner Carson Yeung was arrested in June on money laundering charges and is due to face trial in Hong Kong in November.

Acting club chairman Peter Pannu said in a statement: “We are pleased that the hard work of those at the club and the Football League has paid off and that the financial prudence put in place since Carson Yeung’s arrest has been recognised. “

Despite the lifting of the embargo, we still need to ensure that this financial prudence remains in place going forward.”