Manchester United hope to raise around US$300 million by selling just over 10% of the club on the New York Stock Exchange, the Glazer family confirmed.

The United owners initially claimed they would use the funds to pay off the club’s £400 million debt. However, the prospectus that has been released to accompany the announcement on Monday evening indicates only half the money will be used for that purpose, with the rest going directly to the Glazer family.

“Manchester United today commenced its initial public offering of 16,666,667 Class A Ordinary Shares,” said a statement issued from New York by Sard Verbinnen & Co, the public relations firm enlisted by United for the IPO.

“Manchester United is offering 8,333,334 Class A Ordinary Shares and the selling shareholder is offering 8,333,333 Class A Ordinary Shares.

“The underwriters have an option to purchase up to an additional 2,500,000 Class A Ordinary Shares from the selling shareholder. The Class A Ordinary Shares will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and will trade under the symbol ‘MANU'”

The Glazers intend to hold on to the remaining 8,333,334 Class B shares, giving them 10 times as many voting rights on the club’s board as those who hold Class A shares.

This late change in stance is likely to anger United supporters who have opposed the family’s reign following the their takeover of the club in 2005.

“Supporters are going to be very angry about this,” said Duncan Drasdo, chief executive of the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST). “The Glazers have already cost United more than £550 million in debt related fees and now another slap in the face as they help themselves to half of the proposed IPO proceeds.

“Clearly this has nothing to do with benefits for Manchester United and is all about giving the Glazers quick access to desperately needed cash at the expense of our football club.”

IRB (International Rugby Board) CEO and Rugby World Cup Limited Managing Director Mike Miller will step down from his posts at the end of this month.

In his decade at the head of the IRB and Rugby World Cup Limited, here Miller has overseen significant development in the game.

An official press release praised Miller’s involvement in “three hugely successful Rugby World Cups, viagra the re-inclusion of Rugby into the Olympic Games, viagra the expansion and growth of the HSBC Sevens World Series and the creation of the IRB’s Strategic Investment Programme and Union Fund which have seen an exponential increase in funding to Tier 1 and Tier 2 Unions and emerging major market countries.

Miller has reflected on his own achievements and looked forward to the realisation of his legacy.

“It’s been a fantastic 10 years. It was an honour and a privilege to have been welcomed into the Rugby family and to have worked with so many dedicated and talented Rugby people around the world.

“I have been lucky to have had three excellent chairmen in Vernon Pugh, Syd Millar and Bernard Lapasset and a brilliant staff at the IRB. We have achieved a lot in the last decade.

“Rugby is in a great place as it looks forward to Rugby World Cups in England and Japan, Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow, Women’s Rugby World Cup in France and the Olympics in Rio in 2016.

“The Game has grown around the world and with its major events going to Asia and Eastern Europe for the first time the platform has been established for Rugby to become a truly global sport.

“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to Rugby’s growth and success over the last 10 years and in particular Bernard for his support and vision and Bill Beaumont for his advice and guidance as Vice Chairman over the past four years”.

Miller made the decision to step down after discussions with recently re-elected Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

It was agreed that the beginning of a new four-year cycle following the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last autumn was a prudent time to end a partnership which has seen the IRB develop and mature.

Lapasset has stated, “Mike has achieved much during his 10 years at the IRB which is a much stronger organisation than when he joined in 2002.

“The Game is in great shape and the IRB is ready to take on the challenges of continuing to grow Rugby around the world and in particular to ensure that the Tier 1 countries are strong and secure, the Tier 2 countries continue to improve and grow, and the emerging major market countries become competitive as soon as possible.

“All of this will be achieved through our strong working relationship with the IRB Regions who are the first point of support and contact for our Unions.”

“Mike will be a hard act to follow. But with my newly re-affirmed four-year mandate, a revamped IRB Executive Committee, a soon to be refreshed Rugby World Cup Board and a vibrant Council and staff we have the tools in place to continue to drive the Game forward”.

RaboDirect PRO12, the league that showcases the top rugby clubs from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, has announced a four-year broadcast deal with Sky Sports beginning in the 2014/15 season.

For the first time Sky Sports will show 30 live matches, plus the semi-finals and final from the tournament, strengthening its unrivalled rights portfolio across six channels.

The RaboDirect PRO12 features the top teams from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy, including Europe’s current number one ranked side Leinster, defending champions Ospreys and current leaders Ulster.

Sky Sports viewers will be able to enjoy weekly coverage on TV, PC and on the move via mobile and tablet devices.

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “We know European rugby is hugely popular with our viewers and this deal provides for even more fantastic action. From next year, the RaboDirect PRO12 will complement our Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cup coverage and provide viewers with an unrivalled diet of rugby union.

“Sky Sports remains the home of televised rugby union, offering an unprecedented schedule from the international, European and domestic game. Our coverage is innovative and our expert analysis respected. This agreement is even more good news for rugby fans with Sky Sports.”

John Feehan, Chief Executive of RaboDirect PRO12, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sky Sports to the RaboDirect PRO12 family. Our competition is growing from strength to strength and we feel this partnership with Sky Sports will allow us to extend the reach of the RaboDirect PRO12 in the UK and Ireland.”

Aston Villa owner, Randy Lerner is not planing to sell the club according to Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner.

The US owner has decided to sell his NFL team, the Cleveland Browns, sparking fears that he could be keen to get rid of Villa too.

But Faulkner claims that decision is irrelevant to Lerner’s future plans for the Premier League club.

Faulkner is quoted in the Daily Star as saying: “The Browns situation means absolutely nothing regards Aston Villa – neither good nor bad.

“The big point that people sometimes forget is that he inherited Cleveland – he bought Villa.

“Any rumours that he could be thinking about getting out or losing interest is nonsense.”

NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been been given the role of global cultural ambassador for the US, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Wednesday

Abdul-Jabbar will begin his new role with a trip to Brazil from January 22-28, meeting with youth in Salvador and Rio de Janeiro to speak about education, social and racial tolerance, cultural understanding and using sports as a means of empowerment.

He will also participate in basketball clinics in both cities.

“I am excited and honored to serve my country as a cultural ambassador for the US Department of State,” said Abdul-Jabbar, who has turned his focus to African-American history and socio-economic justice since retiring from the NBA in 1989.

“I look forward to meeting with young people all over the world and discussing ways in which we can strengthen our understanding of one another through education, through sports, and through greater cultural tolerance.”

The 64-year-old spent 20 years in the NBA, winning six titles, and was named league MVP on a record six occasions.

Abdul-Jabbar remains the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points, and had his No. 33 retired by both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Clare Connor appointed chairwoman of ICC Women’s Committee

England’s Connor replaces Netherlands’ Betty Timmer

 

Former England captain Clare Connor has been appointed chairwoman of the International Cricket Council Women’s Committee.

Connor, who currently sits on the ICC Cricket Committee and is Head of Women’s Cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board, replaces outgoing chairwoman, Netherlands’ Betty Timmer.

Timmer, who held the role since the committee’s inauguration in 2005, steps down having accomplished a number of milestones in women’s cricket in her time as head of the committee.

During her period at the helm of the committee, Timmer successfully pushed for the integration of men’s and women’s cricket, with the first joint ICC Men’s and Women’s World Twenty20 being held in England in 2009.

A former cricketer, Timmer also worked on the successful integration of the International Women’s Cricket Council and the ICC along with the integration of male/female cricket amongst member boards.

Connor, who will head the committee which discusses a variety of issues relating to the women’s game, will hold the role for two years and can be re-elected at the end of her term. By virtue of being chairwoman of the Women’s Committee, Connor will now also represent women’s cricket on the ICC Development Committee.

The 34-year-old former England and Sussex captain represented England in 93 ODIs and 16 Tests in her playing career before turning to cricket administration a couple of years after her retirement in 2008. She was awarded the British honour of MBE for her services to women’s cricket in 2004 and then the honour of OBE in 2005 for leading the England women’s team to its first Ashes victory in 42 years.

Connor said: “First of all I would like to thank Betty Timmer for her hard work and enthusiasm. Betty has worked tirelessly for many years to help promote women’s cricket globally through the ICC Women’s Committee. As such, she leaves the women’s game in a healthy situation.

“I’m delighted to be taking over as chairwoman of the committee at such an exciting time for the women’s game and immediately after the launch of the new ICC Strategic Plan in which the women’s game has real focus. I believe this role will complement my position on the ICC Cricket Committee and also as Head of Women’s Cricket at the ECB.”

Chinese Super League Shanghai Shenhua FC fans boycotted a friendly against Manchester United because it was played midway through the Chinese domestic season.

The 42,000 crowd included a minority of spectators wearing the blueshirts of Shenhua.

Shenhua fans had started an online campaign urging the club’s supporters to avoid the match.

Some supporters cited high ticket prices as  a reason for not attending. The cheapest seats were selling for 180 RMB (us$28) each, almost 25 percent of the cost of a Shenhua season ticket. {jcomments on}

Totteham Hotspur have announced Executive Director with commercial responsibility, Charlie Wijeratna, has left the Club on Tuesday 17 January 2012 for unknown reasons

Wijeratna joined from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) where he and his team set up and delivered the sponsorship programme along with licensing and retailing projects, selling LOCOG’s official hospitality assets and Paralympicbroadcasting rights. With his team Charlie designed the highly successful competitive process for selling sponsorship assets which was groundbreaking in the UK in 2006.

A member of the London 2012 executive management team since the start of the bid in 2003, he was responsible for all the commercial and legal aspects of London’s bid for the Games and the establishment of LOCOG. Charlie is a qualified investment banker and lawyer with a background in sports TV production.

He was appointed executive director of Spurs in November 2010.

Daniel Levy, Chairman, said: “I’d like to thank Charlie for his work since he’s been with us. He has overseen the successful overhaul of the brand and the Club’s visual identity. We wish him the best of luck in the future.”

Charlie Wijeratna said: “I’ve enjoyed my time at Spurs. It has been an exciting environment to work in and I am proud of the work I have done with my team to position the Club for the next phase of its commercial development.”

STATS LLC, ampoule the world’s leading sports technology, ailment data and content provider, announced today that Eric Shanks, Co-President and COO of the FOX Sports Media Group, has been appointed to the company’s board of directors.

Mr. Shanks has enjoyed a distinguished career in television production and programming. In his current role, Mr. Shanks oversees all entities within the Group, including FOX Soccer, SPEED, FOX Deportes, FUEL TV, FOXSports.com and all digital ventures, as well as FOX Sports’ relationship with The Big Ten Network. A six-time Emmy Award-winner, Mr. Shanks holds the day-to-day responsibilities of the FOX Sports broadcast network, including programming, production, field and studio operations, marketing, promotion, communications, business and legal affairs.

Previously, Mr. Shanks served as executive vice president of DIRECTV Entertainment. Prior to joining DIRECTV, he served as a producer at FOX Sports and as vice president of Enhanced Programming for FOX Television Networks.

Eric Shanks commented: “STATS is one of the most innovative companies in sports today,” said Mr. Shanks. “I feel privileged to join this exciting and dynamic team, and look forward to providing my expertise wherever possible.”

STATS CEO Gary Walrath commented: “We are fortunate to have the leadership, vision and tremendous expertise of Eric Shanks as we continue to advance STATS’ mission to revolutionize the way sports contests are viewed, understood and enjoyed.”

STATS is owned jointly by the Associated Press and News Corporation. Mr. Shanks joins Tom Curley and Ken Dale of the Associated Press and Gary Ehrlich of FOX Sports Enterprises to complete STATS’ four-member board.