The Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) National Community Partnership with Energy Giant SSE will now be managed by Synergy.

SSE appointed specialist marketing consultancy company, Synergy, after a impressive pitch earlier in the year.

The details suggest Synergy will implement a full strategic sponsorship campaign  including digital consultancy, PR, event management and rights exploitation to drive awareness of SSE as a valuable supporter of grassroots rugby in England.

SSE will use the responses gained, prior to the survey closing mid-September, to fully understand the resources that will be made available for clubs to win across the year.

Specifications of how clubs can take part will be announced with the full website launch, currently planned for the beginning of October.

Jonny Petrie, sponsorship manager at SSE said: ‘Critical to our sponsorship is making sure we maximise it. When it came to choosing a partner agency to help us do this, Synergy demonstrated from the first moment that they understood our business and our brand so when matched to their creative thinking made them our natural first choice’.

Lisa Parfitt, director of experiential at Synergy, added: ‘This is a really exciting win for Synergy. Our heritage in rugby sponsorship – including grassroots activation – is unprecedented in our industry, and we are looking forward to building a strong campaign for SSE that helps build their brand in England’.

BBC Scotland has inked a new three-year broadcast deal with the Scottish Premier League (SPL) to cover matches across television, radio and online.

The contract begins in season 2013/14.

The deal allows BBC Scotland to broadcast TV highlights on Sportscene, cover matches live on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound and publish match highlights on the BBC Sport website.

Live TV match coverage is provided by Sky and from this summer BT Vision will take over ESPN’s rights until 2017.

BBC Scotland has been covering Scottish football’s top tier continuously for the past six years.

The new deal also means BBC Scotland can continue to provide up to 10 live radio commentaries each season of Rangers’ games and post the club’s match highlights online.

BBC Scotland’s head of sport, Ewan Angus, said: “There has been no shortage of talking points this season and our offering enables our audiences to stay on the ball, whether they are listening or watching at home or enjoying the content on the move with mobile technology.”

Neil Doncaster, the SPL’s chief executive, said: “The extended BBC deal ensures that SPL football will continue to be available on terrestrial television, as well as online and on mobile, making the league as accessible as possible for supporters.

“In the current economic climate, announcing a three-year partnership is also excellent news for our clubs.”

Sir Alex Ferguson has vented his displeasure about suggestions his support for Manchester United owners the Glazer family is motivated by financial gain. 

The Glazers have been controversial owners of the Premier League club and the recent initial public offering (IPO) has only served to increase fans’ ire against the American businessmen.

The IPO will only partly pay off United’s massive debts, which have been incurred during the Glazer tenure, and there have been claims Ferguson will benefit financially from the move following his recent backing for the owners.

But Ferguson was quick to quash these rumours: “Being aware of the media coverage that is currently ongoing I felt, on this occasion, that I should make my position clear to theManchester United fans,” said Ferguson in a statement.

“In regards to suggestions that I have praised the Glazer family because I stand to financially benefit from the proposed IPO, there is not a single grain of truth in this allegation.

“I do not receive any payments, directly or indirectly, from the IPO.

“Ultimately, I run the football side of this club and in order to do this, you need backing from above.

“The Glazer family have let me get on with my job, there is no interference or obstruction, only support.

“My decisions and beliefs are not based around what is best for my personal financial gain.

“That is an accusation that insults me. If that was the case I would have left Old Trafford a long time ago.

“I am speaking because I do not want a situation to develop whereby the media and other parties create a rift, however small, between myself and Manchester United.

“I’ve spent 25 years of my life pushing this club forward and not only could I not have done that without those fans, I do it for them.”

Four-time Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee is one of three new members added to the USA Track and Field’s board of directors.

Joyner-Kersee, ambulance who won three gold, search one silver and two bronze medals at the Olympics, was named to the board Monday, along with sports attorney Eve Wright and network television executive Mickey Carter.

The board also elected current member Steve Miller to the position of vice chairman.

Soccerex are pleased to announce MATCH Services AG as their official travel and accommodation partner for the Soccerex Global Convention taking place in the stunning city of Rio de Janeiro, generic Brazil from 26-30 November, find 2011.

Specialist professional service company MATCH have been appointed by FIFA to provide travel and accommodation solutions alongside ticketing, hospitality and tourist packages for footballs major tournaments including the 2014 FIFA World Cup TM; they previously provided the aforementioned services for the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009, 2010 FIFA World Cup TM South Africa and the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013.

‘Their logistical expertise coupled with their knowledge of the football industry makes MATCH the perfect partners to help our delegates travel to Brazil and source accommodation for their stay during the Soccerex Global Convention. The fact they are appointed by FIFA testifies to the quality of their organisation and affirms the level of service delegates can expect to receive’ explains Soccerex CEO, Duncan Revie.

Over 4000 delegates will attend the Global Convention this year, including representatives from clubs, brands, sponsors, host cities, leagues and federations, government bodies, leading infrastructure suppliers, agencies, international media and many more.

The five day event will include a comprehensive conference line up, a packed exhibition, numerous networking opportunities and a two day Football Festival, all taking place between Forte de Copacabana and Copacabana beach.

For further information about this event please call +44 (0)208 742 7100 or visit www.soccerex.com/global

Soccerex Global Convention

26-30 November 2011

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

If you would like to know more information about this event and other future Soccerex events please visit http://www.soccerex.com // call: +44 (0)208 742 7100 // email:enquiry@soccerex.com

Sportsnet’s The Score has announced it has reached a two-year multiplatform agreement with FIBA, generic the International Basketball Federation, for the rights to eight marquee FIBA events across television, online, and mobile.

The new agreement, which begins now and runs through 2014, features the following premier men’s and women’s FIBA events: 2013 Americas Championship, 2013 U19 World Championship, 2014 Basketball World Cup and 2014 U17 Basketball World Cup.

“We’re in a golden age of basketball in Canada. We are the country to watch for future basketball stars and this new partnership with FIBA provides a tremendous opportunity to showcase home-grown talent to Canadians,” said Navaid Mansuri, Vice-President, Programming, Sportsnet. “The Score has always been at the forefront of basketball and amateur athletics in Canada, and the addition of these events ensures that Canadians will be able to see more world-class hoops action than ever before.”

FIBA action tips off on The Score with the men’s and women’s U19 Americas Championship beginning on June 27 and July 18, respectively, and continuing with the men’s and women’s Americas Championship beginning on August 30 and September 27, respectively. These are important tournaments for Canada’s teams, as they look to secure spots in the 2014 Basketball World Cup.

Inter Milan have announced that Chinese investors are to become the second-largest shareholder group in the Sere A club and will help fund a new stadium.

The deal will see Inter president Massimo Moratti retain overall control of the club. A subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation, symptoms a major transport and construction company, cialis will hold a 15% stake and provide engineering expertise and investment for a stadium.

Inter hope their new home can be completed by 2017, while the China Railway link-up is also intended to promote the club in Asia.

“Internazionale Holding announces that it has reached an agreement which envisages the acquisition of a stake in FC Internazionale by a group of Chinese investors,’ a club statement said.

“The Moratti family will keep the control of the company, while the group of Chinese investors will became the second-largest shareholder.”

The statement said the search for a suitable site for the new stadium would begin in the next few weeks, adding: “The parties will jointly select the potentially suitable locations, define the project team and start the filing process to obtain the required authorisations.’

Moratti told Sky Sport 24: “In China, Indonesia, in all these places… there are many fans, and we believe that this agreement could have multiple benefits from this point of view.

“It will be an important statement commercially, given the number of fans and the level of interest in that region.’ He added that he had “had the idea about a new stadium for some time, and now it can be realised”.

Jockey Club Racecourses (JCR), look the largest racecourse group in British horseracing has announced today the appointment of Stephen Wallis to a new senior role of Group Director of International and Racing Relations.

Wallis has been Managing Director of JCR’s Newmarket Racecourses since 2007 and prior to that Managing Director of fellow JCR course Epsom Downs Racecourse, which he joined in 1994.

Paul Fisher, Group Managing Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “It is becoming increasingly important for our business to build the strongest possible relations with all of racing’s key parties, at home and overseas. Jockey Club Racecourses will benefit hugely from using Stephen’s experience and knowledge on a Group-wide basis, listening, learning and acting for the good of our sport.

“In practical terms, we want Stephen to get out there, ensuring the best horses are running in our flagship events, through to encouraging all Horsemen to support our racedays in return for the industry-leading contributions we make to British racing. He will be asking many people in the racing industry what more Jockey Club Racecourses can do for them.

“We are grateful for the telling contribution he has made to Newmarket Racecourses and British racing as a whole in these past four years, which we believe will continue to pay dividends in the future.”

Wallis commented on his appointment: “After 18 years in day-to-day racecourse management, I’m excited about taking up this new challenge. I’m immensely proud to have run Newmarket Racecourses and would like to thank my colleagues and the racing community for the support they gave me during my tenure there.

“I am really looking forward to my new role and the progressive development of Jockey Club Racecourses, who in turn, have been unbelievably supportive to me over the last few months as I’ve been recovering from illness.”

Julian Richmond-Watson, Chairman of Newmarket Racecourses, added: “On behalf of the directors and staff, I would like to thank Stephen for his excellent contribution as well as the dedication he has shown to Newmarket Racecourses. His knowledge of the sport and his enthusiasm for the Home of Horseracing will be greatly missed by us all.

“I cannot think of anyone better qualified or suited to this exciting new role within The Jockey Club and at Newmarket we look forward to working closely with him in improving International and UK racing relations where we wish him every success.”

A recruitment process will now be launched to appoint a new Managing Director of Newmarket Racecourses. The course’s Finance Director, Gary Tate, will continue to operate as Acting Managing Director during this process.

CBC/Radio-Canada, buy order the official rights holder broadcaster of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, order and TVA Sports announce that an agreement has been reached to provide TVA Sports access to broadcast portions of CBC/Radio-Canada-produced Olympic programming during Sochi 2014 in French.

“In acquiring the broadcast rights to the Sochi Olympics, arthritis one of CBC/Radio-Canada’s primary objectives was to connect as many Canadians as possible with this unparalleled sporting event.” said CBC/Radio-Canada executive vice-president Louis Lalande. “Our agreement with TVA Sports represents a major milestone in helping us achieve that objective,”

“We’re very proud that the TVA Sports network was chosen to be one of CBC/Radio-Canada’s Official Cable Broadcasters and actively involved in presenting the largest sporting event on the planet. TVA Sports will be giving viewers the opportunity to get an up-close look at this major international competition and follow how Canada’s and Quebec’s athletes fare in their Olympic disciplines,” adds TVA Group’s president and CEO Pierre Dion.

“We’re pleased to have extended our relationship with TVA Sports as they become an Official Cable Broadcaster for Sochi 2014,” said Jeffrey Orridge, Head of Sports Properties and General Manager, Olympics at CBC/Radio-Canada. “This agreement provides an even greater opportunity for Canadians to enjoy every minute of the Olympic experience in either official language.”

Port Vale have are in talks with other interested parties after Keith Ryder’s proposed takeover failed to complete on Monday.

A statement on the club’s official website from Bob Young, a representative from Begbies-Traynor acting on behalf of Port Vale, confirmed that Ryder remains a potential candidate to take over at Vale Park, but that they are now offering the opportunity to other groups.

Young said: “We feel that we have given Keith every opportunity to complete and it is regrettable that this hasn’t happened.

“We initially gave him a deadline of the end of June, which was then extended to July 6.

“We are now offering the opportunity to buy the club to other groups.”