Michael Schumacher, seven-time Formula One world champion, has put his hat in the ring to become the next president of Bundesliga football club Cologne.

German news agency dapd has reported Schumacher is one of about 20 names put forward for the position by an adviser to the club. However, Schumacher’s spokeswoman Sabine Kehm says “we don’t want to comment on these mind games.”

Cologne is looking for a successor to Wolfgang Overath, who stepped down on Nov. 13 after seven years in the job.

Schumacher has strong affiliations with Lukas Podolski, who plays for Cologne.

Laurent-Eric Le Lay, Chairman and CEO of Eurosport, has taken part in an exclusive Featured Profile interview with iSportconnect amid this week’s major identity change at the company.

Eurosport unveiled yesterday, Tuesday April 5, a new brand identity across its global multimedia platform, spanning its operations in Europe, the MENA and Asia-Pacific, marking the end of an 18-month branding review with new on-air graphics, a new musical identity and a “soft” evolution of its iconic logo.

The brand review — the biggest in the group’s history — represents a major step-change for Eurosport, and is designed to create an improved and visually engaging environment to showcase Eurosport’s brand values of emotion, live action and diversity of sports.

Laurent-Eric took time out of his busy schedule to discuss this, and all things Eurosport with News Editor Martin Laurence.

Having began as a single TV channel, Mr Le Lay credits Eurosports rise to becoming Europe’s leading sports multi-media platform the group’s developmental strategy, driven by “innovation and new technology”. He added: “We have been able to anticipate these changes faster than national broadcasters and make the right development decisions to evolve from a channel to the leading pan-European multimedia platform.”

When asked of the incentive behind the new identity change Laurent-Eric said: “We believed the time was right to modernise and energise our brand to reflect our position as the leading provider of live sports in Europe. Eurosport covers the widest variety of sports of any media in Europe, over 150 different disciplines across our platforms, and we have integrated this diversity into our branding to underline that we are the brand for all sports.”

Le-Lay stressed the importance of the group’s extensive LIVE sports coverage, adding: “Live coverage is our DNA,” he said. “Live sport creates emotions and that’s what keeps our fans coming back to Eurosport,” something which he reveals is clearly reflected in the brand’s new identity.

With Eurosport based on a fine balance between the world’s most popular sports and those which are emerging, the group’s Chairman emphasised that it is the broadcaster’s role to “give visibility to new sports, if we stopped doing this, the development of new sports would be greatly hindered.” However, he confirmed that the company kept a close eye on the ratings of such events, stating: “We have staff at every level of the sports broadcast business so we are perfectly placed to ‘take the pulse’ of an event and monitor its popularity.”

Laurent-Eric had the final word on his association with iSportconnect and the incentives it brings, stating: “iSportconnect has created a place for the industry to meet, discuss and exchange, which corresponds completely to the connected world we live in today.”

To read the full interview click here – http://isportconnect.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6280&catid=52&Itemid=221

ESPN and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) have extended their agreement six years, clinic through the 2022 season.

John Skipper, viagra 100mg President of ESPN, Inc. announced the deal with Co-Chairman of the Disney Media Networks, and Laurel J. Richie, WNBA President.

The new agreement, which will lengthen ESPN’s relationship with the WNBA to 26 years, dating back to the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1997, allows for games to be presented on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and WatchESPN.

Up to 30 games will be aired yearly on ESPN networks, including exclusive coverage of the WNBA Conference Finals, WNBA Finals, WNBA Draft and WNBA All-Star Game.

ESPN will continue to enhance its production and commitment to the sport through access to WNBA teams, players and coaches, including in-depth interviews and in-game elements such as microphones on players, coaches and referees.

espnW.com will further the network’s dedication with exclusive on-line content. The all-encompassing site will engage fans with storytelling and distinctive elements, continuing the momentum as the home of women’s sports.

“We are thrilled to extend our agreement with the WNBA, a dynamic relationship that will extend over two decades,” said Skipper. “This strengthens ESPN’s commitment to the league and helps solidify us as the home of women’s sports content.”

Richie said, “Our enhanced television agreement reflects ESPN’s extraordinary commitment to women’s sports and to the WNBA. The extension has been a catalyst for the WNBA and ESPN to bring forward fresh thinking ideas to better showcase our players, our game and our league.”

Manchester United have announced plans to sell shares in the US on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

The Premier League giants filed registration papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday.

If the proposed restructuring goes through, bronchi the club would become a subsidiary of a new holding company called Manchester United Ltd., symptoms which would be based in the Cayman Islands.

The number of available shares and the price per share were not listed on the filing. Investors will be able to purchase Class A shares, but the Glazer family will maintain control of the club through its ownership of Class B shares. Those have 10 times the voting power as the shares United hopes to sell on the NYSE.

United said it hoped to raise up to $100 million (£64 million) in the initial public offering (IPO). It intends to use the money to help pay down some of its considerable debt. The Glazer family purchased the club in 2005 for $1.47 billion (£936 million), but the leveraged takeover saddled the club with debt.

As of March 31, United has $663 million (£423 million) in outstanding obligations. Forbes Magazine values United at $2.24 billion (£1.43 billion). It has been ranked as the most valuable soccer club in the world for the last eight years. If the IPO is approved, United will become the first sports team to sell stock on the NYSE since the Cleveland Indians de-listed in 1998.

Wrexham AFC appointed Dave Roberts as their new CEO yesterday evening, December 13th.

Roberts has extensive business experience across the private sector (including the position of finance director at a multi-million pound private equity-backed group in the North West of England) and originally trained as a chartered accountant. The 46 year-old is also a lifelong fan of Wrexham AFC and has contributed to the running of the club on a voluntary basis for some time.

The club’s main board director Mark Williams has explained his reasons for the appointment.

“David has been involved with the club for over 30 years and will be a familiar face to many fans. He has a real passion for the club and his business skills will play an important part in driving the club through a challenging time”.

Today, Roberts outlined his vision for Wrexham AFC, saying he is determined to make the Blue Square Premier League side both “successful and sustainable”.

He explained the motivation behind his decision to take up the post and sought to reassure fans of his understanding of the club.

“Having been involved in a large, multi-million pound business I have been fortunate enough to step back from that [financial challenge] for the past couple of years, but now I feel the time is right to take up a new challenge”.

“I am under no illusions about the size of the task ahead, but with the support of the Trust, the Wrexham AFC board, the fans and Glyndwr University, our landlords at the Racecourse, I am sure we can establish a successful and sustainable football club of which the town of Wrexham and North Wales can be proud”.

Gespannt fiebern zig-tausende Fans den bet-at-home OPEN vom 14.-22. Juli in Hamburg sowie dem bet-at-home CUP vom 22.-28.Juli in Kitzbühel entgegen: Doch auch abseits des Spielfeldes geht es heiß her, denn der Hauptsponsor und Online-Sportwetten Spezialist bet-at-home.com präsentiert dem Publikum bei beiden Veranstaltungen den $ 100.000 SHOT und das an sämtlichen Spieltagen. Mit dem ‘Spiel deines Lebens’ lässt der Online-Wettspezialist in Kitzbühel zusätzlich ein Fan-Herz gewaltig höher schlagen.

“Sportsponsoring ist neben der klassischen Werbung im TV, Web und Print der zentrale Baustein unserer Marketingstrategie. So fließt auch jährlich der Großteil unseres Erlöses in die wohl wichtigste Nebensache der Welt: den Sport. Der Schwerpunkt bei unseren Kooperationen liegt dabei auf Fußball, Tennis, Handball und Wintersport. Wir sind stolz darauf, seit 2011 Hauptsponsor mit Namensrecht der prestigeträchtigen Tennisturniere in Hamburg und Kitzbühel zu sein. Unterstützt durch verschiedene Aktivierungskampagnen können wir gezielt die zahlreichen Freunde des Tennissports ansprechen, der in unserem Wettangebot einen sehr bedeutenden Stellenwert einnimmt”, freut sich Sponsoring Manager Claus Retschitzegger über die Früchte tragende Zusammenarbeit.

Welcher Tennisfan träumt nicht davon, einmal im Hauptbewerb eines ATP-Events zu stehen und gegen die besten der Welt anzutreten? Gemeinsam mit Philip Kohlschreiber wird der Auserwählte im Kampf um Preisgeld und wertvolle Weltranglistenpunkte am Centercourt in Kitzbühel gehörig mitmischen. So funktioniert der Rollentausch: Bis 14. Juli kann sich jeder Interessierte unter http://www.bet-at-home-cup.com/de/spiel-deines-lebens.html anmelden. Anschließend wählen die Medienpartner des Tiroler Sandplatz-Klassikers acht Finalisten aus, die am 21. Juli in einem Tiebreak-Shootout ihre Schlagfertigkeit unter Beweis stellen. Der Sieger steht an der Seite von Philipp Kohlschreiber im Doppel-Hauptbewerb.

Nach dem Vorjahreserfolg bietet bet-at-home.com den Tennisfans wiederum die Möglichkeit $ 100.000 zu erspielen: Beim bet-at-home.com Promotionstand warten jeweils an sämtlichen Turniertagen charmante Hostessen auf begeisterte Zuschauer, die beim $ 100.000 SHOT ihr Glück versuchen möchten. Alle Personen über 18 Jahre haben dort die Möglichkeit, mit Tennisball und Tennisschläger ausgestattet, an einer Wand mit unterschiedlich großen Löchern möglichst viele Punkte zu sammeln. Kurz vor dem letzten Einzel des Tages haben die beiden mit der höchsten täglichen Punkteanzahl die Chance, am Center Court sage und schreibe $ 100.000 zu gewinnen. Dabei wird eine Schusswand mit nur einem einzigen Loch auf der T-Linie aufgestellt. Die zwei Auserwählten haben nun von der Grundlinie jeweils einen Versuch, um in das Loch zu treffen. Für denjenigen, der in das Loch der Wand trifft, regnet es $ 100.000. Als Trostpreis winkt ein 50 Euro Wettgutschein.

Mittwoch, der 25. Juli steht in Kitzbühel ganz im Zeichen von bet-at-home.com: Am so genannten “bet-at-home Tag” haben vier Auserwählte die Chance, sich den Geldregen abzuholen. Zwei davon stammen allerdings aus dem Web. Einfach auf www.bet-at-home.com dem Twitter- und Google+ Button folgen, Anmeldeformular ausfüllen und den automatischen Tweet/Post absetzen. Aus allen Einsendungen werden zwei Glückspilze gezogen.

Major League Soccer (MLS) team Colorado Rapids have announced that Tim Hinchey has been named the new President of the franchise.

Hinchey, who has served as the Rapids’ Chief Marketing Officer since November 20, 2010, has more than 20 years of experience in professional sports, including several senior-level management positions in the English Premier League, English Football League Championship and the National Basketball Association.

“It’s truly an honor to take this role with the Rapids,” said Hinchey. “I want to thank Stan Kroenke, Josh Kroenke and Jim Martin for this opportunity and for their confidence. The Rapids have a great foundation, and I’m looking forward to helping the team build on its recent successes on and off the field. We are only a year removed from an MLS Cup and everyone in the organization is committed to bringing another championship to Colorado.”

Jim Martin, President and Chief Executive Officer at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, said: “Tim is well deserving of this promotion, and we’re excited for him to step into the role. He brings invaluable experience to the position, as well as a tremendous passion for the sport of soccer. We are confident that he’ll help the Rapids continue to succeed on and off the field.”

Prior to joining the Rapids, Hinchey served for three years as Vice President, Commercial for Derby County FC, which played in the English Premier League and English Football League Championship during his time with the team. As a club Director and member of the board, Hinchey attended all the team’s matches and oversaw strategy for all commercial activities for the club, including sponsorship, ticket sales, marketing, public relations, and broadcasting.

Hinchey also brings extensive experience from the NBA, having served as the Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Charlotte Bobcats, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, and Director of Strategic Alliances for Maloof Sports & Entertainment, whose properties included Arco Arena, Sacramento Kings (NBA), Sacramento Monarchs (WNBA) and Sacramento Knights, among others.

Bundesliga clubs Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg will play summer friendlies in Guangzhou, China.

The German teams will play in the 2012 Audi Football Summit at Guangzhou Olympic Sports Center on July 26 and three other games with Chinese Super League clubs (CSL) throughout the country.

Bayern will play CSL club Beijing Guo’an on July 24. Wolfsburg will take on Changchun Yatai and Shanghai Shenhuain three days following the Audi Football Summit .

Bayern Munich Deputy Exec Board member Andreas Jung said: “We think China is a very important country because the Bundesliga is also shown here on TV, and we know we have a lot of fans in China. Therefore, we must give them the chance to see the players live.” {jcomments on}