A consortium headed by Charles Green has agreed to buy Rangers Football Club administrators Duff and Phelps confirmed today.

With support from backers in the UK, Middle East and Far East, the bid from the former Sheffield United chief executive was confirmed as the best of the four on offer.

The statement on the club’s website from joint administrator David Whitehouse said: “We are very pleased to announce that we have accepted an offer from a consortium headed by Mr Charles Green for the purchase of Rangers Football Club.

“Mr Green has secured, via a substantial financial commitment, a period of exclusivity to complete the purchase of the Club and this is expected to be finalised at a creditors’ meeting on June 6.

“The structure and quantum of the offer from Mr Green is such that it is acceptable to us as administrators and, having been in discussions with major creditors throughout the process, we believe this presents the best prospect of financial recovery for creditors.

“Mr Green, through a corporate vehicle, has entered into a binding commitment to inject funds into the Rangers Football Club plc so that the administrators can propose a Company Voluntary Arrangement which, if approved by creditors, will result in their claims being compromised for specific amounts and the company exiting administration free of the historic debt and with new owners. Work on issuing a CVA proposal has already started and will proceed with utmost urgency.

“If the creditors do not approve the Company Voluntary Arrangement, the agreement obliges Charles Green’s purchasing vehicle to acquire the business and assets of the Club on agreed terms, through a newco structure. It is Mr Green’s strong preference to achieve a CVA. 

“We would like to thank Rangers supporters for their patience as a purchaser for the Club has been found and hope they will now support a bid that has the capability to take the Club forward.

“We would also like to thank the professionalism and dedication all the staff at Rangers have shown throughout the sale process. Furthermore, we thank again the Rangers players who made a major financial sacrifice to ensure the Club could continue to function.”

Successful bidder Green commented: “I am delighted our proposal to purchase Rangers has been accepted and we are working night and day to finalise matters.

“This is a great football club with a tremendous history and we will preserve that while building a solid platform for the future.

“Rangers supporters have every right to believe their Club should be a success on and off the pitch and that is exactly what we will strive to achieve.

“At all times we will make decisions that are in the best interests of the Club. Not every decision at a club can be popular but I can tell every Rangers fan now that whatever decision is taken they will always be told the truth.

“We will do everything in our power to achieve a CVA and we already have a detailed written commitment from Mr Craig Whyte for the transfer of his shareholding.

“I look forward to working with everyone at Rangers, staff, players and supporters, in building a better future. It’s what this great Club deserves.”

The world’s leading television sports video news agency, SNTV announced that Gabrielle Guedj has been named Commercial Director.  She will be based in the company’s London headquarters and report to Martin Kay, SNTV’s Managing Director

In her new position, Guedj will be responsible for driving the company’s long and short term revenue growth strategies. Working with the sales and marketing departments, as well as the entire executive team, she will indentify and pursue new opportunities for business development.  Guedj will retain some of her IMG responsibilities.

“Gabrielle is a fantastic addition to our business, and joins us at a time of exciting developments for SNTV and its clients,” said Kay.  “Gabrielle’s vast experience of commercializing sports content, combined with her deep knowledge of SNTV from her time with our partner IMG will serve us and our clients extremely well.”

Prior to joining SNTV, Guedj was Senior Vice President, IMG Media Middle East and Eastern Europe since 1996.  In this role, she was responsible for sales and acquisitions of all IMG media content and services into the Arab world, also overseeing these activities within Eastern Europe.

In her time at IMG, Guedj consulted a wide range of clients, federations and associations on their various rights tenders and strategies.  She has also pioneered several sports productions and co productions with Middle Eastern broadcasters.

Before joining, IMG Guedj worked as a sales executive for Eastern Europe at Prime Time International (later Fox Sports International) where she negotiated the first output agreement between a Russian broadcaster and an international sports content distributor.

Guedj graduated with an MPhil in Sociology from Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic in 1993.

SNTV is a partnership between IMG Media, the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of sports programming, with over 40 offices world-wide, and The Associated Press, the backbone of the world’s information system, serving over 16,000 media outlets globally with 83 bureaus in 67 countries.

Glasgow Rangers appeal against the Scottish Football Association sanctions will be heard on Wednesday.

They were imposed with a £160, medic 000 fine and a 12-month transfer embargo that means thay can only sign youth players after going into administration.

Rangers were found guilty of five charges in relation to their financial affairs and appointment of Craig Whyte as chairman.

But the club felt the punishment was unfair and will have the opportunity to state their case to a panel that will be chaired by Lord Carloway.

Initially the identity of the members was kept secret, but after consulting with the police they have been named.

Making up the rest of the three-man panel of the hearing will be Spartans chairman Craig Graham and former Partick Thistle chairman Allan Cowan.

An SFA statement read: “In light of the subsequent leaking of the identities of the three panel members from the original tribunal, and given the exceptional circumstances of the appeal, it has been agreed that we will identify the members of the appellate tribunal in advance of the hearing.

“This decision has been taken with the approval of the individuals involved and after consultation with the relevant police authorities.

“It is essential that these panel members are allowed to conduct the appeal without fear of intimidation and we respectfully ask all involved in the process to do their utmost to observe our wishes and the wishes of the panel members.”

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Minister for Australia Sport Mark Arbib reveled in the appointment of Simon Hollingsworth as the new Executive Director of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC).

Mr Hollingsworth, link a former Olympian and senior public servant, was appointed by ASC Chairman the Hon Warwick Smith.

“Simon has a unique combination of experience as both a former Olympian and Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder and as a respected and accomplished senior official in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet,” Senator Arbib said.

Mr Hollingsworth competed as a hurdler and member of the 4 x 400m relay teams in the 1992 Atlanta and 1996 Barcelona Olympic Games, as well as being a Rhodes Scholar and being awarded an Oxford University Blue in 1999 and 2000.

He graduated with a degree in Commerce, Law, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

“Simon is currently the Executive Director of the Policy and Cabinet Group in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, and will bring a substantial set of administration and governance skills to the ASC,” Senator Arbib said.

“He also has great knowledge of sport and the issues that face our elite athletes.

“I look forward to working with Simon and the team at the ASC and the Australian Institute of Sport to both support our elite athletes and to increase the opportunities for all Australians to participate in sport.”

Base79, Europe’s leading online video company and the largest YouTube network in the Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) region, has revealed an exclusive media partnership with the French Football Federation (FFF), the governing body for football in France.

The exclusive partnership sees Base79 provide digital video syndication, audience development, rights management and advertising sales services for the FFF. Base79 will be responsible for building channels and audiences for FFF, maximizing revenues from its original content. The partnership starts with the live streaming of an international friendly in the UK, the Netherlands and Japan, when France plays Germany on 6th February in Paris.

Base 79 is fast becoming the only truly global multi-channel network (MCN) and is supported by an expanding international network with operations in France, Spain, US, Germany, Australia and the UK. Base79 will continue to launch offices in continental Europe and beyond through 2013.

Julie-Anne Gross, Head of TV rights at FFF comments: “We’re incredibly excited to partner with Base79 and to start our relationship with the live streaming of a very important friendly match against Germany through YouTube. We recognize YouTube as an increasingly important channel for our audiences in France and across the World who want to have access to our news and live events, wherever they might be. As the largest YouTube partner in Europe, Base79 understands our domestic and international markets as well as having a great heritage in driving digital revenues for sports brands worldwide.”

Alongside the newly-formed FFF partnership, a rapidly growing number of sports brands are partnering with Base79 and relying on their digital expertise. This includes a number of prestigious sports brands across Football, Tennis, Rugby, Golf, Extreme Sports, Motorsports and many others.

Base79 CEO Ashley MacKenzie commented: “Sport in general, but particularly football has a rapidly growing audience. Audiences of billions are looking for new channels through which to get access to the latest news and live events. Alongside being one of YouTube’s largest partners, we’re fast establishing ourselves as the clear leaders in online video and one of the only truly global multi-channel networks. We’re very excited to welcome the FFF to our impressive stable of sports brands.”

Rangers’ administrators have received a ultimatum today from Blue Knights bid leader Brian Kennedy who has set a friday deadline for the bid or they they will walk away.

Sale Sharks owner Kennedy has reportedly struck a deal with Craig Whyte to acquire his 85 per cent shareholding and will now push Duff and Phelps to name a bidder.

The Blue Knights were previously offered preferred bidder status but former partners Ticketus would not pay the exclusivity fee and they were then beaten by Bill Miller, who withdrew on Tuesday. 

Kennedy told the Daily Record they were now at the ‘end of the road’. 

‘If our bid is not accepted in the next few hours then, most reluctantly, we will have to withdraw from the process by lunchtime,’ he said. ‘Let me be absolutely clear. This is not brinkmanship or an empty threat.

‘We have a plan to save this club but my lawyers, Walker Morris, have advised me it will not be possible to execute a CVA unless, on Saturday morning, we begin working, full-time and flat out on due diligence and documentation.

“Any later than that and our plan cannot be delivered with any legal certainty.

‘For that reason we’ll be forced to withdraw our offer today and neither I nor any member of the Blue Knights consortium will be left as the last man standing.” 

Duff and Phelps last night announced Whyte had struck a deal with two groups, with one understood to be a group with experience of running clubs in the top two levels of English football. 

Joint administrator Paul Clark said: “We have continued discussions today with the parties remaining in the bidding process and good progress has been made. 

“We can also confirm that Craig Whyte has confirmed that he will transfer his shareholding in Rangers Football Club to two of the parties and has indicated he would not be an impediment to a sale of the club.

‘We will issue a further update for supporters and can say that every effort is being made to conclude the sale of the club as quickly as possible.” 

According to Duff and Phelps, three potential ownership groups emerged in the wake of Miller’s withdrawal to rival the Blue Knights, whose offer was conditional on acquiring Whyte’s 85 per cent shareholding.

IMG’s Marcus John has been recruited by MediaCom Worldwide to lead its new sports division.

John was previously senior vice-president and managing director of IMG Consulting’s Asia-Pacific division, where he served at the company for 10 years.

He will front the WPP-owned agency’s new MediaCom Sport unit which will work with MediaCom’s global account directors to manage relationships with key sporting bodies. John will also work with the MediaCom Beyond Advertising team and GroupM’s Entertainment and Sports Partnerships group.

MediaCom Sport will offer four key areas of service, including strategic advice, rights negotiation, rights activation and measurement.

MediaCom Worldwide chairman and CEO Stephen Allan said: “Consumers and clients are increasingly interested in what sports can deliver. MediaCom has previously focused its sports expertise at a local and regional level, but we realised that our clients now require a more global and deeper understanding of the sports arena as their budgets continue to shift towards investments in this area and with it a much greater sensitivity to achieve solid returns.

“We need to be able to offer our clients the very best in advice and are therefore delighted to welcome Marcus to MediaCom’s global team. Marcus’ brief is to build the scale of our offer, establish strong ties with rights-holders and make the best opportunities available to our clients.”

John, said he was pleased about “building a standalone sports business for one of the world’s most powerful media agencies and adding significant value to its large and diversified client base.

“Establishing sports expertise within a media agency will ensure that brands who invest in sports rights also activate these properties to their full potential and integrate them across all their communication channels.”

Blackburn Rovers’ co-owner Venkatesh Rao has reiterated his commitment to the club and denied the club will be sold despite their relegation from the Premier League and the furore surrounding the club.

Following a difficult week for Blackburn, Rao says Indian poultry giants Venky’s are with Rovers for the long-term.

He also insisted deputy chief executive Paul Hunt has left the club as a cost-cutting measure rather than being sacked over a leaked letter.

Asked if Venky’s wanted to keep Blackburn in the long-term, Rao told the Times of India: “Yes, it is a company of ours and there is nothing whatsoever in [the speculation]. These allegations are not correct.”

Hunt’s letter to the owners in December, which was leaked earlier this week, asked them to sack manager Steve Kean and spend more money on new signings. It was confirmed on Thursday Hunt had left the club.

Rao said: “It is not sacking because of that. Some staff have to go to bring the budget down, it is nothing to do with it [the letter].”

Rao admitted he expected criticism from fans in the wake of relegation, but that they had a right to do so.

“We were relegated so naturally they are going to do that,” he said. “We have to come out of this situation, that’s the most important thing. The fans have the right to do what they want.

“It’s bound to happen when someone loses that somebody criticises. We have to come out of this situation. Nobody is to be blamed.”

Venky’s have continued to stand by Kean as manager and the Rovers boss has said he does not know what savings he will have to make on the playing staff.

Kean said: “I don’t know to what extent we will have to cut costs. The budget is still be agreed. That will be a process that happens as quickly as possible.

“I think what we have got to do is assemble a squad and keep the players we can keep. Certainly the young players that are coming through, there is going to be lots of interest because they have done so well.

“We have established players like Paul Robinson and Morten Pedersen that have only played at a high level. I don’t know if there will be other interest, but in conversation with them they are just as devastated as everyone else.

“I have spoken at great length with the owners and that will continue over the next six or seven days. The only objective for the owners and myself is to build a squad, it is as simple as that.”

Sports and entertainment company Wasserman Media Group has appointed Duncan Ross as its new PR manager for UK and Europe.

Wasserman Media Group has leadership positions in athlete representation, thumb corporate consulting, cure global media rights, adiposity global sales, and action sports/lifestyle, and its talent management client list includes the likes of Jack Wilshere, Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen.

Ross, who was an account manager at Threepipe Sport, will be responsible for talent and corporate PR activities in his new role.

Sydney FC has appointed businessman Michale Crismale and former Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib to its board.

There have been major changes to the structure of the A-League club recently. Last week, David Traktovenko became majority stakeholder and his son-in-law, Scott Barlow, was appointed Chairman, following the departure of Paul Ramsay, while Chris Rex and Elliott Rusanow resigned from the board.

Scott Barlow said: “Both men [Crismale and Arbib] bring invaluable experience that will complement the skills of the current board members and they both share a genuine and long-held passion for football and Sydney FC.”

“I’m extremely excited about joining the board at Sydney FC,” Arbib said. “I’m passionate about football and believe Sydney FC has a big future in the A-League but also contributing to the local community. I am excited to be able to help them do both. I believe professional sports clubs can play a vital role in increasing the participation levels of kids and helping Sydney FC engage with the community and build even stronger links at grassroots level will be a focus of mine.”

Crismale said: “I’m honoured to be invited to join the board to help Sydney FC engage with all stakeholders of the game. I was a Foundation Board Member and have remained a keen supporter since the start of the A-League. I now look forward to combining my business and sports administration knowledge with my passion for the club to help take Sydney FC forward.”

The club will make announcements about further additions to the Sydney FC board in the near future.

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