Udinese owners, the Pozzo family, have agreed a takeover deal for english Championship side Watford FC.

The Italians, who also own Spanish outfit Granada, have been strongly linked with a move for the Hornets in recent months.

It has now been announced on the club’s official website that an agreement has been struck for the Pozzos to assume control.

A club statement read: “The board of directors, acting on behalf of Watford Football Club, is pleased to confirm that agreement has been reached in principle for the transfer of ownership to the Pozzo family.

“Representatives from the family have been in discussions with Watford Football Club and both parties have agreed initial terms.”

Miles Templeman and Andrew Higginson have been hired by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) as independent non-executive directors of the governing body, prostate after the board of directors recommended the appointments.

The appointments meet one of the recommendations put forward by the Blackett report – which looked into the dismissal of John Steele, the former chief executive of the sport’s governing body.

RFU chairman Paul Murphy told The Press Association: “The Rugby Football Union is a growing organisation with a complex business model. Miles and Andrew are two high-calibre individuals who will bring complementary experience and skills of great range and depth to the RFU in terms of corporate governance, and commercial, financial and strategic acumen.

“Both are passionate about rugby and both have significant experience as non-executive directors in a wide range of sectors which will enhance the running of our business. These two appointments demonstrate our commitment to best practice and good corporate governance of the Rugby Football Union. They address one of the recommendations of the recent Blackett report.”

Templeman recently stepped down as director general of the Institute of Directors, while Higginson was a main board director at Tesco.

Templeman added: “I am delighted to be joining the RFU board not only to help resolve the concerns and difficulties in governance and structure at the top of the game but also to help the development and success of rugby union both at a professional level and throughout the community game.”

The 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship, drugs including in the UK and Eire with British Eurosport, AB Motors in France and Sport1+ in Germany. 

The new deals have been negotiated on behalf of IMG Motorsports by IMG Media, both divisions of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company. 

Among those to have signed up to broadcast live coverage and/or extended highlights programming in addition to British Eurosport, AB Motors in France and Sport 1+ in Germany are Sport 10 in Belgium, Sport TV in Portugal, NTV Plus in Russia, RTL in Hungary, Balkan broadcaster SportKlub,  Sport Italia in Italy and Fox Sports / Speed in Australia. In addition, coverage will be available to viewers in Asian territories via EDGEsport, the 24-hour premium action sport channel produced by IMG Media. A full list of broadcasters confirmed for 2013 is listed below. 

Combined with distribution via Trans-World Sport and Action Sports World, both weekly sport magazine programmes which together reach over 50 broadcasters worldwide, it extends the potential reach of the Championship to over 450 million homes. 

Martin Anayi, Managing Director of RallycrossRX for IMG Motorsports, said: “This is very promising news for the Championship. The broadcast deals which have already been confirmed and those ongoing discussions nearing agreement will not only increase exposure of the Championship exponentially  but will also grow the global appeal of the sport in general. 

“Coupled with the top line-up of drivers that have signed up, worldwide fans of the sport have much to look forward to.” 

In addition to the TV broadcast coverage, IMG has secured deals with SNTV, the world’s largest sports news agency, to ensure that news content of the RX Championship is delivered to over 400 broadcasters and digital partners who subscribe to the sports news service.

Wie das Magazin w&v berichtet, eilt die deutsche Fußball-Nationalmannschaft vonQuotenrekord zu Quotenrekord. Der 2:1-Sieg über Dänemark bei der Fußball-EM bescherteder ARD die bislang beste Quote des laufenden Turniers. 27,65 Millionen Zuschauerschalteten am werbeblockfreien Sonntagabend ab 20.45 Uhr die Übertragung aus Lwiwein. Der Marktanteil bei den 14-49 Jährigen betrug 79,4 Prozent, in der Zielgruppe ab 3Jahren „nur“ 74,2 Prozent. Das zweite Gruppenspiel gegen Holland hatten am Mittwoch noch27,22 Millionen Menschen an den heimischen Fernsehern eingeschaltet (Marktanteile: 79,8Prozent und 74,9 Prozent). Nicht einberechnet sind die Fans, die Spiele als Public Viewingin Kneipen oder auf öffentlichen Plätzen sehen. Vermutlich kommen deshalb noch mehrereMillionen Zuschauer hinzu.

Auch die Vorberichterstattung in der ARD stieß auf großes Interesse. Ab 20.15 Uhrschalteten durchschnittlich 9,42 Millionen Zuschauer zur Einstimmung auf das letzteVorrundenspiel der DFB-Auswahl ein (Marktanteil: 53,5 Prozent).
Die beste Einschaltquote bei einer UEFA EURO wurde am 25. Juni 2008 beimHalbfinale Deutschland gegen Türkei gemessen. Damals sahen die Partie der Fußball-Europameisterschaft in Österreich und der Schweiz hierzulande durchschnittlich 29,46Millionen Menschen (MA: 81,6 Prozent).

Das Spiel mit der absolut höchsten Einschaltquote ist das Halbfinale der FIFA WM 2010zwischen Deutschland und Spanien, das im Schnitt 31,1 Millionen Deutsche vor dieFernseher lockte (MA: 83,2 Prozent). Der höchste Marktanteil wurde 1990 beim WM-FinaleDeutschland gegen Argentinien mit 87,9 Prozent (28,66 Millionen Zuschauer) erzielt.

Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU) has announced that Elenoa Kunatuba from Fiji has been appointed as the first Oceania Regional Women’s Rugby Development Officer.

The position, capsule which is jointly funded by the International Rugby Board (IRB) and the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC), is the first of its kind for the Oceania region. It is one of a number of initiatives that has been launched following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between FORU and ONOC earlier this year.

William Glenwright, the IRB General Manager for Oceania, said:  “the appointment is a significant step forward for the development of the women’s game in the Oceania region.”

“The inclusion of Rugby Sevens on the Olympic Program for 2016 and 2020 has opened up a great opportunity for us to grow the Women’s game in the Oceania Region. Indeed, a key focus of the MOU between FORU and the IRB is on the growth of Women’s Rugby and we are delighted to have someone of the calibre of Elenoa on our team to drive that growth in Oceania,” said Glenwright

Susan Carty, IRB Women’s Development Manager, said: “FORU is the first region to employ someone with a specific mandate to grow women’s Rugby. With the completion of the Women’s Strategic Plan, we have many exciting initiatives planned around the world and Elenoa’s appointment will be fundamental to delivering those programs successfully in Oceania,” Carty said.

Elenoa comes to the position with a wealth of experience in rugby and the business community. The Semo, Nadroga villager was educated at Suva Grammar School before going on to study business and payroll accounting. She is an IRB Accredited Educator as well as an IRB level 1 Referee and IRB Level 3 Coach.

In the past few years Kunatuba has been a successful player/coach with the Fijian club side Teivovo; coached at club level in Fiji (Sea Hawks) at both 15s and Sevens for a number of high level victories; coached the Suva provincial women’s team and coached internationally with the Fijian women’s team and most recently as Head Coach of the national women’s team of India.

“I feel I have a lot to offer the development of Rugby, especially with it now being included in the Olympic Games. I hope my involvement across the Oceania region will help promote rugby in each of the Member Unions and then for this to be reflected in the Olympic Games arena,” Kunatuba said.

“I am thankful for the support from Fiji Women’s Rugby Union as they played a part in my career development. Hopefully other women will now be more aware that there is a career pathway in women’s Rugby whether it is on the field or on the sideline.”

Sky New Zealand and the National Rugby League have confirmed a deal over the broadcast rights to NRL and Toyota Cup matches just 24 hours before the first-grade season begins in Sydney.

Sky Sport NZ posted on its Facebook page that the deal would be formally announced today.

“The NRL and SKY Television have tonight agreed a deal in principle to bring the excitement of the Telstra Premiership, Holden State of Origin and the Holden Cup to viewers across New Zealand.”

The situation is a repeat of last year’s wrangle to settle a television deal, with Sky NZ and the NRL agreeing only two days before the start of the season.

It is understood the NRL wanted $A20m ($US20.5m) per season for the next five years. Sky is believed to currently pay $NZ14m ($US11.6m) per season.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have both reportedly refused to accept the Spanish Football Federation’s deal to play the Supercopa playing in China.

The federation and United Vansen Int’l Sport agreed a deal that would see the Supercopa played in China for five of the next seven years.

The federation would receive €30M ($US37.7M) and award €3M ($US3.8M) to each finalist. But both teams said the trip would be exhaustive for their players and too far for the fans to travel.

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Janette Harkess, a experienced Scottish journalist, has been given the job as head of media relations strategy for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. 

The former deputy editor of both The Herald and The Evening Times in the city, Harkness is due to join Glasgow 2014 on December 5 from the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), where she has been director of policy and research since September 2009. 

A key component of her new role will be to drive forward the media engagement strategy for the Games as well as profile-raising activity across Scotland, the UK and internationally in advance of Glasgow 2014.

Harkness will also provide strategic advice to senior management and board members on media activity, to ensure the Games enjoy a significant amount of coverage and reach as many people as possible to create a tangible air of excitement around this global sporting event, Glasgow officials said. 

Harkess joined the Herald and Times group from the Scottish Daily Mail as deputy editor of The Evening Times in December 1999. 

She became deputy editor of The Herald in 2006 before joining SCDI, Scotland’s leading independent economic development network.

“Through Glasgow 2014, Scotland has a fantastic opportunity, not just to showcase our world-class credentials in global event delivery, but also to inspire individuals, businesses and our nation to be more confident in our ability to compete,” said Harkness.

“I look forward to being part of a team committed to delivering a successful and dynamic Commonwealth Games experience of lasting positive impact and of which our nation can be proud.”

Glasgow 2014’s director of communications and marketing, Gordon Arthur, commented about the appointment: “We are delighted to have someone of Janette’s calibre join the team. She brings a deep knowledge of Scotland’s media, business and civic landscape and a real passion for Glasgow and the Games.

“With a little under three years to go, we look forward to the contribution she will make to the organisation as we enter this crucial period for Glasgow 2014. Janette will build on the work already done to raise awareness of the Games, their impact and the legacy they will leave Glasgow and Scotland.”

July 4 is the date when Glasgow Rangers will find out if their newco club will be allowed to compete in the Scottish Premier League (SPL).

The Ibrox side also faces disciplinary proceedings from the league’s governing body over its use of tax avoiding offshore employee benefit trusts (EBTs) to pay players between 2000 and 2010.

On Monday, the SPL confirmed it would hold a meeting of all clubs early next month to decide on the application to transfer Rangers’ SPL member share to a new business entity, currently called Sevco 5088 Limited.

At the meeting the clubs can decide if the deal can go ahead after Rangers FC plc failed to survive once it was plunged into administration with debts of up to £134m.

A statement from the SPL read: “An application for registration of transfer of Rangers’ SPL share has been received. Consideration of the application will depend on receipt by the SPL Board of all required documentation and verification.

“A general meeting of all 12 member clubs has been convened for 10am on Wednesday, July 4, 2012, for members to decide whether to approve the transfer.”

Member clubs will also have the opportunity at the meeting to decide what punishment the newco club would face should it be admitted to the league.

The SPL’s lawyers informed the meeting that Rangers have a “case to answer” over the use of EBTs to pay players outside of contract, making them ineligible.