Formula One team Williams have announced two inclusions to the company’s board of directors with the appointments of Nick Rose and Louise Evans.

Rose joins Toto Wolff, Mike O’Driscoll and Eddie Charlton as the company’s fourth non-executive director and will chair the Audit Committee.

Evans steps up to finance director from her current position as the group’s head of finance. They will both join with immediate effect.

Williams chairman Adam Parr, said: “I am delighted to welcome Nick and Louise to our Board. As a highly experienced finance professional, and a member of the Board of two of Britain’s largest listed companies, Nick will chair our Audit Committee.

“As a businessman with experience in the automotive, consumer and luxury sectors, he will be an invaluable asset for Williams F1. Since joining Williams eight years ago, Louise has implemented the highest standards of financial control and reporting and she played a key role in enabling the company to achieve a listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange earlier this year.

“The combination of our executive and non-executive directors means we now have a tremendous and balanced Board which can provide the Company and our shareholders with the highest standards of leadership and governance.”

Sky Sports have inked a significant five-year broadcast deal with the Professional Darts Corporation.

The agreement offers Sky Sports viewers over 50 days of live and exclusive darts throughout the year including the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship each Christmas until 2018.

As part of the deal, Sky Sports viewers will also enjoy live coverage of the McCoy’s Premier League, PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix, William Hill Grand Slam of Darts, Betfair World Cup of Darts and the Betfair World Matchplay, which celebrates its 20th staging this summer.

The partnership between Sky Sports and the PDC extends back to the organisation’s formation two decades ago, beginning with the 1994 World Championship.

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “Sky Sports has worked with the PDC since the early 1990s, helping to build the sport from working men’s clubs to some of the biggest arenas in the UK and Ireland.”

He added: “This is a real success story and an excellent long term partnership. Our live coverage and promotion of darts is unique and Sky Sports viewers can enjoy the fantastic atmosphere that these events generate for a further five years.”

PDC chairman Barry Hearn said: “We’ve just celebrated our 20th world championship with the best tournament ever staged, and both that event and the current McCoy’s Premier League Darts show how far the sport has come in the past two decades.

“Sky Sports has played an integral part in the growth of darts, with its innovative and high quality broadcasts and fundamental support of the PDC, and we are delighted to sign this new broadcast contract.

“This deal is not only great for the PDC but also for our players, who will be playing in huge events live on Sky Sports in the coming years.”.

“Club 12” has taken up Rangers spot in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) fixture list with their place in the top-flight competition still yet to be decided.

Rangers were docked 10 points for entering administration last season, a decision that helped Celtic win the SPL title.

League officials have still to decide if Rangers will play in Scottish football’s top-flight next season after a consortium led by English businessman Charles Green took over the club by creating a new company to run its business.

If Rangers do become ‘Club 12’ they will be away to Kilmarnock on August 4. If not, their place will be taken by either relegated Dunfermline or First Division runners-up Dundee.

Should Rangers remain in the top flight, the first Old Firm game will be at Parkhead on September 22, with another, at Ibrox, on Boxing Day.

Last month, Rangers won their court battle against a transfer embargo imposed by the Scottish Football Association (SFA).

The SFA’s disciplinary panel last month imposed a 12-month ban that stopped Rangers registering players aged 18 and over, but a judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled the panel acted outside of their powers.

The full extent of Rangers’ financial problems was revealed shortly before the SFA punishments in April.

Rangers’ administrators estimated the club’s total debts could top £134 million, including more than £93 million which is being claimed by British tax authorities.

Former Arizona Diamondbacks executive Jerry Dipoto has signed a five-year contract as general manager of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The 43-year-old Dipoto takes over after Tony Reagins resigned as GM in September. The Angels have been second in the American League West for the second season in a row after winning the division in five of the previous six seasons.

Dipoto, buy at a press conference, unhealthy said he would emphasize developing talent within the organization using a blend of statistical analysis and old-school scouting. He said he also plans to take advantage of the Latin American and Asian talent markets.

Dipoto also said he shares many of Angel manager Mike Scioscia’s philosophies.

Dipoto pitched in the Major Leagues with the Mets, erectile Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies from 1993 through 2000. He compiled a record of 27-24 with a 4.05 ERA in 390 career appearances, all in relief.

He has held front office positions with the Rockies, Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks, serving as Arizona’s interim general manager last season.

ESPN STAR Sports, India’s leading sports broadcaster, has expanded its sports bouquet with the addition of a new channel, STAR Sports 2.

The new channel is being launched especially for the Indian sub-continent keeping in mind the growing need of Indian sports fans. The new channel will be officially launched on March 11, 2013. STAR Sports 2 will be the 6^th channel to be launched by ESPN STAR Sports in India after STAR Sports, STAR Cricket, STAR Cricket HD, ESPN and ESPN HD.

STAR Sports 2 will showcase live & non-live events across sporting categories like cricket, soccer, tennis, motor racing and golf. The new channel promises to offer more sports, more action, more excitement, more passion, more emotions, more exhilaration and more heroes to follow for sports fans across the country.

Speaking on STAR India’s strategy for sports business, Sanjay Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, STAR India, said, “Our vision is to expand the sports viewership in the country. STAR network has acquired some of the best sporting properties in every genre and is committed to taking sports broadcasting to a new level. These include broadcast rights to the BCCI national and domestic Cricket for 6 years; broadcast rights of Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A and English FA Cup and England international matches.

“Apart from exciting live content, we are also innovating in the way we present sports. Our brand new Hindi presentation on the live cricket broadcast allows audiences to enjoy the game in their preferred language, which was very well received by viewers.

“Similarly our recent launch www.starsports.com enables us to engage with passionate cricket fans like never before, and we are delighted with the site’s ramp up in the last 2 months.

“The launch of our new channel STAR Sports 2 is an extension of the same strategy. It allows us to broadcast a wide array of sports content across channels, and cater to multiple live events simultaneously. STAR Sports 2 will further our commitment towards continued, effective and unprecedented coverage of all major events which are of interest to a diverse set of audience across the country.”

The Italian football federation has continued its assault on Soccer corruption by dealing out punishments for those involved in the latest match-fixing scandal on Monday. 

Newly promoted Pescara’s two-point deduction was confirmed and four players were banned for five years.

Piacenza’s Mario Cassano, Ravenna’s Alessandro Zamperini and former professionals Luigi Sartorand Nicola Santoni received the bans, while Novara, who were relegated to Serie B last season, will start next season with a four-point deduction.

Other punishments handed out include a two-point deduction for Serie B side Padova, one point for Empoli and four for Reggina, while third-tier Albinoleffe received a 15-point deduction and Piacenzawere deducted 11 points.Serie A sides Sampdoria and Siena were handed 50,000 euro ($63,100) fines.

Oliver Camps, therapy the beleaguered president of the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) has resigned his post with immediate effect after a 19-year reign.

The decision by Camps, impotent who was returned as president of the local federation earlier this year, comes less than 24 hours after it was revealed that he was one of 10 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials being investigated by the FIFA over their role in a meeting that eventually led to the downfall of former Asian football chief Mohammed bin Hammam.

FIFA’s Ethics Committee decided to open proceedings against the 10 CFU officials because of possible violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics, in the cash-for-votes scandal.

Camps and the other officials were due to have their cases heard in mid-November.

However, in a release yesterday, Camps said while he was extremely satisfied and pleased to offer himself for service, the current climate created by FIFA forced him to rethink his position and left him with no choice but to resign with immediate effect.

“I have truly enjoyed working with the football fraternity and appreciated the opportunities which have been given to me through football, but when the price one has to pay includes the sullying of one’s name and the denigrating of one’s character without a justifiable reason, then I must confess that this is not the place that I would want to be,” he said.

“For an organisation that claims to promote and practice fair play, the current situation has left me aghast because it represents a shift away from the values that FIFA claims it espouses. It is certainly a sad day for me and this is far from what I had expected. The changing of the guards was never meant to engender the bitterness that I feel, the pain which has replaced the pleasure of service, nor the disdain that FIFA’s actions have created for what ought to be a beautiful game.”

“In no way am I disappointed that I was a part of the Caribbean Football Union meeting which met to determine the path to choose a leader for the FIFA. The current situation facing the CFU now has made it very clear to me that our choice in meeting to discuss whether President Sepp Blatter would be the preferred option was the right one. History will not judge me for being a part of that meeting neither will it condemn me based on association. Rather history will applaud all the football leaders of the Caribbean and bring shame upon the powers that be, for the sad days they have occasioned upon the CFU and football in general.”

Charles Green has announced that his consortium has bought the business and assets of Rangers sealing the deal for the Glasgow club.

The company is now due to be liquidated and re-formed as a newco following the £5.5 million deal, with Green confirming he wants Ally McCoist to remain the club’s manager.

In a statement, Green said: “Following the formal decision of the creditors’ meeting at Ibrox Stadium today, the consortium I represent has fulfilled its agreement with the administrators and has completed the acquisition of the business and assets of The Rangers Football Club plc.

“The transfer of the business and assets to a new company structure has taken effect immediately and the new company is The Rangers Football Club. An application has already been made by the company to register with the Scottish Football Association and to participate in the SPL.”

Former Rangers manager Walter Smith had earlier confirmed he was leading an 11th-hour bid – believed to be worth about £6 million – and urged Green to step aside.

Green could conceivably make a quick profit by agreeing to sell Rangers to Smith’s group immediately but his statement today pointed to a longer-term involvement.

“The rebuilding of the Club will happen from today.”

Green added: “In terms of investors in the company, to date our investors include Chris Morgan, a UK-based businessman representing family trusts; Glenmuir, the renowned Scottish clothing company; Ian Hart a Glasgow-based businessman; Alessandro Celano of Blue Pitch Holdings and Zeus Capital.”

English League Two team, Port Vale Football Club, have announced the appointment of Peter Miller as their new Chairman. 

The Staffordshire-based clubs board voted unanimously to elect Peter Miller to the position while also announcing that Mike Lloyd will now adopt the post of Vice Chairman, with immediate effect.

Miller said: “I’m proud to accept the position of Port Vale Chairman and look forward to working with the rest of the Board, the staff and supporter base, to help the club back to better times.” 

“I have stated previously that the club is a work in progress. Success will not happen overnight. But if we continue to take steps in the right direction, the pieces will come together and we will have a football club everyone can be proud of. Since my arrival in England, I’ve been impressed with the things I have seen around the club and the people I have spoken to.

“From speaking to the fans, I fully understand the passion they possess for the club, and the disappointment they have at seeing Vale in the bottom tier of English football. I recognise that the supporter-base has a huge part to play in the present and future of Port Vale. I also recognise that we need to evolve our operations throughout the club to ensure that we’re not only competing on the field, but off the field too.”

Social Media Integration feature from iSportconnect to major social media platforms that we think will make iSportconnect’s networking feature more effective and powerful for you.

The idea is very simple (and powerful): when you update your iSportconnect status, it will also synchronise and update your status at LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages and vice versa.

iSportconnect’s aim is to help sports organisations and executives to build their identity in the sports community. One of the major factors that make up your professional identity online is sharing your thoughts, plans and / or activities through updates.

Updating status’ on different social media platforms on a daily basis is very time consuming, hence we came up with a solution: Update your iSportconnect status and it will update your Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook pages meaning you don’t have to go anywhere else to engage in social networking…

Also, if you update your Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook status, it would be synchronised as a new iSportconnect status update.

How does it work?

Once you login to iSportconnect.com, visit the ‘Community’ page and you will see the following Status update box

Click on ‘Connect’ link of the social media websites that you would like to synchronisation through status updates and follow the simple instructions.

Now it’s ready to go…

An example: User updates his status at iSportconnect as below

It synchronises the status updates at Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter as below