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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The South African Football Association (SAFA) has appointed a new CEO as Dr Robin Petersen was unveiled. Petersen is expected to develop the sport following last year’s staging of the FIFA World Cup.

Petersen will succeed Leslie Sedibe, treatment who left the post in January when his one-year contract ended.

Petersen has an extensive background in football administration having served as head of the domestic Premier Soccer League from 2000 to 2001 and general manager of South Africa’s failed bid for the 2006 World Cup.

He will play an important role in managing SAFA’s reported US$102 million legacy windfall from the World Cup, rx which will be mostly channelled into development structures.

SAFA president Kirsten Nematandani said: “We believe that Dr Petersen has the necessary qualifications, experience and expertise in business and football to assist SAFA to deliver on our mandate. We are happy to have made this appointment and now we can focus on our core business of running the game of football in this country.”

Petersen added: “I am passionate about the game of football, and I could not stay away from it for too long. I am also passionate about football development and will strive to ensure we work hard on it. To ensure our success, we need to ensure we have the right structures – administratively, commercially and strategically.”

SportsMax have revealed they will broadcast the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour to the Caribbean audience starting this year through to 2016.

International Media Content Ltd (IMC), SportsMax’s parent, has signed a four-year agreement with Swedish rights company IEC in Sports for the broadcast rights to the WTA. 

As the new broadcast partner of the WTA in the region, SportsMax will broadcast 22 tournaments per year, including all semi-finals and final matches from the WTA tournaments. SportsMax’s coverage is scheduled to serve up on February 15 with the Qatar Total Open featuring all top 10 WTA ranked players. The strong field will be led by this year’s Australian Open champion and defending Qatar Open champion Victoria Azarenka, two-time Qatar Open champion Maria Sharapova, plus Grand Slam and Olympics champions Venus and Serena Williams, and 2011 Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova.

SportsMax Marketing Manager Tanya Lee, said: “The WTA Tennis with a list of high profile players will be a great addition to our already strong line-up of football, cricket, track and field, and boxing programming. We continue to build on the best sports line-up on television in the Caribbean, as we look to cater to all sports lovers.”

Along with the WTA rights through 2016, SportsMax’s parent IMC is the regional rights holder of premium content such as Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA, West Indies away tours, Ashes, Indian Premier League and IAAF Grand Prix Meets. The 2013 WTA season includes Tennis Championships in Qatar, Istanbul, Dubai, Miami, Rome, and Tokyo, among others from February 15 to October 27, 2013.

Plans to redesign the Cardiff City brand has been met with opposition by more than 1,000 Cardiff City fans.

Supporters have begun to voice their concerns after a remarkable 24 hours in which it emerged the club’s Malaysian owners propose to change the team’s kit from blue to red and replace the Bluebird emblem with a Welsh dragon from next season.

Fans warned the changes risk “damaging the heritage of the club” and making it “unrecognisable in all but name”.

Club chiefs moved to placate supporters at a meeting last night, but a significant proportion are furious at the proposed changes, which have been ordered by Cardiff’s billionaire Malaysian backer Vincent Tan.

The proposals are contained in a major review of the way forward for Wales’ capital city club as Cardiff’s Malaysian owners plan the best method to deliver Premier League football.

They include a new strip of red shirt (with black trim), black shorts and red socks, that the owners believe will be more marketable in Asia. The team’s away kit will become blue.

A new badge which will be in the form of a red Welsh dragon, rather than the traditional bluebird, is also proposed.

 

Are Cardiff’s Malaysian owners right/wrong to propose this? Discuss here: http://bit.ly/IVHVN9

Andrea Dini has been appointed as UIM Secretary General, replacing Régine Vandekerckhove, who led the UIM Monaco office since 1992.

43 year old Andrea said: “After many years of appreciated services to the industry and the sport of Powerboating, it’s a great honour and an opportunity for me to focus my knowledge and experience at the service of the World Governing Body, the UIM.

“It’s like crowning a dream after several years of hard and professional work for our Sport. Let me thank the UIM Council and all the people who gave me their confidence and trust for this great opportunity.”

NBC Sports Network has entered into a three-year partnership with World Series of Fighting (WSOF) to deliver live, world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight programming.

The agreement calls for a minimum of six live events annually on the national television platform that reaches over 80 million homes beginning with the promotion’s second event, “WSOF 2,” live 23 March.

Additionally, later this year, NBCSports.com will live stream World Series of Fighting events via TV Everywhere.

“We are thrilled to call NBC Sports Network the home of World Series of Fighting,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion, Ray Sefo. “This partnership will allow us to build the World Series of Fighting brand of world-class MMA competition before a dedicated national audience of passionate sports fans and place our athletes on the big stage that they deserve.”

The inaugural World Series of Fighting 1 aired live on NBC Sports Network on 3 November last year.

Rangers are back in financial uncertainty after American businessman Bill Miller withdrew his bid to takeover the Glasgow club. 

Miller was selected as administrators Duff and Phelps preferred bidder last Thursday over a rival offer from the Blue Knights and Brian Kennedy.

However, Miller vehemently changed his course and announced today that he has withdrawn his offer to take over the Scottish Premeir League outfit.

A statement from Miller read: “As soon as I was announced as preferred bidder for Rangers, my team began to press ahead with our due diligence. Until then, information had been limited to what was made available in the internet data room and questions addressed to the administrators and their staff.

“In addition, I had preliminary discussions with the Scottish Footballing Authorities and limited discussions with Ally McCoist. Upon being named preferred bidder, discussions with Rangers staff started and discussions with all interested parties intensified.

“We continued to work through the holiday weekend in order to meet a very compressed schedule. By late Monday night, it became clear to me that preliminary information, discussions and analysis were, unfortunately, more optimistic than reality.

“Having no intention of negatively affecting the potential outcome of the club’s future and after hearing the message from Rangers supporters and fans loud and clear (“Yank go home!”), I notified the administrators today that I have withdrawn my bid for Rangers and will not be moving forward.

“I am deeply disappointed as I had considered the opportunity to bid for one of the most historic football clubs in the world, an honour and a privilege. I wish Rangers fans, supporters and employees my very best. I hope all your dreams and wishes come true. You certainly deserve it.

“I am most disappointed that I won’t have the opportunity to walk into Ibrox Stadium on the day of an Old Firm match as my friends tell me the hair on my arm will stand up and I will never witness such passion and spirit at any sporting event.

“God Speed, Rangers!”

 

English Premiership Soccer team Fulham have announced that Jonathan Gregory as the new commercial director. He will start with immediate effect.
A recent position of Mr Gregory’s was as a director of England’s unsuccessful bid for the 2018 World Cup bid. 50 commercial partners were close however Russia’s successful bid ended them hopes.

 

Before his World Cup appointment he worked with Wembley Stadium as commericial director where he attracted three founding partner brands – Microsoft,Umbro and Carlsberg.