Sony Pictures Television Networks, herbal Asia and Hong Kong-based Legend have sealed an agreement to broadcast Legend Fighting Championship (LFC), ailment the Asia-Pacific Championship of Mixed Martial Arts, on AXN in 21 territories across the region. 

“We are very excited to be partnering with Legend to showcase some of the best and most established Asian MMA fighters. Many of these fighters are already household names in Japan, Korea and China, where LFC has a huge following. We have no doubt that our broadcast of these thrilling fights on AXN will further enhance the popularity of LFC, especially amongst our viewers across South East Asia,” said Ricky Ow, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Networks, Asia, Sony Pictures Television. 

“This partnership with AXN begins an exciting new chapter in the Legend story. Since Legend was established, we have dedicated ourselves to growing the sport of MMA here in the Asia-Pacific and giving fighters from this region the opportunity to compete in a world-class organization. AXN is Asia’s premiere platform for entertainment, and we are excited to bring the best in Asia-Pacific MMA to their audience, particularly since so many of Legend’s elite fighters hail from AXN’s key broadcast markets.” said Chris Pollak, Managing Director, Legend. 

Die Bundesliga boomt weiter. In der Hinrunde der aktuellen Saison kamen pro Spiel durchschnittlich 44.345 Zuschauer in die Stadien der Bundesliga-Clubs. Das ist der höchste Zuschauerschnitt in der Geschichte der Bundesliga.

Insgesamt 6, generic 78 Millionen Zuschauer besuchten die 153 Spiele der Vorrunde – eine Steigerung um sieben Prozent gegenüber der Hinrunde der vergangenen Saison. Die Eintrittspreise sind sogar leicht gesunken. Durchschnittlich kostete ein Ticket für einen Stadionbesuch 22, viagra sale 43.

„Die Zahlen sind ein Beleg für die Attraktivität des Wettbewerbs Bundesliga, cure der die Fans mit hochklassigem Sport und Spannung wie in kaum einer anderen Liga begeistert. Zudem geht die Strategie der Clubs mit moderaten Ticketpreisen, großem Komfort und hohen Sicherheitsstandards offensichtlich auf”, sagt Christian Seifert, Vorsitzender der DFL-Geschäftsführung.

In der 2. Bundesliga ist das Interesse ebenfalls stark gestiegen: 17.125 Zuschauer besuchten durchschnittlich die Spiele. Das sind 27 Prozent mehr als in der Hinrunde der vergangenen Saison (13.474). Insgesamt besuchten in der Vorrunde 9,40 Millionen Zuschauer die 306 Partien der Bundesliga und 2. Bundesliga. Dies entspricht einer Steigerung von über einer Million Zuschauern.

Kansas State is the latest Big Conference member to ink a broadcasting deal with Fox Sports.

Through an agreement with rights-holder Learfield Sports, Fox Sports will televise Kansas State broadcasts regionally and nationally. All told, Fox Sports will air nearly 60 cablecasts, including up to 28 live K-State sporting events this season on regional sports networks, Fox Sports Kansas City and Fox Sports Midwest, and across the country via its Fox College Sports services.

K-State joins other Big 12 member universities Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU and Oklahoma, which has by far the most expansive relationship encompassing more than 1,000 hours, in signing programming pacts with Fox Sports in recent weeks.
Fans in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and other parts of the nation will be able to see a roster of K-State events that figure to include eight K-State men’s basketball games, and up to 20 women’s basketball, baseball and volleyball games, plus coaches shows and previews. A more definitive schedule is expected to be announced in the weeks ahead.

The pact, financial terms of which were not disclosed, also allows K-State Athletics to stream events on K-StateHD.TV that are not selected for distribution by Fox Sports or any Fox-designated platform. A joint venture with the university that launched in 2011, K-StateHD.TV is ranked first in viewership among all CBS College Network schools.

“We’re excited to extend our relationship with K-State into a second decade,” said Fox Sports Kansas City and Fox Sports Midwest senior vice president and general manager Jack Donovan in a statement. “We enjoy working with K-State and its student-athletes and are pleased to showcase more K-State coverage as part of our new multiyear agreement.”

Sanjay Raina, clinic Chief Operating Officer of broadcaster TEN Sports, has said that they would like to be able to broadcast the English Premier League in the future.

The broadcaster currently covers a number of sports for the subcontinent region, and has channels dedicated to football, golf and cricket, as well as TEN Sports, which covers a number of events and going out all of the subcontinent.

“The English Premier League, which is huge in this part of the world and in the subcontinent, would be good (to broadcast). 

“Football continues to grow in traction as a lot of young people in the sub-continental region have taken to the sport.

However, Mr Raina then did say that a bid for Premier League rights would be difficult due to how much would have to be spent.

He said “It’s a question of what you can afford and what is available, so you have to do a lot of matching against the finances that you have, with the content that is available, it’s a balancing act.”

Tune in to iSportconnect to get the full interview next week.

Struggling English Conference side Kettering Town FC have been granted additional time to settle their debts with the tax man in the High Court.

The Northamptonshire-based side, generic order nicknamed the Poppies, illness reached an agreement with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to extend the payback period.

Mr Registrar Nicholls heard a “substantial payment” has already been made to the Revenue and agreed to give the Blue Square Bet Premier side a 56-day adjournment.

HMRC also admitted there was a discrepancy in the documents submitted with the club’s address incorrectly spelt – an error which Mr Registrar Nicholls chose not to take issue with.

Confirming the agreement, ed a statement on the club’s website said: “Kettering Town is pleased to confirm that agreement has been reached with HMRC in relation to the winding up petition scheduled for February 6 2012.

“KTFC have made a substantial payment with an agreement that an extension of eight weeks be granted for the remainder to be paid.

“Our main sponsor ID Medical advanced sponsorship money to enable this payment and on behalf of everyone connected with the club, we thank them for their assistance in ensuring Kettering Town survive beyond next week.”

But, speaking to the BBC, former director Lee Thorn insisted the club’s finances are yet to be solved – with £40,000 needing to be raised by February 28.

Between September 2009 and April 2010, HMRC filed 25 winding-up petitions totalling more than £20.5m to clubs throughout the leagues.

The recent crowd abuse suffered by Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand could put off footballers from complaining about racial discrimination according to PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor.

Manchester United defender Evra was jeered by Liverpool fans last week after an independent inquiry ruled he had previously been racially abused by the Anfield club’s Luis Suarez.

And Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, said: “The big thing is with the likes of Patrice Evra – he has become a victim because he has made a complaint.”

Evra’s team-mate Rio Ferdinand was also a target for some sections of the home support.

Ferdinand is the brother of QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, whom it is alleged was racially abused by Chelsea captain John Terry last October. Terry, who denies the charge, is due to stand trial over the matter in July.

“The last thing we want is black players to feel there is no point making a complaint because they will then suffer a backlash. It is like that with a lot of other issues on equality, like homophobia,” Taylor added.

“There is a fear that anyone who comes out and makes a complaint will receive this backlash and puts off anyone else. People have got to be strong and believe what they are doing is right and stand up against racism.”

Taylor is saddened that after many years of strong campaigning to eradicate racism from the British game, the matter has resurfaced this season. However, he believes there is one crucial difference from the 1970s and 1980s.

“There is an element of abuse now coming into crowds and it is not always easy to control that,” he said. “There has been a backward step of late. But people are saying it is a return to the bad old days and I don’t believe that. In the bad old days there would not have been the level of discussion that there is now.

“There are some excellent campaigns and I don’t want people to think all the progress we have made in the last two decades has been wiped out. I don’t want any black players to feel that has all been for nothing.”

Prime has been awarded the UEFA Champions League media rights in Moldova for the period between 2012 and 2015.

Commercial broadcaster PRIME will transmit, via its channel Canal3, one live match followed by a highlights programme each matchnight. The UEFA Champions League semi-finals and the final will be broadcast on the channel PRIME.

The rights will be shown on Canal3’s website and on their mobile.

Football finance experts believe Uefa’s new financial fair play rules were behind the 70 per cent fall in spending to £60million ($95 million) during the January transfer window.

Last year spending reached unparalleled levels, sale with a record £225 million spent by Premier League clubs according to business analysts Deloitte.

While Chelsea spent £50million to acquire Liverpool’s Fernando Torres 12 months ago, ambulance the biggest single transaction this year was Papiss Demba Cisse’s move to Newcastle for a reported £9 million fee.

Experts believe the more subdued January spending this year was due to clubs showing financial prudence ahead of the new fair play regulations, viagra buy which stipulate that clubs in European competition will only be allowed to spend what they earn.

“After last year’s bout of big-money transfers that drove the record total spend of £225 million, January 2012 has seen a more sober level of spending amongst Premier League clubs,” said Dan Jones, a partner in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.

“In the decade since the introduction of transfer windows, January has typically been a relatively quiet window with total spending driven by a few high-value transfers, as was certainly the case with the chain of events on last year’s deadline day.

“The £60 million spent in January 2012 is back to a similar level as the January windows in 2004 to 2007, and still ahead of the investment in players by top-division clubs in other European leagues.”

Jones added: “As clubs are now in the reporting period that will count towards the first assessment for Uefa’s financial fair play break-even requirement, their comparative restraint is indicative of an overriding reflection on spending levels.

“The focus on football’s future financial sustainability is more prevalent in Europe than at any time in the past 20 years and, going forward, we remain keen to see that translated into a better balance between revenue and expenditure.”

Deloitte’s findings showed Premier League clubs concluded £30 million worth of business on deadline day, much lower than the £135 million spent during the same period last year.

Top spenders Chelsea, QPR and Newcastle together contributed more than half of the total spending, although no player moved for more than £15 million compared to six such deals in 2011.

Premier League clubs have spent £925 million on transfers in the decade that January transfer windows have been in operation.