The British Basketball League (BBL) have announced that Sky Sports will be showing 25 weeks of action from the British Basketball League (BBL) including live coverage of the Cup Final, Playoff Final, and Trophy Final.

Coverage begins in late October when the current BBL Championship holders, Newcastle Eagles, face the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders in a repeat of last season’s Play-off Final. Weekly coverage will include a two hour show with an increased number of live games later in the season.

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “This deal proves our commitment to offering a wide variety of live sports for our customers. Sky Sports caters for a broad range of diverse content and our recent rights renewals give us the strongest line up of live sport for our viewers to watch at home or on the move.”

BBL chairman, Paul Blake, commented: “Last season’s coverage was extremely well received throughout the sport and we are delighted to extend our relationship with Sky Sports into a third season. The coverage last term provided an excellent platform for BBL to showcase our exciting product and we anticipate this season it will be to an even higher standard.”

Coverage will again be provided in conjunction with the BBL’s broadcast partner, Televideo. Paul Scivill, the managing director of Televideo, said: “We are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with the BBL. We are extremely excited about this season’s coverage and the addition of more live games to the schedule.”

The BBL Agreement continues a series of rights renewals for Sky Sports, with no less than 16 deals over the last 18 months, including Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League football, Formula 1, TM Test Cricket and European Tour golf.

The highly touted US Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPS) has cancelled the 2012 season amid a legal dispute with an ousted owner.

The league’s Board of Governors voted Monday to suspend the season with hopes of resuming in 2013, the WPS announced.

In October, it terminated its South Florida franchise after clashing with owner Dan Borislow all season. A Florida judge ruled earlier this month that the league failed to follow its own dispute procedures when it terminated the franchise, and another court hearing is set for Wednesday.

WPS CEO Jennifer O’Sullivan said owners chose to cancel the season over possibly working with Borislow in the league again.

“We have diverted so many resources into litigation,” she said. “This is something that needs to be resolved before we can move forward with play.”

Borislow purchased the former Washington Freedom before last season and moved the club to South Florida, renaming it for a telephone call device he invented. The magicJack franchise was repeatedly disciplined during the season for not meeting league standards. In August, after Borislow filed suit against the WPS, the league released a statement accusing him of violations ranging from “unprofessional and disparaging treatment of his players to failure to pay his bills.”

The league has played three seasons. It needed a waiver from the U.S. Soccer Federation to be sanctioned as a first-division league in 2012 with only five teams, below the required eight. In the deal with the governing body in December, WPS agreed to increase the number of teams to a minimum of six for 2013 and at least eight for 2014.

A longtime thoroughbred owner, Borislow was an outspoken figure in horse racing but sold most of his stable because of a dispute with the IRS.

O’Sullivan was not yet CEO when he was approved as an owner, but she acknowledged the vetting process might have been hurried.

“I do think the league at the time was in a situation where they were in a bit of a rush,” she said.

With the Olympics this summer, the league’s absence could give national team players more time to train together even if it means fewer games for them to play. The attention paid to the Olympics would have been valuable marketing for the WPS during the 2012 season.

The league’s predecessor, the Women’s United Soccer Association, folded after three years.

Will women’s football ever be commercially viable? After a successful World Cup, what went wrong? What chance does the rest of the world have? Discuss here.

NBC Sports Group has signed a four-year deal with Formula One for the exclusive U.S. media rights to the world’s most popular global motorsports series, replacing Speed TV. 

The deal that begins next season will air four races on NBC. The remaining 16 races, and all practices and qualifying sessions will be on cable NBC Sports Network in what’s expected to total more than 100 hours of annual programming.

All 20 races will be live streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra, the NBC Sports Group’s live-stream platform that is available online at NBCSports.com as well as on mobile and tablet apps.

“We are thrilled to add the top international open-wheel racing series to our already-strong motorsports portfolio,” said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network. “Formula 1 is a perfect fit for the NBC Sports Group as it provides content across three platforms — broadcast, cable and digital — for nine months a year with more than 100 hours of premier programming annually.”

The 2013 F1 Grand Prix schedule includes 20 races in 19 countries from March through November, including the Austin, Texas, race on Sunday, Nov. 17 on NBC. The 2013 season begins on Sunday, March 17 in Australia on NBC Sports Network and concludes on Sunday, Nov. 24 in Brazil on NBC. NBC’s first race will be the Grand Prix of Canada, which will be broadcast on Sunday, June 9. The famed Grand Prix of Monaco is scheduled for Sunday, May 26, on NBC Sports Network. 

“NBC and its various media assets have a huge profile throughout the United States, and I am obviously delighted to have concluded this agreement. I feel that they will promote Formula One to a level not seen before in the United States,” said Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One Group CEO. “I very much look forward to working with NBC. Together, we will endeavor to broaden the scope of Formula One coverage available to U.S. viewers incorporating additional digital content in particular that has not been available before.”

Cable network Speed had been the U.S. rights holder to F1 for the last 17 years, but told The Associated Press on Friday it had been outbid by another network.

Die DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga wird ihre Einnahmen aus der internationalen Vermarktung weiter steigern.

In der kommenden Rechteperiode (2012/13 bis 2014/15) können nach aktuellen Hochrechnungen auf Basis bestehender Verträge über 70 Millionen Euro jährlich erlöst werden. Dies entspricht einem Wachstum von mehr als 50 Prozent im Vergleich zur laufenden Rechteperiode (2009/10 bis 2011/12). “Die Eigenvermarktung durch die DFL-Tochter DFL Sports Enterprises hat sich bewährt. Die Bundesliga-Erlöse aus der internationalen Vermarktung wachsen stärker als die der anderen Top-Ligen. Die internationale Neupositionierung der Marke Bundesliga als sportlicher Wettbewerb und als Medieninhalt gelingt zunehmend”, sagt Christian Seifert, Vorsitzender der DFL-Geschäftsführung.

Zur Unterstützung der Wachstumsdynamik wird die DFL Sports Enterprises im 1. Halbjahr 2012 eine Asien-Pazifik-Repräsentanz in Singapur eröffnen. Mit zahlreichen bestehenden Medienpartnerschaften gehört diese Region bereits heute zu den Kernmärkten der Bundesliga. 

“Nachdem wir den Umsatz in Asien seit 2008 kontinuierlich steigern konnten, wollen wir diese Dynamik fortführen und weitere Marktanteile im harten Wettbewerb gewinnen. Das lässt sich am besten mit einer Repräsentanz vor Ort gewährleisten, die eine noch größere Nähe zu den TV-Partnern ermöglicht”, sagt Jörg Daubitzer, Geschäftsführer der DFL Sports Enterprises.

Flankiert wird die internationale Vermarktung ab der kommenden Saison vom neuen Onlineportal Bundesliga.com. Das Angebot soll nicht nur eine Übersetzung der Inhalte des deutschen Internetauftritts darstellen, sondern individuell auf einzelne Märkte zugeschnittenes Programm bieten.

“Mit Bundesliga.com wollen wir die Fans weltweit mit allen Informationen über ihre jeweiligen Stars versorgen. Neben einem Mantelteil werden wir dabei länderspezifische Inhalte für die Fans weltweit liefern”, sagt DFL-Geschäftsführer Tom Bender.

The Asian Le Mans Series, whose first full championship will take place in 2013, has found two prestigious TV partners to show its endurance races: ESPN STAR Sports and Eurosport Asia-Pacific.

Asia’s leading sports content provider ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) will broadcast highlights of the events across its networks covering television, internet and mobile platforms after each race. The deal includes VOD rights and covers ESPN STAR Sports’ footprint of 24 countries in Asia.

ESPN STAR Sports showcases an unparalleled variety of premier sports from around the globe featuring some of the most iconic sports events to millions of viewers through its 26 television networks and 3 broadband networks, each localized to deliver differentiated programming to meet diverse needs of Asian sports fans. Its comprehensive portfolio of multimedia assets includes its television networks (ESPN, STAR Sports, STAR Cricket, FOX Football Channel, ESPNEWS, ESPN HD, STAR Cricket HD), broadband network (ESPN Player), and digital content services (espnstar.com, Mobile ESPN).

The division of Eurosport called Eurosport Asia-Pacific, which has a particularly developed network on the Asian continent, will show the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series in 17 countries: South Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia, Hong-Kong, The Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Australia. Seven million homes have already subscribed to this channel, which was launched in January 2006. 

Not only will Eurosport broadcast six 26-minute magazines after each of the six events on the calendar, but it is also studying the possibility of broadcasting some of the races live or slightly delayed. The full programme of live broadcasts will be announced shortly. 

In the near future other agreements with additional television networks will also be announced. 

In 2013, the Asian Le Mans Championship will consist of six 3-hour events open to the following categories: LM P2, Formula Le Mans, LM GTE, FIA GT3/Super GT 300 and GTC. 

Three rounds will be held in China (Zhuhai, Shanghai, Ordos) and the other three in South Korea (Autopia, 4th August), Japan (Mount Fuji, 21st September) and Indonesia (Sentul, 8th December). 

The full Asian Le Mans Series calendar will be announced at the FIA World Endurance Championship round in China (25-28 October) of which the Automobile Club de l’Ouest is the promoter and organizer. 

Mark Thomas, S2M Executive Director and promoter of the Asian Le Mans Series: “We’re very proud to have ESPN STAR Sports and Eurosport on board as broadcasters of our championship in what is its first season. In 2013, the power of these networks will guarantee excellent coverage of our series. Through them all motor racing fans will be able to follow this rapidly expanding championship, and our teams and partners will benefit from fallout in keeping with their investments. It will also enable the Automobile Club de l’Ouest to pass on the message to the greatest number of people in Asia about Le Mans-type races, the high level of involvement they require and the technical and sporting values on which they’re based.”

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp reacted angrily as he denied taking bungs, a court heard on Tuesday.

Redknapp also said Milan Mandaric ”don’t know what he is f****** talking about” in a 2009 telephone conversation with a News of the World reporter, who had spoken to Portsmouth chairman Mandaric days earlier.

In short extracts read out to a jury at Southwark Crown Court, Redknapp told the paper’s Rob Beasley he had ”the best accountants in England”, claiming the Inland Revenue was fully aware of his dealings in Monaco.

When Beasley described how Mandaric said the money sent to Redknapp’s offshore accounts were investments outside football, the Tottenham manager replied: ”He don’t know what he is f****** talking about. What is he talking about? It is a bonus.”

Explaining that the payments surrounded profit made on the sale of Peter Crouch from Portsmouth to Aston Villa, Redknapp added: ”If it was something dodgy I would have gone over there and brought it back in a briefcase.”

When Beasley asked him whether he had paid any tax in the UK on it, Redknapp replied: ”Haven’t been asked to, Rob” and went on to say: ”There ain’t nothing crooked in it”.

When asked if it was a ‘bung’, Redknapp replied: ”Don’t say bung. It’s nothing to do with a bung. It’s paid by the chairman. How can it be a bung when the chairman of the football club paid me? What’s a bung? It’s a f****** sick word.”

According to the transcript, he told Mandaric: ”I don’t want to have a problem with the tax man. They was aware of it from day one.”

When asked about the bonus clause in his contract, Redknapp said: ”My accountant has got my contract … I’m not going to f****** show you.”

He added: ”The Inland Revenue know all about it. I’ve got nothing to defend, Rob. I ain’t done nothing wrong … I ain’t done nothing wrong, Rob. I got paid a bonus … everyone is aware of it.”

Redknapp subsequently told police ”I don’t fiddle”, the court heard, as John Black QC, prosecuting, read out an interview which took place with a detective four months later in June.

The manager was said to have told a detective: ”I said to him many, many times ‘Milan, I don’t want to end up with a tax bill. I was told I wasn’t liable for income tax on so many occasions. For the sake of that amount of money or any amount of money, I don’t fiddle. I pay my tax since I have been in football my entire life. I pay every penny.”

Redknapp’s account differed from what Mandaric told Mr Beasley on February 26 2009, the Crown claim. Mandaric was said to have told Mr Beasley that the payments to the Monaco account were nothing to do with Portsmouth securing promotion to the Premier League.

Redknapp declared his Monaco account to inspectors less than two weeks before joining Spurs, the prosecution allege.

Reading FC are close to an investment boost from Thames Sports Investments (TSI) after an initial deal was agreed. 

TSI, a newly-founded company, is owned by Russian tycoon Anton Zingarevich and 51% of the club will be acquired if the agreement passes a Football League due diligence test. 

A statement on the club’s website said that the deal is likely to be completed in March. Funds have also been made available to the Berkshire club. 

“The transaction, as agreed with Sir John Madejski, includes providing Reading Football Club with some limited funding now to enable Brian McDermott and [director of football] Nick Hammond to strengthen the playing squad during this January transfer window,” the statement read. 

Madejski will remain chairman, a role he has held since 1990, until at least 2014 and will become life president if he steps down. 

The Royals are currently fifth in the Championship.

Major European clubs have been given a wake up call after it was reported clubs incurred annual losses of €1.6 billion euros (£2bn/£1.3bn) according to Uefa’s latest club licensing report.

The latest figures, for 2010, show overall losses from the leading leagues around the continent are up from 1.2billion euros ($1.5bn/£1bn) the year before – a 36% rise.

Uefa said there were some positive changes including a 6.6% rise in overall income, a small drop in the proportion of clubs’ revenue going on players’ wages, and an increase in the number of home-grown players in the Champions League.

The European governing body said the findings of the club licensing benchmarking report will take on “an increasing significance” with the financial fair play rules starting to be measured from this season and implemented for European competitions in the 2013/14 season.

A Uefa statement said: “The need for financial fair play measures and strong governance is strongly emphasised by the report findings.

“Whilst the level of losses was one of a number of warning signs that confirms the need for football to act, there were some improvements with the 64% percentage of income spent on employee costs, representing a small decrease on the previous year after four years of rising percentages.”