Sports broadcaster, ESPN has secured rights to broadcast the first season of the inaugural Mahindra Sri Lanka Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament.

ESPN will show the competition in the UK and Ireland on TV, plus online highlights. It will be shown solely online in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Twenty20 competition will feature a total of 24 matches as seven teams representing the provinces of Sri Lanka compete in a round robin group stage, semi-finals and final between Saturday 11th and Friday 31st August.

ESPN UK’s live coverage of the Mahindra Sri Lanka Premier League starts on Saturday August 11 with Basnahira Cricket Dundee v Kandurata Warriors live at 3.30pm, including both semi-finals on 28th and 29th August, and the final on 31st August.

The Mahindra SLPL is set to feature some of cricket’s biggest names – legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will appear alongside fellow Sri Lankans Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Matthews, as well as overseas stars including New Zealand’s Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum and Scott Styris, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, Misbah Ul Haque, Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul, West Indies’ Shiv Chanderpaul and Jerome Taylor, Australia’s Dirk Nannes, John Hastings, Andrew McDonald and Brad Hodge, and, South Africa’s Loots Bosman.

Jeroen Oerlemans, vice-president, TV Channels, ESPN EMEA, said: “The inaugural season of the Mahindra Sri Lanka Premier League cricket will feature some of the biggest stars in the sport. This is a great addition to our schedule in a month that is already full of top class sporting action including the return of the new football seasons around the UK and Europe.”

Sri Lanka Premier League rights holder Somerset Entertainment Ventures’ chairman Sandiip Bhammer said: “ESPN is the ideal platform to take Sri Lanka’s message in respect of a seminal cricket tournament of this stature to the rest of the world, especially at the end of the 30 years war, and we’re very confident of, and proud to be associated with a channel of the calibre of ESPN which has such fantastic following within its respective territories.”

Spanish Players from La Liga and Segunda División will go on strike for the first two weekends of the new Spanish season as the players’ union steps its game in trying to get the league to agree a new deal over conditions.

The Spanish Footballers Association (AFE) president Luis Rubiales told a news conference: “We are unanimous and firm in our decision to call a strike. The league will not start until a new agreement [between the league and the players] has been signed.”

At the heart of the dispute is the union’s demand for a larger emergency fund to help players not being paid by clubs who are in financial administration.

The La Liga and Segunda División seasons are scheduled to start on the weekend of 20-21 August.

The AFE has gotten support from La Liga players, including Carlos Puyol and Iker Casillas. Other players association have come to lend their support.

Rubiales said the players had been negotiating with the Spanish football league (LFP) over a series of protective measures for players that are commonplace in other leagues in Europe but which Spanish players do not have.

“It is lamentable. As it stands we are at the bottom of the pile in Europe. We don’t want more money, we want the clubs to honour the contracts they sign with their players. We don’t want palliative measures. We have put forward proposals which exist in Holland, Germany, France and England which are preventative. In these countries if a club shows it can’t pay its players the club doesn’t compete.

“We have asked that players who are owed more than three months [wages] can break their contracts. It seemed like we had an agreement but it was left out.”

Rubiales commented that there had been lengthy negotiations and there was a offer on the table by the LFP but it was rejected by the players.

“Enough is enough,” he said. “This does not mean we are refusing to negotiate any more. We will do for the good of the players and football in general. But the league will not start until a new collective agreement is signed.”

Ten Sports has secured live and exclusive rights from Total Sports Asia to broadcast the Brazilian League for the 2012 to 2014 season on multiple distribution platforms for South Asia. 

As part of the agreement, adiposity TEN Sports will be showcasing two Brazilian leagues – The São Paulo State Championship (PAULISTA) and The Brazilian National Championship (BRASILEIRÃO Serie A). 

TEN Sports will be telecasting 82 matches live from the league. 

The Asian corporation will be telecasting 28 matches from The São Paulo State Championship (PAULISTA) live. It is the most competitive and organized Regional Championship of Brazil. Top clubs of Brazil like Corinthians, São Paulo, Santos and Palmeiras compete in this championship. 

TEN Sports will also be telecasting 54 matches live from Brazilian National Championship (BRASILEIRÃO Serie A). It is the most important football competition in Brazil. The Top Twenty clubs compete in the Série A. Each team plays the other clubs twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 games. The Série A will serve as a qualifier to 2013 Copa Libertadores. The top-three teams in the standings will qualify to the Second Stage of the competition, while the fourth place in the standings will qualify to the First Stage.

Atul Pande CEO Sports Business ZEEL said: “Acquisition of Brazilian League underlines our commitment to football fans in the region as we continue providing the most entertaining content to our viewers, and an excellent promotional platform for our advertisers. We have established a strong tradition in building and strengthening top-class football properties on our channels with the reach of our networks, multiple media platforms and world-class match presentation.”

Suvrangsu Mukherjee, managing director, South Asia, Total Sports Asia added: “We are delighted to join hands with TEN Sports to bring the exciting Brazilian Football League to India. This will be the first time that the league will be shown on a national channel in India. We are sure that Brazilian Football League will draw a lot of interest from football fans around the country, especially since Indians have been passionate supporters of the Brazilian national team and great fans of the Brazilian style of football.”

Spanish Primera Giants Real Madrid and Chinese Super League leaders Guangzhou Evergrande have agreed to a tie a deal that could see player exchanges and the Spanish giants opening an academy in China.

Madrid, herbal who play Evergrande later Wednesday in a pre-season friendly in Guangzhou, health are striving to promote their brand in fast-developing China, adiposity as are a host of other top European sides.

The two sides on Tuesday signed a letter of intent, with an eye on cooperation on player exchanges, brand promotion and the opening of the largest football academy in China.

“We are building a close relationship with Guangzhou Evergrande (which) we believe will be closer as time goes by,” Florentino Perez, president of Real Madrid, was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency.

“We are working together to establish a football academy in China, which I think is the first step of our cooperation.”

IMG Sports Media have been announced as the new producers of Channel 4’s racing coverage from January 2013.

The new four-year agreement will see former BBC racing presenter Clare Balding take a leading role in coverage of meetings such as the Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot and the Grand National.

The deal, in operation from January 2013 until December 2016, runs alongside Channel 4’s four-year media agreement with Racecourse Media Group.

In addition, Channel 4 Racing sponsors, Dubai, have signed a new four-year extension deal until 2016.

Under the new contract IMG Sports Media will produce around 90 days a year of live terrestrial horseracing coverage in addition to the Morning Line.

Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s chief creative officer, said: “With the expertise of IMG Sports on board, I’m hugely excited about the future of racing on Channel 4.”

Jamie Aitchison, Channel 4’s sports editor, added: “After a rigorous and invaluable tender process, I am looking forward immensely to working with IMG Sports Media to deliver our vision for the sport.

“Their pitch was compelling and crucially contained deep racing expertise allied to innovative broadcasting proposals.

“The winning bid hails the arrival of a new era in broadcasting for the sport at a time when the industry is moving forwards with real momentum. The hard work starts now as we head towards 2013 and the exciting challenges ahead.

“Clare’s arrival is superb news for Channel 4 and the production team.

“I would also like to thank Dubai for their continued support and we look forward to continuing our excellent working relationship to deliver the programming that their commitment deserves.

“It is also fitting at this point to thank Highflyer TV for everything they have done for Channel 4 and British horseracing over many years.”

IMG’s managing director sports production worldwide Graham Fry said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as Channel 4’s production partner for horse racing in the UK for the next four years.

“This is a unique and exciting opportunity to bring a fresh approach to an outstanding portfolio of race days, many of them iconic sporting events.

“IMG has hand-picked an outstanding team of experienced and talented production professionals with vast expertise covering the sport.

“This allied to our strong in-house creative talent who have worked on major sporting events around the globe, will ensure that race viewers see a new and enhanced approach to the overall horse racing experience.”

IMG has committed to introduce a range of innovations including graphical enhancements, while they are planning to relaunch the Channel 4 racing website as well as building new footings on other digital platforms.

The programme sponsors are more than happy to renew their deal.

John Ferguson, bloodstock advisor to the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed, said: “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has supported British horseracing for many years and has always felt that strong terrestrial television coverage is crucial to the sport’s popularity in the UK.

“As Channel 4 Racing becomes the home of all racing for the British public, His Highness has made the decision that Dubai will continue to be the broadcast sponsor for the period 2013- 2016.

“Since 2008, when the sponsorship started, we have seen a growth in viewership and we look forward to the future.”

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has decided to drop its controversial plans to create a 38-team national soccer championship after heavy criticism of the plans from players, pills coaches, fans, club officials and the media.

The proposal, which was put forward by AFA president Julio Grondona last week, would have seen the merger of the country’s top two divisions from the 2012-13 season. Teams would have been split into two zones of 19 with traditional rivals like River Plate and Boca Juniors kept apart before facing each other in ‘inter-zone’ matches. The plans called for the top five teams in each zone to advance to a Championship Stage, which would have determined the league champion, while the other 28 competed to avoid relegation.

The plans were seen by many as a ruse to ensure relegated River returned to the top flight at the earliest opportunity and reduce the chances of other top clubs also suffering relegation.

Despite ending these plans, the AFA has called for ideas from clubs for further reform of the domestic game. The Apertura championship, the opening event in the Argentine first division season, kicks off this weekend.

German Broadcasters ARD and ZDF have secured rights to the German Championships in Athletics until 2016.

The contract was signed by the German Leichtahletik Association (DLV) with SportA, the sports rights agency of the two public broadcasters. The contract would have expired after the Olympic Games in London, where the German athletes currently with five medals – including the Gold discus thrower Robert Harting – proved to be very successful. 

For ZDF sports director Dieter Gruschwitz performances like this have prompted the station to renew their contract with the DLV.

“Robert Harting is a giant – even for viewers. This has provided record ratings shown in his Olympic victory from this awareness alive, the new contract. between DLV and ARD / ZDF. ‘

Arsenal Football Club have secured their first ever global charity partnership in the form of Save the Children.

The English Premier League soccer club, who are known for changing charities each year, will work with Save the Children towards their aim of helping three million children in the UK and abroad into education programmes by 2013. In the UK, the club will support Save the Children’s Eat, Sleep, Learn, Play! (ESLP) campaign, which provides essential household items such as children’s beds, cookers and books to families in desperate need, and the Families and Schools Together (FAST) campaign.

Justin Forsyth, the chief executive of Save the Children, added: “We are absolutely thrilled to be joining with Arsenal Football Club on this exciting new partnership. With our combined local and global reach we can make a huge difference to children’s lives in the UK and overseas. Indeed, it seems that everywhere I travel children tell me they support Arsenal! This partnership is built on our common belief that every child is born to fulfill their potential. By working together on education we can help thousands of children do just that.”

The Miami Dolphins announced an enhanced television partnership today ensuring that fans throughout South Florida and beyond will be able to view information on their favorite team through multiple television outlets.

The new multi-year partnership will feature content on CBS4 (WFOR) and My TV33 (WBFS) in Miami-Fort Lauderdale, ailment  FOX Sports Florida and the NFL Network on XFINITY TV in South Florida. In all, ed the partnership will feature airings of more than 18 hours of monthly unique Dolphins programming during the off-season and upwards of 20.5 hours during the season.

“It has been our goal to provide our fans with year-round access to Dolphins content and inside information on the team wherever, ampoule whenever, and however they want it.  This is another step in that direction by expanding our broadcast and cable partnerships under the Dolphins Television Network umbrella,” said Jim Rushton, Chief Revenue Officer for the Dolphins.  “In addition, we have had a goal to provide our sponsors with year-round access to our passionate fan base and create even greater ROI as they connect their brands with these passionate consumers.”

CBS4 (WFOR) will broadcast three preseason games, August 10 vs. Tampa Bay, August 17 at Carolina and August 24 vs. Atlanta. Miami’s last preseason contest at Dallas on August 29 will air on My TV33 (WBFS). The television broadcast will once again be led by nationally-acclaimed network announcer Dick Stockton, Dolphins Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese and Dolphins great Nat Moore.

The Dolphins, CBS4 (WFOR) and My TV33 (WBFS) will for the first time introduce an SAP (Secondary Audio Programming) feed for each of the preseason games featuring Spanish Language Play-by-Play by Jorge Sedano and Mike Marchant.

FOX Sports Florida will re-air each of the four Pre-Season Games on the following Sunday after each Pre-Season Game at 8p.m.

Throughout the entire year (off-season and regular season), weekly television coverage of the Dolphins will increase dramatically with ‘Finsiders Final Drive’, a weekly recap of the Finsiders radio and web-video show (heard locally on WINZ 940AM and seen on Dolphins.com) and ‘Inside the Fins’, a unique magazine show which gives an exclusive look within the Dolphins organization. The show will air 52 weeks of the year on FOX Sports Florida and the NFL Network on XFINITY TV in South Florida (Comcast customers from Vero Beach to Key West).

The Dolphins will also provide fans with a multitude of team programming on Game Day, including the ‘Coach Philbin Show’, ‘Dolphins Weekly Live’ and the return of the popular ‘5^th Quarter’ postgame show on WFOR and ‘Inside the Fins’ on WBFS.

Each month, the team will air television specials including a monthly all-access look inside the Dolphins organization on CBS4 (WFOR), My TV33 (WBFS), and FOX Sports Florida. The specials will air the first Saturday of each month on CBS4 (WFOR), three times a month on My TV33 (WBFS) and six times each month on FOX Sports Florida.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has announced plans to overhaul the country’s domestic soccer league.

In a move that is set to favour fallen giant River Plate, who were relegated last month after a play-off defeat to Belgrano, as the proposal put forward is to merge the country’s two top divisions to create a 38-team tournament from the 2012-13 season.

Teams will be split into two zones of 19 with traditional rivals like River and Boca Juniors kept apart before facing each other in ‘inter-zone’ matches. The plans call for the top five teams in each zone to advance to a Championship Stage, which will determine the league champion, while the other 28 will compete to avoid relegation.

The proposal was set forward by AFA president Julio Grondona, and AFA’s Executive Committee has approved it through a unanimous decision. A total of 22 votes backed the proposal with four abstentions and a single vote of opposition from Bahia Blanca outfit Club Olimpo. The new format must now be ratified by the Executive Committee with a decision expected on October 18.

The announcement means River, which suffered relegation last month for the first time in its 110-year history, should spend just one season in the Nacional B division before the new format comes into play.