ESPN STAR and ESPN International have entered into a cricket distribution agreement for Latin America to carry top ICC events and the Champions League Twenty20 through 2015.

This will be the first time that these events will be presented in the region.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) agreement is a four-year deal from 2012 to 2015 and covers several ICC events, rx including the global showpiece of the cricket calendar, the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.  Under the agreement, ESPN International will carry the events in English via ESPN Play (WatchESPN in Brazil), ESPN’s broadband network that offers live and on demand sports video across the region. 

The upcoming cricket coverage includes the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup in Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville, Australia from August 10-25; the ICC World Twenty 20 in Sri Lanka from September 18-October 7; and the Karbonn Champions League Twenty20 in October.

The Karbonn Champions League Twenty20 agreement is a three-year deal covering 2013-2015. The event brings the best club teams from top cricket playing nations, including the West Indies, Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa, together in one of the major cricket competitions worldwide.  Organizers have announced that Pakistan and other nations will be added this year. The fourth edition of this marquee tournament will be held in South Africa later this year across four venues – Centurion, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town – and will feature a total of 14 teams and 29 matches. 

“It is our endeavour to work along with our partners in taking the game of cricket to new markets and new audiences and we are delighted to have succeeded in securing the first ever broadcast partnerships for the ICC events and the Champions League Twenty20 in South America. We are very pleased to be working with ESPN to showcase an exciting calendar of ICC cricket events in this emerging cricket market, and this exciting partnership underscores our commitment to Latin American fans as the sport continues to grow at an immense rate across the globe.” said ESPN STAR Sports’ Anurag Dahiya, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Cricket Rights.

David Richardson, ICC Chief Executive said, “The ICC is extremely pleased to have  a committed partner in ESPN STAR Sports, which has helped further extend the reach of this tournament by continually setting new standards in global distribution and coverage of cricket. I’m confident that these broadcast partnerships will grow the popularity of the game in this emerging market and assist in unlocking the undoubted potential to raise the profile of cricket to new audiences.”

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) may relegate five to six teams from country’s top soccer league, pending the results of a probe into alleged match-fixing, reports in Turkey state.

The league will start with all 18 teams in competition according to comments by TFF Chairman Mehmet Ali Aydinlar after a summit in Istanbul with club owners. The federation said it may also relegate six to seven teams from the lower division depending on the investigation results.

The TFF has authority to promote teams to the top league, Aydinlar said during the press conference. Teams that made the play-offs to compete in the top league may be moved up.

Yildirim Demiroren, chairman of cup-winner Besiktas JK which is alleged to have participated in match-fixing along with league champion Fenerbahce SK, criticised the TFF for trying to resolve the matter within 15 to 20 days and said his club is ready to wait for the judiciary’s decision on the investigation.

Radio stations in Africa, unhealthy New Zealand and Canada are amongst the first to broadcast live Barclays Premier League commentary from talkSPORT.

They’ll take Barclays Premier League and FA Cup coverage during the 2012/13 season which starts on 18 August.

Bell Media’s TSN and Team stations in Canada, apoplectic Radio Sport in New Zealand and Citi FM in Ghana will all carry both talkSPORT’s live Barclays Premier League and FA Cup commentary on an exclusive basis within their broadcast area and Brila FM in Nigeria will carry the station’s live Barclays Premier League commentary, with more broadcast partners announced shortly.

Scott Taunton, Chief Executive, talkSPORT said: “I’m delighted to be working with these partners to bring our exclusive live coverage of the greatest league in the world to listeners around the globe. After one of the most exciting seasons in the history of the Premier League, we’ll be bringing all of the drama, goals and news live to fans throughout the upcoming season.”

“There are many loyal and passionate Barclays Premier League fans in Canada, and we are thrilled to bring them live coverage of marque games across TSN and TEAM radio stations,” said Robert Gray, Program Director, TSN Radio.

Dr Larry Izamoje, Chairman/CEO, Brila FM said: “The English league has given many Nigerian players the platform for global recognition and we are extremely delighted to partner talkSPORT in bringing our listeners mankind’s most followed matches -the games of the Barclays Premier League now on radio.”

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has announced that it’s domestic soccer season will be delayed by one month as officials deal with the ongoing match-fixing scandal which has implicated many of Turkey’s top clubs.

The 2011-12 Spor Toto SuperLig season was scheduled to start on August 7, but has now been put back to September 9, whilst the second tier of Turkish football, the Bank Asya 1. League, will start a day later.

The scandal has already seen a Turkish court jail 31 people pending trial on charges of match fixing, including the chairman of SuperLig champions Fenerbahce and the coach and deputy chairman of rivals Besiktas. The TFF stated it will meet with club chairmen on Tuesday to discuss the next steps.

Fenerbahce won the league title last season after a remarkable end-of-season run of form saw Trabzonspor edged out on goal difference. Besiktas lifted the Turkish Cup after beating Buyuksehir in a penalty shoot-out. Media reports indicate Besiktas’ Cup final victory is one of 19 games highlighted in the police investigation, along with Fenerbahce’s title-clinching 4-3 victory over Sivasspor on the final day of the season.

ESPN has agreed a deal to broadcast the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) European Darts Championship next month.

This is the first time ESPN and the PDC team up for the first time to show a major darts event.

The championship will see 32 players battling it out over four days for the £200,000 prize pot, including Taylor, who has won all four European Championship titles since the event’s inception in 2008.

Other players in contention include double PDC World Champion Adrian Lewis, who was the runner-up to Taylor in last year’s European Championship, world number three James Wade, Holland’s five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, and Australian favourite Simon Whitlock.

Jeroen Oerlemans, the vice-president of TV Channels at ESPN EMEA, said: “We’re delighted to add more top-class darts to ESPN’s great sporting line-up.

“Our live and exclusive coverage of the European Darts Championship will bring viewers some of the best players in the world competing for one of the most prestigious trophies in darts. 

“We’ll continue to look to add more darts programming as we expand and solidify the range of our programming.”

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn added: “The PartyPoker.net European Darts Championship has established itself as one of our most exciting and colourful events over the past four years, and it is a pleasure to welcome ESPN as our broadcast partner for the 2012 event.

“Last year, we saw the emergence of Kim Huybrechts as he took part in a major PDC event for the first time as well as a thrilling nine-darter by Adrian Lewis and his great final with Phil Taylor, and I’m sure that September’s tournament will be equally memorable for the fans in Germany and viewers on ESPN.”

England’s soccer organisation, The Football League. has announced Help the Hospices as its Official Charity Partner for the 2011/12 season.

As the national charity for hospice care, Help the Hospices represents and supports local hospices, and champions the very best care for everyone facing the end of their life.

Chosen by fans following a public vote on The Football League website, Help the Hospices will benefit from unrivalled exposure across The League’s 72 member clubs.

The partnership will officially launch on Monday 25 July 2011 with the ‘Sunflower Sprint’ mascot race at Uttoxeter Racecourse, Staffordshire where Football League furry mascots will dash down a 100m stretch of the course.

David Praill, Chief Executive of Help the Hospices, said: “We are delighted to have the chance to work alongside The Football League this season, so that hospices across the UK can continue to care for 360,000 people every year – which could fill Wembley stadium four times over.

“This is an exciting opportunity for local hospices to tell millions of football fans about their important work.”

Football League crowds topped 16 million last season, and statistically half of those attending games will know someone who has been cared for by a hospice.

Fundraising activities this season are set to include bucket collections and fan initiatives, as well as a dedicated week of action from 7 to 13 March 2011 where all 72 League clubs will stage a game in support of Help the Hospices.

Greg Clarke, Chairman of The Football League, said: “Like Football League clubs, hospices operate at the heart of their local communities.

“This season, with the support of all 72 League clubs, hospices will continue to provide vital care for adults and children with life-limiting and terminal illnesses across England and Wales.”

The Scottish Premier League (SPL) has announced a partnership with YouTube, generic which will see match highlights and exclusive content available for YouTube viewers in the UK and around the world for the next three seasons.

The deal is a first for league football in the UK and will see the SPL’s official YouTube channel, generic ‘splofficial’ screen highlights from every Clydesdale Bank Premier League match. From season 2012-13 ‘splofficial’ will be the place to catch all the goals, order skills, best saves and top tackles from the top tier of Scottish football, while being a platform for supporters to share their own videos and experiences as they follow their club throughout the season.

The ‘splofficial’ channel will also cover pre and post match reaction from players and managers, as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes features, representing an exciting new means through which fans can engage with their club.

The ‘splofficial’ channel can be accessed via the following URL: http://www.youtube.com/splofficial. Match highlights will be available for supporters in the UK to view from 6pm on Sundays.

Stuart MacPhee, SPL Commercial Manager, said: “Launching the ‘splofficial’ channel represents a new chapter in online fan engagement for our league. Making Clydesdale Bank Premier League content available on YouTube will allow fans to access all the best action, on and off the pitch, whenever they want and wherever they are, be it at home on the laptop or on their smartphone on the bus to work.”

Stephen Nuttall, Senior Director, Sports for YouTube Europe, Middle East and Africa, added: “Football fans worldwide naturally go to YouTube to catch up on goals and highlights. Our partnership with The Scottish Premier League will give the global YouTube audience access to all aspects of Scottish football from the best on-field action to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.”

Worawi Makudi, head of FIFA’s committee for women’s soccer, has said that the tournament in Germany is proving to be one of the most successful ever.

“We are very happy that so far it has been excellently organised,” Makudi said.

“The spectators and atmosphere here is fantastic. This is something we have achieved with the cooperation of the host country.”

Most satisfying for FIFA, he said, were the crowd numbers at the host stadia and the millions watching televised games in different TV markets worldwide.

Japan’s 1-0 extra-time over reigning champions Germany drew a huge TV audience in the host nation, with the ZDF coverage of the match attracted an average viewership of almost 17 million.

The Professional Football League (LFP) in Spain has approved new regulations designed to curb excessive spending by clubs in the country’s top two divisions, denture after a season where many clubs faced financial difficulties.