It has been revealed that the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, cialis ed the Asean top national team football competition, sick saw a record 192 million viewers in key Asean markets tune in.

The audience, which represents ratings on broadcasters RCTI in Indonesia, RTM in Malaysia, ABS-CBN in the Philippines, MediaCorp in Singapore, BBTV in Thailand, VTV in Vietnam and ESPN Star Sports’ regional platform saw a 32 per cent increase from the previous edition.

The two final leg matches between Indonesia and Malaysia in particular saw ratings rocket. According to Nielsen, an average of 15 million Indonesians watched both games on RCTI, more than twice the number of the highest-rated FIFA World Cup 2010 match in the country.

In Malaysia, national free-to-air broadcaster RTM recorded shares of 40.3 per cent and 48.4 per cent respectively for each of the two final leg matches. The total audience reached in the territory saw an eight-fold increase from the previous edition of the tournament.

Vietnam delivered the second largest viewership market after Indonesia with a total audience of 74.5 million. The event also received significant following on internet and social media platforms.  Nearly two million fans visited the event’s official website affsuzukicup.com while 193,172 fans interacted with each other through the event’s Facebook page.

English Premier League soccer giants Manchester United’s owners, click The Glazer family, generic used the release of the club’s quarterly financial results to insist that no talks have taken place over a possible takeover.

The Glazers have reiterated that the club is “not for sale” after repeated reports of a bid from Qatar Holdings to buy-out the club, as United revealed increased earnings in the first half of the financial year through to the end of December.

In a statement to accompany the quarterly results, the club again refuted the continuing takeover rumours by saying: “The owners remain fully committed to their long-term ownership of the club. No discussions have taken place, Manchester United is not for sale and the owners will not entertain any offers.”

United’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) increased by 3.2 per cent to £60.6m (US$98.4m) in the six months to the end of December.

Although domestic match day income for the three months through to the end of 2010 dropped slightly from £33.1m ($53.7m) to £32.8m ($53.25m), commercial turnover including overseas merchandising climbed from £19.2m ($31.2m) to £25.5m ($41.4m).

The National Football League Players’ Association (NFLPA) cancelled a meeting scheduled with a group of player agents at the National Football League (NFL) Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, February 22, due to the ongoing NFL collective bargaining agreement (CBA) mediation, raising some hope in the industry that the league and union could work out a deal.

The NFLPA has routinely held a small group meeting for powerful agents on the Thursday during Combine week in Indianapolis before the larger agent meeting Friday, which most of the about 800 NFLPA-certified agents attend.

The NFL and the NFLPA, at the request of federal mediator George Cohen, have adhered to keeping a tight lid on the mediation’s and have committed to seven days. Thursday would mark the seventh day of talks under the auspices of Cohen, the Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

The soccer tournament staged as part of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games will be staged between five other cities, it was announced yesterday, February 22, by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Salvador have all been chosen to share the matches with Rio, spreading the tournament across Brazil. The names of the specific sites have not been announced, but they are expected to be the same as those awarded FIFA World Cup matches in 2014.

The decision was announced during a seminar for host cities in Brasilia attended by Brazil’s Sports Orlando Silva and CBP President Ricardo Teixeira.

This means that Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao stadium, Belo Horizonte’s Mineirao, the Fonte Nova in Salvador and the Mane Garrincha in Brasilia will all play host to games in the early stages of the men and women’s tournament, as well as the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. 

The famous stadium, which is currently being rebuilt for the World Cup and the Olympics, will also be the site for the finals of both competitions, as well as hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Financial report, decisions on competition hosts and 2014 World Cup slots are all on the agenda for soccer’s world governing body, FIFA’s first Executive Committee Meeting of the year, in Zurich on Wednesday and Thursday, 2-3 March 2011.

The agenda will also feature the presentation both of the FIFA Financial Report for 2010 and the financial results for the 2007-2010 cycle, as well as the decision on the slots per confederation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be staged in Rio, Brazil.

In addition, decisions will be taken regarding which member associations will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014, as well as the FIFA U-17 World Cups 2013 and 2015, the FIFA U-20 World Cups 2013 and 2015, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2012 and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2014.

The Executive Committee will also decide on the venues of the FIFA Congress for 2012 and 2013, as well as receiving reports and updates on other topics, such as all standing committee meetings held since the last meeting on 1-2 December 2010 and the 61^st FIFA Congress, which is to be held in Zurich on 31 May and 1 June 2011.

Soccerex have announced that the legendary former Manchester United and Manchester City striker, allergist Denis Law will be opening the Soccerex European Forum, anabolics 30-31 March, Manchester.

The former Scottish International striker was voted European Player of the Year in 1964 and is widely recognised as one of the greatest ever British players. Law was part of Manchester United’s holy trinity, alongside George Best and Bobby Charlton, and scored over 200 goals for the club. Law also enjoyed two spells at Manchester City and famously scored the goal for City which helped seal United’s relegation at the end of the 1973-74 season.

Commenting on the announcement, Duncan Revie, CEO, Soccerex said: “It’s a huge honour to have Denis open the European Forum. He is a legend not just in Manchester but around the world – without doubt one of the finest strikers ever to play the game. My Dad always said he would have Denis in his team and I am delighted that he will be part of the team for our event in Manchester”.

Law will join other football stars past and present at this year’s European Forum including Ossie Ardiles, Phil Thompson, Carlos Alberto Torres, Andy Cole and Patrick Vieira.

SMEX – The Sports Merchandise Exhibition has been successfully running for 13 years and continues to provide the very best platform from which to find brandable products or services to increase the merchandising opportunities within any sporting club.

With registered visitors from over 21 different countries. These visitors are key buyers looking for corporate gifts, drugs uniforms for stadium staff, ed “give away gifts”, something new for their conference and banqueting departments, new ways of promoting their clubs, bags and point of displays around the stadium. They are looking for things to build fan interaction, community gifts or merchandise they can brand and sell on to a fan base.

With over 120 manufacturers and distributors exhibiting and nearly 700 key senior decision makers and buyers from the very best sports clubs and retailers visiting, Wembley Stadium is absolutely the place to be from 9am until 5pm on 14th March 2011.

2011 is proving to be our biggest year yet with buyers from over 20 different sports already visiting. These include rugby league, rugby union, tennis, golf, motor rally racing, badminton, equestrianism, basketball, volleyball, ice hockey, hockey, Judo, Skating, BMX, gymnastics, handball, netball, rock-it-ball, billiards, polo and snooker as well as football.

With visitors from the Premier leagues finest clubs, teams from across Europe and all those from the local leagues all under one roof at the same time, it makes SMEX 2011 an exciting prospect for any company looking to put their products in front of the football industry.

SMEX is now firmly established as the foremost sports merchandise event for the whole of Europe. It’s now more crucial than ever that clubs find new merchandise products and revenue streams that work for them, while building their brand awareness.

SMEX is the only event in their calendar that allows them to see all of the products in one place. It continues to provide the chance to meet face-to-face and see the very latest innovative merchandise products and services available today.

If you would like to be a part of the most cutting edge sports merchandise exhibition around, please contact us for more information.

SMEX – The Sports Merchandise Exhibition

9 AM – 5PM, Monday 14th March 2011, Wembley Stadium, London

www.smexevent.com

The Chinese Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One circuit after doubts over the race’s future were allayed by the signing of a seven-year extension for the Shanghai International Circuit to remain on the schedule.

The event had been cast under a cloud by a combination of poor attendances and remedial work needed to address problems with sections of the circuit, but officials were still holding out for an improved financial deal before agreeing to renew their contract.

According to the Shanghai Daily newspaper, Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management, which oversees the sport’s commercial aspect, has now agreed terms with event organiser Juss Events which will ensure that the race remains a part of the calendar until 2017.

Shanghai Sports Bureau deputy director Chen Yiping admitted: “We’ve learned that high ticket prices have led to fans staying away and will try to improve the situation in the following years.”

The deal, which Shanghai vice-mayor Zhao Wen claimed was an improvement on the previous agreement, has come sooner than initially predicted, with sources suggesting that SIC’s place on the schedule may not be secured until weeks before this year’s race, owing to its homologation licence having expired.

The Shanghai circuit is due to stage its eighth Chinese Grand Prix on the weekend of 15-17 April.

Yang Yibin, manager of event organiser Juss Event, said earlier this year: “Subsidence is normal because of the soft soil in Shanghai, which the circuit was built above, plus the circuit has hosted seven F1 grands prix and other racing events of high intensity. There should be no problem, – we’ve communicated well with the FIA, our plan has been approved and the grand prix will be on time.”

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) and BCCI flagship events, the Cricket World Cup and IPL IV are being insured for similarly huge figures. Between the BCCI and ICC broadcast rights holder ESPN Star Sports, the total sum assured for CWC 2011 is a reported US$185m while for IPL IV it is in the region of $175m.

According to pink paper Business Standard, the BCCI has taken an event cancellation cover, in addition to one against terrorism, with a total sum assured of $53.8m. The sum assured includes a separate $27m policy for protection against terrorist attacks. 

The policy would kick in if BCCI’s revenues were affected due to adverse weather. Also, in case of non-appearance of teams, it would not lose out, a senior executive of the National Insurance Company told BS.

As for IPL IV, ESPN’s SportsCenter reports that the media rights alone would be getting an insurance cover of $109m while sponsorship rights will get an umbrella of $42.2m along with other insurance covers.