Roger Goodell commissioner for the National Football League (NFL) written a column in a syndicated newspaper, warning the players’ union it will have to compromise if it wants to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and avoid a lockout.

Goodell’s column was entitled ‘The time has come to make a deal’ after talks between the parties broke down last week. With the current agreement due to expire on March 4 and no sign of a deal being reached, Goodell said time was running out and it was imperative the two sides returned to the negotiating table.

Goodell wrote: “We need an agreement that both sides can live with and obtain what they need, not simply what they want.

“Today’s collective bargain agreement does not work as it should from the standpoint of the teams.

“If needed adjustments are made, the NFL will be better for everyone. The first step is making sure a new collective bargaining agreement is more balanced and supports innovation and growth.”

The disagreements over a new CBA came due to the NFL’s opinion that the current agreement, in which the players keep 60 per cent of available revenue is too high, with the NFL and owners wanting to invest in other areas, including new stadiums.

They are also at odds over rookie wage scales, drug testing and how many games should be played in the regular season.

“The current deal does not secure the best possible future for the game, players, clubs and fans,” Goodell continued.

“The next few weeks must be used to negotiate with intensity and purpose so we can reach a fair agreement by March 4. If both sides compromise and give a little, everyone will get a lot, especially the fans.”

In an apparent bid to to tackle corruption in cricket during the World Cup this month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) have banned players and officials alike from using social networking site Twitter.

The real-time information network is seemingly growing less and less popular with sporting bodies, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Football Association (FA) both releasing guidelines for usage from the world’s sporting icons.

The move by the ICC however, is reportedly for differing reasons according to the Sydney Morning Herald, who claim that the ban has been introduced following Australian team manager Steve Bernard’s tweets which attracted more than 1,100 followers in the past six months, including during Ashes and the subsequent ODI series

The decision of ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit was intended to restrain the players and officials from any possible approach by people with links to illegal betting during World Cup matches.

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted ICC spokesman James Fitzgerald as saying: “When it comes to issues of corruption we prefer to err on the side of caution. We don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun but there is a chance that sensitive information could be passed on during matches in this way, even inadvertently, and we just feel that team managers’ phones should be kept for operational purposes only.”

“This recommendation is not confined to the Australia team manager but all teams in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and is certainly not a reaction to anything the Australia team manager has said or done in the past. It’s merely a precaution and is not something we are overly worried about at this stage,” he added.

Much of the talk regarding the soccer tournament involved with the London 2012 Olympics has surrounded the potential involvement of a Great Britain side. Football Associations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland protested against allowing their players to compete amid fears of losing their independence from FIFA.

However, the competition has taken somewhat of a blow in attracting the world’s greatest players after two-time defending champions Argentina, and in turn back-to-back World Footballer of the Year, Lionel Messi, failed to qualify.

Messi had reportedly hoped to take part in the Games in London as one of three over-age players each country is allowed to pick but the news will come as a relief to his club side Barcelona, who are among several leading European sides trying to prevent their top players taking part in the Olympics.

Argentina missed out despite beating Colombia 2-0 in their final match of the South American Under-20 Championships.

Earlier results, however, meant that Argentina needed its great rivals, Brazil to lose by five clear goals to Uruguay in their final match but they went on to dominate the game and clinch the Championships after winning 6-0.

However, the BRDC has appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers to attract investment for a series of new projects including hotels, a hall of fame, young driver academies and an international-standard kart track in plans to “realise the full potential of Silverstone and its 760-acre estate”.

BRDC chairman Stuart Rolt stated: “We are seeking external investment to help us realise the full potential of Silverstone more quickly. We have asked Robert Brooks, previous chairman, to lead the process. If we cannot find a suitable investor, or are unable to agree satisfactory terms on a deal, we will continue with the development ourselves, albeit at a slower pace.”

He added: “The commercial potential of Silverstone and the estate is significant. With the new circuit, new pit and paddock complex and other existing key motor sport developments all funded, the time is right for the BRDC to consider potential investment from third parties who share our vision and can help us realise the full potential of Silverstone more rapidly.”

The Munich 2018 Winter Games bid team have been boosted by the announcement of Germany and Bayern Munich soccer stars Sebastien Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller as bid ambassadors.

The hat-trick of German icons will add valuable backing to the bid as representatives of Munich based soccer giants. Philipp Lahm is the national team captain while Muller and Schweinsteiger were both highlighted as top performer’s in last summers World Cup, with the former picking up the Golden Boot award.

The players helped to launch the nation’s top soccer league, the Bundesliga’s support for the Bavarian capital at the recent Munich 2018-branded match against FC Kaiserslautern.

Philipp Lahm said: “I am convinced that Munich 2018 has developed the perfect concept, offering great benefits to athletes visiting from all around the world.

“The Munich Olympic Park with the Olympic Stadium would be a perfect site for the Winter Games in 2018.

“I will be very excited if the Games come to Munich as not only am I a resident of the city, but I know that it would be a great opportunity to relive the amazing atmosphere that surrounded the FIFA World Cup in 2006 – the bid gets my vote.”

Bastian Schweinsteiger, who in his youth was a talented Alpine skier before embarking on a career in football, said: “Skiing is a passion of mine and I have always had a strong connection with winter sports.

“Many children dream of playing in a FIFA World Cup or competing in the Games in front of a home crowd.

“I was lucky enough to take part in a FIFA World Cup in my own country and, by supporting the bid to bring the Games to Germany in 2018, I hope to give all the young winter sports talents the chance to see their dreams come true as well.”

Echoing his teammate’s sentiments, Thomas Müller said: “The Olympic and Paralympic Games are one of the biggest and most important sports events in the world – that is why I am backing Munich’s bid and want to show my support as a sports ambassador.”

 

Surrey County Cricket Club have signed Braben, a specialist PR consultancy, to drive ticket sales for the 2011 season at the newly named Kia Oval. The company will be charged with delivering an online and offline campaign in an attempt to boost sales and attendances.

Among Braben’s responsibilities will be to manage PR activity for the club’s social media channels, including Facebook, to promote the sides Friends Provident t20 tournament fixtures as well as the international matches due to take place at the ground.

Seven of Surrey’s eight Friends Provident t20 home matches this year will be played at The Kia Oval, starting 2nd June 2011. In addition, The Kia Oval will host three international fixtures this summer, including the final Test Match in England by Indian batting legend, Sachin Tendulkar.

Among those expected to feature in the new PR campaign are England’s victorious Ashes stars Kevin Pietersen and Chris Tremlett, alongside other Surrey players such as Mark Ramprakash, and the youngest captain in County Cricket, Rory Hamilton-Brown.

English rugby Super League side, the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats’ have suffered a big blow in their attempts to move into a new stadium in 2012. The team are one of three, along with Salford City Reds and Castleford Tigers, whose attempt to obtain a renewal on their Super League license depends on an ability to acquire a new stadium by 2012.

A planning application for the construction of a community stadium at Newmarket, where the rugby league team was due to be major a tenant, has been referred by the Government to the UK Secretary of State and could well cause a long delay in the process

“With Super League licensing looking closely at facilities, this delay is a huge blow, rugby league has been synonymous with the City of Wakefield for 137 years and this delay could put that in jeopardy.” admitted Wakefield CEO James Elston.

He added: “We now need to conduct further meetings with the developer, the Community Trust and with other stakeholders to review the contingency plans that were put in place in the event of such a delay in planning.”

A premium live sports streaming package has been acquired by major online gambling group, bet365 from the Sportsman Media Group (SMG). SMG, a Munich and Vienna based sports rights and online publication company, has supplied the package to the betting firm which includes Spanish La Liga fixtures and German Bundesliga games among its coverage.

The Sportsman claims to have offered and implemented live motion pictures of high profile sporting events for more than five years in their role as a provider of live streaming solutions for online betting platforms.

Alongside La Liga and the Bundesliga soccer leagues include rights for the Volleyball and Handball Champions League as well as events from the world of tennis, basketball, beach volleyball and table tennis.