English nPower League One soccer club Plymouth Argyle have been deducted 10 points with immediate effect after they issued a notice of intention to appoint an administrator.

In a decision which breaks Football League sanctions and commands, a 10-point deduction was inevitable with the notice classed as an ‘insolvency event’.

The League One strugglers now find themselves bottom of the league and 10 points from safety after relegation from the Championship last year, having been the subject of three winding-up petitions from HM Revenue & Customs this season.

A statement on the club website said: “The directors of Plymouth Argyle Football Club have today issued a Notice of Intention to appoint Brendan Guilfoyle, Christopher White and John Russell of The P&A Partnership as administrators.

“This action gives the club protection from insolvency action from creditors.

“This does not mean that the club is in administration today nor does it assume that it will necessarily enter into administration at a future date.”

With his side now facing the stark reality of dropping into English soccer’s fourth-tier next season, Argyle manager Peter Reid told BBC Spotlight: “From a football point of view it’s a massive blow to the club.

“You’ve just got to get on with it. It’s going to make it really difficult but we’ve just got try and start the fight back against Brighton.

“Hopefully the board of directors can sort out the financial problems and hopefully this is the lowest ebb and we can start rising from this situation.”

Leading stadium specialist AEG has reportedly offered to make lease payments for use of city land as part of a financing deal for Farmers Field, ailment the planned NFL-ready stadium in downtown L.A.

AEG lists rent from a proposed ground lease as “part of the revenues that would be used to repay” the $325-350m in city bonds that would be issued for the project.

AEG submitted a three-page document to city negotiators on Wednesday, remedy February 16, but according to the LA Times, this “does not indicate how much would be derived from a long-term lease”.

The National Football League (NFL) have been enforced into a third offer of compensation to those fans who were not seated at this month’s Super Bowl. Having offered to refund tickets to triple their face value, many of the upset supporters were unsatisfied.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has offered a new option to the 400 fans who were denied seats at the showpiece event and now intends to offer them US$5,000 or more as compensation.

In an emailed statement to the unhappy spectators, Goodell stated that he would offer $5,000 “or the total of their verified expenses for Super Bowl XLV, whichever is greater.”

In previous attempts to compensate those involved the NFL offered $2,400 plus a free ticket to Super Bowl XLVI or a ticket to a future Super Bowl with airfare and accommodations.

The ITF announced today that Invacare will continue its sponsorship of wheelchair tennis for a 17th successive year by becoming title sponsor of the ITF’s year-end Doubles Masters event in a two-year deal. The 2011 Invacare Doubles Masters will be held in Amsterdam on 2-6 November.

The Invacare Doubles Masters is the ITF’s flagship wheelchair tennis doubles event. First staged in 2000, viagra the season-ending event currently features the world’s top eight men’s doubles pairs, sickness and the top four women and quad doubles pairs. Women’s world No. 1 Esther Vergeer has been the most successful competitor, pills sharing the women’s title on eight occasions.

Invacare Corporation was previously title sponsor of the World Team Cup between 1996 and 2010. The European team of Invacare Corporation has overseen its wheelchair tennis sponsorship since 2008, since when the company has increased its on-site involvement and operational support behind the scenes.

During the 2011 Invacare Doubles Masters, the European team of Invacare Corporation will continue to host the successful international wheelchair tennis symposium that has been held during the World Team Cup for the past three years. The symposium is a public seminar that features a variety of guest speakers from wheelchair sport and various medical experts.

ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: “We are delighted that Invacare is continuing its sponsorship of wheelchair tennis. The company’s longstanding support of the World Team Cup helped it become the most prestigious event on the ITF’s wheelchair tennis calendar, and I am confident that its commitment and enthusiasm will have a similar effect on this important year-end event.”

Hans Lautenschlager, Invacare Vice President / General Manager of Commercial Operations EMEA, said: “After 16 years of World Team Cup support, Invacare has been seeking new challenges within international tennis. The Doubles Masters will give Invacare a great opportunity to continue developing ‘best-in-class’ tennis events with the ITF. Our aim is to make the Doubles Masters a long-awaited and popular date in the tennis calendar as the World Team Cup is today.”

After it was announced last week that the British Olympic Association (BOA) were setting guidelines for Twitter use by athletes during the London 2012 Olympics, the Football Association have followed suit.

A statement was released by the body warning soccer players in England that improper comments will not be tolerated on Twitter or indeed other social networking sites. The decision comes off the back of last month’s fiasco involving the Liverpool player, Ryan Babel. The Dutch international posted a mocked-up image of World Cup final referee Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt shortly after a game against the Premier League leaders when Webb awarded a controversial penalty to the Red Devils.

The statement released by the FA read: “The FA has issued clarification to participants relating to the use of social networking sites, including, but not limited to Twitter, Facebook and internet blogs. Participants should be aware that comments made on such sites may be considered public comment, and that further to FA Rule E3, any comments which are deemed improper, bring the game into disrepute, or are threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting may lead to disciplinary action.”

The statement added: “Comments which are personal in nature or could be construed as offensive, use foul language or contain direct or indirect threats aimed at other participants are likely to be considered improper.”

“Consequently, care should be exercised with regards to the contents of such postings. In addition, we would remind participants that social networking postings could also lead to civil proceedings being brought by affected parties.”

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has unveiled the route for the London 2012 Olympic cycling road race, with Buckingham Palace providing the starting and finishing point.

The event will take place from, and conclude at the landmark after travelling through central London before crossing the Putney bridge in Fulham, followed by a loop of Surrey county.

The man’s race takes place on the 28th July and span over 250 kilometres, with 145 cyclists competing. The women’s event will go ahead on the following day, consisting of 67 riders over a course of 140 kilometres.

The route has been altered to the one offered in the original proposal for the London Olympic bid, which would be more concentrated around north London, and a test event has been planned in August.

Formula One racing team, ambulance Williams are pushing through with stock flotation plans and  Williams Grand Prix Holdings Plc are offering shares at a rate of 24  – 29 euros (US$32.7 – $39.5) apiece.

The individual share prices mean that the company is valued at $361m at the mid-point of the pricing according to a statement emailed today, February 9.

Williams F1 isn’t raising new capital in the offering, which enables existing shareholders to sell down part of their holding “to allow investor participation.”

Alan Zucker has been promoted to senior vice president of clients and managing director of talent marketing for leading sports and media firm IMG.

In reporting to Sandy Montag, senior corporate vice president of IMG Sports and Entertainment, Zucker will now assist him in all areas of IMG’s Clients business unit, including broadcasting, coaching and speakers.

Zucker has been with the company for 15 years and on a day-to-day basis, handles the management, marketing and sales of Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, Matthew Stafford, Joe Montana, Jim Nantz, Danica Patrick, and Joe Mauer. Zucker negotiates their marketing endorsements, manages connections to the NFLPA, creates revenue for their foundations and charities and drives all other revenue producing income off of the field. 

Zucker also works hand in hand with IMG’s individual talent agents across all divisions to assist them in developing corporate relationships. Some of that talent has included Maria Sharapova, Arnold Palmer, Venus Williams, Alex Ovechkin, Peggy Fleming, Gisele, Dick Vitale, Billie Jean King, Lindsey Vonn, Kristi Yamaguchi and John Madden.

Brandt have secured the primary sponsorship of Turner Motorsports, No. 31 Chevrolet Impala driven by Justin Allgaier, for 17 NASCAR Nationwide Series races next season.

Brandt will also become an associate sponsor to all four of the Turner Motorsport entries in an agreement which is believed to be worth around US$4m in total.

“We are extremely excited to team up with Justin and Turner Motorsports for the 2011 racing season. Brandt is an exciting, aggressive and family values-based company. We feel we are teaming up with a driver who embodies these same qualities, and we are looking forward to seeing him exemplify that on the track.” said Rick C. Brandt, Brandt president and chief executive officer.

“Also, Nascar’s upcoming transition to ethanol fuel embodies Brandt’s leadership as a premier producer of environmentally sustainable products for agriculture. We look forward to representing American farmers on the track.”

Steve Turner, owner of Turner Motorsports, added: “I am very happy to welcome Brandt as a Turner Motorsports marketing partner. It is a company that I feel has the same core values and the same qualities that we do at Turner Motorsports. They have seen the value in Nascar and how it can help move the needle from both a marketing and sales perspective. We are confident we will win with them both on and off the track. I am honored they want to be a part of our organisation and are looking forward to a long-term successful relationship.”

 

A three-year deal has been struck between the German Golf Association (DGV) and pharmaceuticals company, Medicom Pharma to become a major sponsor as of 2011.

The contract will see the company’s logo emblazed upon the membership cards of 620,000 affiliated German golfers. Medicom will now be involved alongside the DGV in promotional activities, providing an array of special offers for the association’s members. The deal is reported to be wort a mid-six figure sum each year according to sponsors.de. The company joins the likes of Vodafone and Audi AG as major sponsors of the association.

“Through our commitment, we want to show that with our supplements, made using the latest scientific evidence and in accordance with German law, anyone can improve his golf game. Our products help every athlete improve his general well-being, which is a substantial advantage before, during and after the game. As an avid golfer, I look forward to working with the German Golf Association.” said Medicom Pharma managing director Daniel Rexhausen.