British horseracing commercial group, The Jockey Club, have announced today plans  to make a record £19.5 million contribution to prize money in 2014.

This beats the previous mark by more than £1 million its own previous record high of £18.4m.

Since 2009, The Jockey Club has increased its annual contribution to prize money by £7.1m as a result of its commercial success. 

The Jockey Club’s 15 racecourses nationwide – which include Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs and Newmarket’s Rowley Mile and July Course, as well as smaller courses such as Carlisle, Exeter, Market Rasen and Wincanton – expect to offer record total prize money in excess of £42 million in 2014 from 364 scheduled fixtures. This equates to record average prize money per fixture of £118,000 and per race of £17,000 next year. 

Based on its 2014 plans, the UK’s largest racecourse group will have increased its contribution to prize money by 57% since 2009. At that time its contribution was a then industry-leading £12.4 million, which equated to Jockey Club Racecourses resourcing 30% of the total prize money distributed at its courses, while industry funding accounted for 51% of the total.

By contrast, 2014 reinforces the changes to the funding dynamics of British racing, with Jockey Club Racecourses intending to contribute from its own resources 46% of the record total £42.8 million prize money it expects to distribute in 2014. Industry funding of £15.9 million is slated to make up 37% of the total in 2014, highlighting how the group has rapidly and successfully grown its business in challenging economic conditions to put record amounts of investment back into the sport.  

Simon Bazalgette, Group Chief Executive, The Jockey Club, said: “Prize money is the lifeblood of British racing, providing a return for racehorse owners and supporting trainers, jockeys and stable staff. It is an important measure of the health of our sport. As a result of the continued growth of our business, I’m delighted to announce plans for The Jockey Club to contribute more than ever before into prize money in 2014, with our year-on-year increase once again far outstripping improvements in the wider economy. 

“At the same time we have been raising capital to invest in projects designed to enhance the customer experience we offer and increase our returns. In particular at Cheltenham we have our biggest ever facilities development, which will cost £45m to be ready ahead of the 2016 Festival. The demands on our Group remain significant and our sport’s funding model still requires major works, but without shareholders The Jockey Club’s sole reason for existence is to support British racing, meaning the more successful we can be commercially, the more we can do for our sport.” 

Paul Fisher, Group Managing Director, Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “Every time someone spends money to go racing with Jockey Club Racecourses they help to support British racing given we put our profits back into the sport. 

“The evidence shows our prize money contributions are paying dividends. The economic downturn significantly reduced the size of the horse population and that wasn’t something within the power of British to avoid.

“However, industry data shows our field sizes have been outperforming the wider sport, which we are linking to our industry-leading investment in prize money and turf surfaces, as well as ensuring the right opportunities to race are available at our courses. As well as boosting prize money across the board, it is also worth noting we have invested carefully in upgrading our race programme so that the average race class at Jockey Club Racecourses today is 3.9 compared to 4.1 in 2011.”

Fresh allegations of match-fixing in English football have come to surface with suggestions that even next year’s World Cup could be a target.

Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said it had acted on information passed on by the Sun on Sunday tabloid.

The paper said an undercover reporter had met former Portsmouth player Sam Sodje, who allegedly boasted he’d arranged for a player in English football’s second-tier Championship to get themselves a yellow card in return for £30,000.

It also alleged the 34-year-old Sodje had said he could rig Premier League matches and that the former Nigeria international, who played in the Premier League for Reading, was preparing to rig fixtures at next year’s World Cup finals in Brazil.

Meanwhile the Sun on Sunday said Oldham’s Cristian Moldano apologised to Sodje after failing to get a first-half yellow card as part of an alleged betting scam during a match against Wolves on October 22 this year.

Gamblers can make huge sums by betting on incidents such as yellow or red cards, penalties, late goals and corner kicks.

Colin Farmery, a spokesman for fourth-tier English south coast club Portsmouth, said: “If these serious allegations are true then we are extremely shocked and saddened by them, as match-fixing of any type goes to the heart of the integrity of the game.

“The player in question no longer plays for the club and we have not been contacted by the authorities, but of course we would co-operate fully with any inquiry.”

League One Oldham said they had launched an internal investigation of their own.

“Oldham Athletic Football Club has been made aware of the incident and allegation surrounding one of its players, Cristian Montano,” a statement issued by the third-tier north-west club said.

“The club will commence an immediate internal investigation. The club is co-operating with other agencies in this matter and cannot comment on specific facts at this stage.”

The NCA, which deals with serious and organised crime in Britain, initially said Sunday that three people had been arrested in connection with its latest investigation before updating the figure to six.

“The NCA can confirm that the Sun on Sunday has passed material from its own investigation to the National Crime Agency,” it said in a statement.

“An active NCA investigation is now underway and we are working closely with the Football Association and the Gambling Commission.

“Six people are in custody and are being questioned by NCA officers. We cannot comment further at this stage.”

Four people were charged this week in a separate NCA investigation into an alleged Singapore-based betting syndicate involving non-league English football.

Speaking about Sunday’s allegations, Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey said any claims of criminal activity were treated “with the utmost seriousness”.

USA Baseball together with the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association announced today that their Collegiate National Team programs will compete in an international friendship series in the U.S. for the first time since 2008.

In 2010, the two countries resumed friendship series play at the collegiate level with Team USA traveling to Taipei, Taiwan for a four-game series — the two nations split the set, 2-2.

The 2014 edition will see the Chinese Taipei Collegiate National Team travel to the United States, and feature games across at least three locations in North Carolina from July 1-5.

“We are extremely excited to host the Chinese Taipei National Team this year,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO, Paul Seiler. “Our countries share a unique passion and enthusiasm for the game of baseball. In recent years our amateur national teams have traveled to Taiwan for international competitions, and we are excited to serve as gracious hosts in 2014.”

“The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association appreciates and values the friendship that we enjoy with USA Baseball,” said Richard Lin, Secretary General of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association. “Re-establishing our yearly exchange with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team is an important part of our senior baseball program’s development.”

The series will be the first in the U.S., between the two baseball-rich countries since the home team swept a six-game series in 2008, held across four locations in North Carolina and South Carolina — including a trio of games at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C., and the series finale at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

The National Hockey League has locked out its players, generic having failed to reach an agreement with the NHL Players’ Association on a new labour deal before the September 25 deadline.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Don Fehr had been in negotiations concerning revenue sharing and compensation for the previous four days.

On September 12, owners offered players 47 percent of hockey-related revenue, one percentage point higher than their previous proposal.

The stumbling block, according to Fehr, is that the Union’s offer tied the players’ share to revenue growth, which would see the proportion decrease as hockey-related revenue increases.

Another conflict revolves around salary arbitration and the length of unrestricted free agency.

It is the second time in seven seasons that the NHL have enforced a lockout and will likely see an exodus of players to Europe, with All-Stars Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar already agreed personal terms to play for Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

Within the past eighteen years, the NHL has witnessed three lockouts, including a reduction of the number of games during the 1994-95 season and a cancellation of the 2004-05 campaign.

The 2012-13 season is penciled in for a October 11 start.

“This is a time of year for all attention to be focused on the ice, not on a meeting room,” the NFL wrote in a letter addressing the fans.

“The league, the clubs and the players all have a stake in resolving our bargaining issues appropriately and getting the puck dropped as soon as possible. We owe it to each other, to the game and, most of all, to the fans.”

NHL Deputy Commissioner, Bill Daly, shed some light on the situation, declaring that neither the league nor the players were willing to budge of its last proposal.

Daly said: “I’m sure we will keep in touch in the coming days and schedule meetings to the extent they might be useful or appropriate.

“We are sorry for where we are. Not what we hoped or expected.”

Worldlink Group Plc, the UK listed Company with patents on providing changing data in real-time for mobile devices, today announced that Across the Line Limited, a company funded by London based property and football entrepreneur Mr. Andrew Ellis, has acquired a 51% controlling stake of its rapidly growing sports and gaming division Worldlink Sport Limited.

In consideration for the investment in Worldlink Sport, Across the Line Limited will provide £1.3m ($2m) to fund upfront commitments required on certain contracts, plus working capital up to a maximum of a further £1.2m ($1.87m) to fund future deals (the “Ellis investment”). Worldlink will receive a revenue stream of 15% of Worldlink Sport’s future net revenues.

Additionally Worldlink has issued £25,000 ($39,000) (250,000) of warrants exercisable at 10 pence per share, £25,000 (125,000) of warrants exercisable at 20 pence per share, £25,000 (83,333) of warrants exercisable at 30 pence per share and £25,000 worth of warrants exercisable at the price at which the Company’s shares are trading following lifting of the Company’s suspension from trading. All warrants are exercisable for a period of 12 months from 11 July 2012.

The Company and Across the Line Limited each has an option to acquire the other shareholders’ shares in Worldlink Sport at its fair value following the signing of Worldlink Sport’s accounts to 31 December 2013 and 31 December 2014. If both parties choose to exercise the option, the party which offers the highest price will be deemed to have exercised the option.

Worldlink Sport has recently entered into Heads of Agreement with multiple high profile sports rights including Premier League teams Sunderland AFC and Newcastle United together with its licensed bookmaking partner, Betbutler as Official Betting and Gaming Partner. Worldlink Sport will now finance these agreements via the Ellis investment and hopes to be able to announce further significant high profile sports rights deals in the near future.

Neil Riches commented: “We are delighted with the agreement reached with Andrew Ellis and the investment into Worldlink Sport Limited. We have concluded many significant deals in the sports market that will mean Worldlink is now a major player in this sector and we look forward to announcing further deals shortly.”

Andrew Ellis added “I am extremely pleased to be involved in Worldlink Sport. Worldlink are bringing amazing new technology to the betting and gaming sector which is going to provide sports fans a superior betting experience. We are confident that Worldlink Sport will become one of the leading companies in the sports and gaming sector with the rights that we are in the process of acquiring.”

This follows Worldlink agreeing a major partnership with iSportconnect.

A mock terrorist attack was carried out on a London Undeground station on Wednesday as a pre-Olympics security test examining British police, medic fire and ambulance staff response.

The two-day test called “Exercise Forward Defensive” started at the Aldwych tube (subway) station, hospital which has been closed to commuters since 1994. The London Underground maintains the station so it can be used in movies and rented for parties.

The security simulates an attack on one of the busiest days during the 2012 London Olympics. Authorities declined to reveal the exact scenario in advance, saying surprise is a key element of the exercise.

“(It’s about ensuring) that we have the right people in the right places, that we understand how others operate and that we are talking to each other at the right levels and in the right way,” said Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison of the Metropolitan Police.

The test is a part of efforts to create confidence ahead of the games, which open July 27 and end Aug. 12.

British Transport Police spokesman Simon Lubin said for participants the test evoked memories of the July 7, 2005, London transit attacks, when four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters aboard three subway trains and a bus. The attacks came a day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics.

Official reports and an inquest criticized the emergency services’ response to the 2005 bombings.

“If there are mistakes, this is the time to make them, not when there’s a real incident,” Lubin said.

by Ismail Uddin

Boris Johnson, ailment The Mayor of London, doctor |  has struck a partnership with adidas to urge Londoners to check out the wide range of free sporting activities that are available across the capital.

A new poster and online marketing campaign will highlight the sports that Londoners can try at more than 130 locations across the city as part of the Mayor’s £35 million Sports Legacy Programme, therapy | established to get more Londoners fit and active in the run up to 2012 and beyond.

The campaign comes as research commissioned by the Greater London Authority shows that the vast majority of Londoners (83 per cent) are taking part in physical exercise, with two thirds (66 per cent) exercising more than once a week and over a third (35 per cent) exercising three or more times a week.

The ICM poll of 1,000 people also revealed that around six in 10 Londoners who exercise (61 per cent) want to do more exercise. This suggests there is a healthy appetite to get involved with sporting activity in the capital, although those from the least affluent backgrounds are more likely to say that they never do any exercise – 31 per cent compared to 13 per cent for more affluent backgrounds.

The Mayor is particularly keen to encourage more young Londoners to get active. Today he announced a funding boost of more than £140,000 to help to increase sports participation among young people in deprived parts of London. Thanks to a grant of £142,000 from the Mayor, national sports charity StreetGames will set up eight ‘YUSport’ hubs across eight London estates, including Enfield, Waltham Forest, Haringey, Lewisham, Bromley, Lambeth and Hammersmith and Fulham.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “With less than six months to go before the greatest show on earth there has never been a better time for Londoners to get fit and active. Young people in particular can benefit hugely from the focus and discipline that taking up a sport can provide. Whether it’s fencing or football, pole vaulting or ping-pong, there is a huge choice of activities to try. The sporting landscape in the capital is far from gloomy and I urge all Londoners to check out what’s on offer.”

Nick Craggs, Marketing Director for adidas UK, added: “We are proud to help support the Mayor of London in the Freesport campaign to get more Londoners active in the run up to London 2012 and beyond. As a London 2012 sponsor, adidas believes it is vitally important that free sporting facilities are made available and accessible if we are truly going to get the nation participating in sport.”

The Mayor’s Commissioner for Sport, Kate Hoey MP, commented: “This new research indicates that things in London really are heading in the right direction in terms of participation in sport. Of course there is much more still to do, but there really are a lot of opportunities out there. This campaign is about highlighting some of these opportunities and ensuring that every Londoner is able to feel some kind of tangible benefit from London 2012.”

Jane Ashworth, CEO of StreetGames, said: “StreetGames is delighted to have been awarded the funding to deliver this exciting partnership project. With London 2012 around the corner, YUSport hubs give us a great opportunity to provide access to new sporting opportunities in local communities, working with local people to create an Olympic legacy.”

Anyone who takes part in one of the free sporting activities will be eligible to enter a draw for one of 50 Adidas vouchers worth £100 each.

by Ismail Uddin