Mattel, generic sale Inc. today announced a multi-year extension of their global master toy licensing agreement with WWE through 2019.

Since 2009, troche Mattel and WWE have developed a wildly popular and diverse portfolio of innovative toys currently available in more than 50 global markets around the world. WWE action figures have ranked as the number 1 action figure property in the U.S.1; and consistently hold a top ranking. Sporting cutting-edge innovations such as FlexForce figures that incorporate signature WWE Superstar moves, try and plush Brawlin’ Buddies, Mattel has brought the world of WWE to life in the playroom like never before.

“WWE and Mattel’s action figure line is consistently ranked in the top two thanks to our creative marketing campaigns, tremendous retail support and seamless infusion of cutting-edge innovations,” said Doug Wadleigh, Senior Vice President, Global Brands Marketing, Boys and Entertainment for Mattel. “We are excited to continue our partnership with WWE as they expand their global footprint and leverage our global scale to deliver WWE toys to kids around the world.”

With more than 15 million viewers in the U.S. tuning into WWE programming each week, Mattel will continue its mission to bring authentic, fun and safe ways for fans of all ages to enjoy the action-infused storylines of WWE television programming.

“Mattel has invested significant resources in consumer insights and raised the bar for design innovations for WWE, while expanding our line into new categories,” said Casey Collins, Executive Vice President, Consumer Products, WWE. “Their unparalleled support has allowed us to further engage fans through authentic, quality products, meaningful experiences and standout presence at retail.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn has signed promising young Manchester-born boxer Anthony Crolla to Matchroom Sport’s stable.

Crolla will make his first appearance for Hearn on the undercard of Carl Froch’s super-middleweight showdown with George Groves at the Phones4u Arena Manchester, live on Sky Sports Box Office. 

The 26-year-old picked up a career-best win over former world champion Gavin Rees in his last fight and is determined to stake his claim for a title shot on the big stage.

“I’m delighted to join Eddie and Matchroom and I cannot wait for my first fight with them,” said Crolla.

“Froch vs. Groves is a massive night and it’s great to be a part of it.

“I am right up there in the reckoning now and I know Eddie believes I am close to major fights – so it’s down to me to prove that, starting in Manchester on November 23.”

Crolla was involved in a thrilling defeat and a draw against Derry Mathews before his battling win over Rees in June.

Hearn is glad to sign the all-action fighter and feels he will soon be ready for one of the lightweight belt holders.

“Anthony is a fantastic addition to the Matchroom Boxing team,” said Hearn. “He’s a hugely popular figure in the North West, and when you look at his recent run of fights, he’s always an entertaining addition to any card.

“His victory over former World champion Gavin Rees has propelled him to another level, and beyond the huge domestic opportunities lies a world title challenge for him in 2014.

“He will be part of the huge Froch vs. Groves show on November 23, with the opponent and undercard announcement the week commencing September 30.”

David Grevemberg, try the CEO of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has expressed his desire to ensure that the Games creates a strong sporting legacy for the city and the country.

Speaking to iSportconnect, he said: “We’re fully committed to working closely with our Games partners; Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Commonwealth Games Scotland to ensire there is lasting legacy that will stand the test of time.

“Glasgow 2014 can act as an inspiration for people of all ages to be more active and we’re committed to helping encourage wider participation in sport and physical activity whatever way we can.”

The London 2012 Olympics was often credited for its plans to achieve a strong sporting legacy in Britain, and debates over what to do with the facilities persist. It would appear Glasgow is attempting the same thing in order to get the most out of their investment.

Explaining how Glasgow can create this legacy, Grevemberg added: “The impressive Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, which will host world-class sporting competition during Glasgow 2014, has already opened its doors to the public and will host World Championship events before the Games in 2014.”

Club Website Limited have announced that Worldlink Sport has signed Heads of Agreement to become Club Website’s Official Betting and Gaming Partner.

The deal will begin on August 1, prostate | 2012 and will see Worldlink Sport become the ‘Official Betting and Gaming partner’ of Club Website, which provides websites for some 39,000 teams across the UK.

Worldlink Sport will provide dedicated desktop and mobile applications together with its licensed betting brokerage partner, Bet Butler, who will enable users of Club Website to access the best available odds across more than 60 bookmakers. Under the Heads of Agreement Worldlink Sport is required to make certain upfront payments to Club Website.

Speaking about the new partnership, Director of Club Website, Richard Stenson said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Worldlink Sport as one of our key partners.

“They have impressed us not only with their product but with their commitment to generating revenue for grassroots football and we are looking forward to building a successful relationship with them.

“It further demonstrates the appeal of our business model and rapidly growing user base to blue chip companies.”

Neil Riches, of Worldlink Sport added: “I am thrilled to be announcing this ground-breaking partnership with Club Website.

“We are looking forward to providing users of Club Website not only an enhanced betting experience, but a percentage of revenues will ultimately go back to grassroots football which is a fundamental part of our business model and offering to sports teams and fans.”

Worldlink Sport is the sport and gaming company that is owned 51% by property and football entrepreneur Andrew Ellis, and 49% by Worldlink, which is one of the UK’s leading real-time mobile applications companies with patented technology that allows information held on the mobile device to be updated automatically without the need for a manual refresh.

Information is delivered via a mobile telecommunications network in real time, whilst intelligently minimising the bandwidth required to transmit the data. The technology is patent protected in the US and UK and is patent pending in Europe. Worldlink has already licensed its patents to leading institutions in the financial and technology sectors and is furthering this process in the UK, US and Europe.

London 2012 Olympics is expecting heavy security after it was revealed that Military snipers and possibly missiles would be used in defence of the spectacular event.

Snipers are to be deployed in helicopters during the Olympics and if required will shoot pilots of low-flying aircraft that might be involved in terrorist attacks, it emerged on Monday.

A team of seven snipers is being given “comprehensive on-the-ground and in-the-air training” as part of the all encompassing security operation being undertaken by the police and the army.

General Sir Nick Parker, who is in charge of co-ordinating the armed forces during the 2012 Games, described the role of the snipers as he revealed the six sites where anti-aircraft missiles may be based as part of the security operation.

The four that are in open spaces – at Blackheath, Lea Valley reservoir, Shooters Hill and Epping Forest – will be home to a battery of Rapier surface-to-air missiles, which are the UK’s primary air defence weapon.

Smaller high-velocity missiles (HVMs) will be put on the top of residential buildings in Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

Parker said the missiles would only be fired as a “very last resort”, and any decision to use them would have to come from the “very highest level” – on the authority of the prime minister.

At a briefing at Scotland Yard with assistant commissioner Chris Allison, Parker said it was right to plan for worst-case scenarios, and identified two “broad airborne threats” the military could help with.

“The focus is on the air security of the Olympic Park. The two threats are a large 9/11 type of threat which is integrated into existing security plans. Then there is the smaller, what we would describe as the ‘low and slow’, that is particularly what we need to practice over London.”

Parker said RAF Typhoon fighters and the anti-aircraft missile systems would help to deter the larger threats, and the snipers would be used for the smaller ones. The marksmen will be used in rotation from four Lynx helicopters based on HMS Ocean, which will be in the river Thames at Greenwich, and three Puma helicopters based at a territorial army headquarters in Ilford.

“We put snipers into the helicopters … they won’t all be flying at the same time. It is a standby capability and you operate one sniper in each aircraft. This is part of our layered response. The very final thing would be to shoot the pilot and we are conducting some comprehensive training on the ground and in the air so these snipers can do their job.”

That training will come into focus on Wednesday, when the police and armed forces begin an eight-day exercise in London and Weymouth. This will include Typhoons and helicopters flying low over the capital so the military can “test their ability to the limit”, said Parker. The final decision about if and where to deploy the anti-aircraft missiles will be taken following the exercise.

Allison would not say how many British police would be armed during the Games, but said the “vast majority” would not be carrying weapons. He also insisted that no diplomatic or security officials from other countries, including the US, would be carrying firearms during the event.

“The planning assumption is that there will be no other armed officers from across the world,” he said. “The Games will be policed by the British police … if there are any firearms required, it will be the British police who will be using their firearms.”

In all, 51 different police forces are now sending officers to support Olympic security; 12,500 police will be involved in the Games, and 13,500 members or the armed forces. Parker said he hoped most people regarded the military as a “very benign presence”.

British politicians have denounced a union leader’s threat of strikes to disrupt the Olympics as “completely unacceptable and unpatriotic”.

Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, told The Guardian that unions could stage industrial action as part of their campaign against Government cuts.

He called for the public to engage in civil disobedience to defend public services during the fortnight of sport this summer.

Mr McCluskey said no precise plans had been drawn up for action during the London Games, but added that they “absolutely” could include strikes.

“The attacks that are being launched on public sector workers at the moment are so deep and ideological that the idea the world should arrive in London and have these wonderful Olympic Games as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden is unthinkable. Our very way of life is being attacked,” he said.

“I believe the unions, and the general community, have got every right to be out protesting. If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that’s exactly one that we should be looking at.”

Responding to his comments, Prime Minister David Cameron’s official spokesman said: “The Olympics are a great opportunity for this country to show everything that is great about the United Kingdom and advertise ourselves to the world.

“It is completely unacceptable and unpatriotic what he is proposing. Most people in this country, including members of that union, think the Olympics is a great occasion for the country and wouldn’t want to see anything happen that would disrupt it in any way.”

Mr McCluskey’s comments were also condemned by Labour leader Ed Miliband, whose party is largely funded by union donations.

“Any threat to the Olympics is totally unacceptable and wrong,” said Mr Miliband. “This is a celebration for the whole country and must not be disrupted.”

Mr McCluskey said no precise plans had been drawn up for action during the London Games, but added that they “absolutely” could include strikes.

“The attacks that are being launched on public sector workers at the moment are so deep and ideological that the idea the world should arrive in London and have these wonderful Olympic Games as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden is unthinkable. Our very way of life is being attacked,” he said.

“I believe the unions, and the general community, have got every right to be out protesting. If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that’s exactly one that we should be looking at.”

Mr McCluskey said his union had not yet discussed “the specifics” of how workers could target the Olympics, but said they were looking at what “leverage points” the Games offer – such as bus services.

He added: “Now nobody has made any decisions yet and, of course, it would be nice if we were able not to disrupt such a prestigious event as the Olympics.

“But by the same token, people have to understand that we are fighting for our heritage here.

“Our parents and our grandparents, having defeated fascism in Europe, came back determined to build a land fit for heroes. They gave us the welfare state, the National Health Service, universal education.

“All of that is being attacked. I, for one, am not prepared to stand by and have my children or grandchildren say to me, ’What did you do when this was being taken away from us?’

“When you say what can we do, and the likes of the Olympics, I’m calling upon the general public to engage in civil disobedience.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg urged Mr Miliband to “rein in” the union boss.

“I just think people will be gobsmacked, appalled, that someone thinks that at a time when we are finally hosting one of the greatest events in the world, he is calling for civil disobedience,” Mr Clegg told ITV Daybreak.

“I know he is the sort of paymaster of the Labour party but I hope Ed Miliband will rein him in.”

Conservative Party co-chairman Baroness Warsi said she too was “shocked” by Mr McCluskey’s comments and called on Mr Miliband to act.

“This is an appalling display of naked self-interest by Labour’s biggest financial backer,” she said.

“The London Olympics will be a great occasion for this country. It is disgraceful for a trade union boss to be calling for mass disruption when the eyes of the world will be on Britain.”

Harriet Harman, Labour’s deputy leader spoke to Mr McCluskey this morning to tell him his threat was “absolutely wrong”.

Ms Harman said: “Len McCluskey is absolutely wrong to even float the notion that there should be any trade union disruptions or anything that would disrupt the Olympics.

“The Olympics are going to be a fantastically important thing for London and the whole country. It is inconceivable that trade union members would want to disrupt something that they’ve been very much a part of.

“I have spoken to Len McCluskey this morning and said that both Ed Miliband and I think he is wrong and we think that he shouldn’t even have been floating the prospect.

“We all need to be rallying behind the Olympics. It is going to be an important opportunity for Britain and is going to affect our jobs, our economic growth in the future and the prosperity of this country.”