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

According to a report in Canadian newspaper, the Toronto Star, Labatt has asked the Ontario Superior Court to “toss out” the National Hockey League’s (NHL) new US$375m sponsorship agreement with Molson Coors.

Labatt who Molson Coors will effectively replace as primary sponsor to the NHL, claims that it reached a deal to renew its Canadian sponsorship agreement with the NHL in November, but that the league then turned around and signed a North America-wide contract with Molson Coors instead.

Labatt in its court filing stated: “The NHL … in bad faith and in breach of their contractual obligations, went behind Labatt’s back to negotiate an agreement with the Molson Coors Respondents for the rights Labatt has held for almost 13 years.”

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly in a statement said: “We intend to defend against Labatt’s claim vigorously and we are confident that our position ultimately will be fully vindicated by the court.”

German pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland AG revealed on Wednesday, February 16, that it reached a distribution agreement with Deutsche Telekom to ensure its products are available via Telekom’s new basic television service.

The agreement allows the full breadth of Sky’s channels and products to be distributed by Deutsche Telekom. In addition, the agreement covers Sky’s sports television, including Germany’s Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League matches.

Sky Deutschland board member Holger Ensslin said: “The agreement with Deutsche Telekom is another step in our distribution strategy as it allows yet more consumers to experience the programs offered by Sky.”

However, the deal doesn’t include the distribution of Sky via Deutsche Telekom’s internet protocol television, or IPTV.

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) are inviting private sector bidders to provide a fabric wrap around the Olympic Stadium, the Games’ showpiece venue.

The initial design involved changing iconic Games’ images but was scrapped as part of budget cuts due to an estimated cost of around £7m (US$11.23m) to the UK government, so LOCOG are now welcoming offers from companies to submit their interest by February 18.

However, some companies may be put off as sponsors will not be able to place logo or name branding on the wrap as venue advertising is banned at the Olympics.

London organising committee CEO Paul Deighton stated: “We have had significant interest in supplying the stadium ‘wrap’ from the private sector, so now is the time to start a formal tender process.

“There are some exciting ideas around, and we are running a process that is fair to those organisations that have expressed an interest.”

American football, advice the most watched sport in the US, anabolics could be cancelled next year over a long-running dispute between owners and players, which a union leader warns this weekend will almost certainly result in a lockout beginning in March.

The executive director of the National Football League players union said a player lockout next season is a “near certainty,” and that it would cost the U.S. economy an estimated $5 billion in lost wages, taxes and other revenue if the entire season is canceled.

In an interview on Bloomberg Television, union chief DeMaurice Smith said if NFL owners lock out players in order to get concessions in a labor dispute, it would be devastating to local communities as the country struggles with a 9.6 percent unemployment rate.

“The magnitude of the loss would be at the very least about $160 million to $170 million per team-city,” Smith said. “That is a conservative estimate of the economic impact.”

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello challenged Smith’s numbers, saying they came from union projections rather than a government agency, investment bank or noted economist.

“It is a series of numbers pulled from thin air in a misguided attempt to inject politics into the collective bargaining process,” Aiello said in an e-mail. “There is a fair deal to be done and soon if the union will bargain with the same fervor it displays in creating economic fairy tales.”

NFL owners voted unanimously in May 2008 to opt out of their labour contract with the players at the end of this season – two years early. The players were satisfied with the agreement and wanted to complete the contract.

If the lockout goes ahead, players will stop being paid from March onwards. The annual draft, a high-profile event where teams select new players, would go ahead in the spring, but the training camps that begin in the summer would not happen.

The next season is scheduled to begin on 9 September. Unlike baseball and basketball, the playing season is relatively short, ending on 2 January, with the Super Bowl the following month, and teams play relatively few games.

One compromise under consideration is that the season be extended from 16 games to 18, which would give the players extra money to make up for the pay cut, but would mean two more games, with attendant injury risks. Unlike association football, the average career of a professional American football player is only 3.6 seasons.