Sports agency MB Partners has announced it will be the exclusive promoter and commercial partner for the exciting new Formula Kart Stars championship that starts in 2015.

British based Formula Kart Stars (FKS) is a new karting championship offering young driving talent the first steps onto the motorsport ladder supported with an educational program. FKS will allow competitors from 8-16 to compete in a world-class karting series at a fixed cost with controlled equipment for equal performance racing, medicine giving more emphasis on the driver’s ability.

The championship is already receiving high levels of interest since being announced at the British Grand Prix in front of the F1 teams and drivers. FKS will set new standards in karting with an environment that will be more in keeping with an F1 paddock and pit area so that competitors and commercial partners can operate at the level that reflects a new generation of karting with a controlled formula on and off track.

The championship is backed and endorsed by Formula One Management & Bernie Ecclestone who has supported FKS since 2009 and has been active in his guidance in the formulation of the new championship for 2015. It is also endorsed by Former FKS superstar and former F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, impotent who recently quoted, “I wouldn’t be here without this Championship, Karting is where I learnt all my skills, it’s really where I built my foundation to enable me to drive the way I do today.”

Mark Blundell, CEO of MB Partners, said “I am very pleased that MB Partners will be working with FKS as the promoter and commercial partner; it’s an exciting concept and one that I think is needed in junior motorsport. We have some exciting plans ahead and with the support of Bernie Ecclestone and recognition from several F1 teams there is a great buzz surrounding the championship and we hope to take karting to a new level whilst hopefully finding the next generation of F1 drivers for future years.” 

The Chairman of the Formula Kart Stars, Carolynn Hoy, said in regards to MBP,  “We are very excited to have partnered with MBP in what is another substantial move into a new era for FKS. Mark and his team have an exceptional track record in their field. The opportunities from working with MBP will be greatly beneficial not only to the Championship, but importantly to the competitors themselves.”

Canadian cricket authorities have announced that they are planning to build a cutting edge stadium in Toronto with a capacity of 35, cialis 000.

The stadium is set  to approximately cost $700m with the aim of conducting international matches “within 4-5 years”. 

The cricket authorities are planning to have a fixed roof and a natural grass field in the stadium, order which will allow matches to be staged even during the ice-cold winters in Toronto.

“Our plan is to have this stadium built and ready for international cricket within four to five years, sale ” said Bob Mitchell, who is the president of the Canadian Premier League T20.

“There isn’t a stadium anywhere in the world like the one we intend to build.”

Roy Singh, the CLPT20 Chief Executive Officer, added: “The stadium is actually state of the art for North America. We want to set the tone for high-quality, state-of-the-art facilities for cricket, starting in Canada.”

While securing the funds for the state-of-the-art stadium hasn’t been an issue, the primary obstacle has been to get money to host Canadian cricket’s ambitious domestic event, Canadian Premier League.

Roy, however, is more than happy with the proceedings so far. He said: “With this financing (to build the stadium) we can now move to the next phase of selecting a site and securing further investors for this ambitious project.

The Spanish football league have begun an investigation into Deportivo La Coruna’s win at Levante last month for a possible case of match-fixing.

Deportivo won 4-0 at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia on 13 April and League spokesman Juan Carlos Santamaria has confirmed they will look into the fixture.

Levante have issued a statement on their website saying they will “help and collaborate with any investigation.”

Deportivo, who are currently in administration and one point outside the relegation zone, scored three times during the first half.

At the interval, Levante midfielder Javier Barkero reportedly accused his team-mates of not trying, which sparked a dressing room confrontation.

“I have asked for forgiveness from everyone and especially my four colleagues whom I have wrongly accused,” Barkero said on Wednesday.

“I was wrong. I accused them of something that hadn’t happened and I want to make that point.”

Match-fixing is a crime in Spain and can lead to prison time for individuals or expulsion of a club from official competition.

The National Hockey League (NHL) have announced outdoor hockey will return to Chicago when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, there March 1, 2014, at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears.

The event is part of the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, in which the NHL plans to play a number of regular-season games in outdoor facilities during the 2013-14 season. The NHL intends to announce more outdoor regular-season games in the coming weeks.

“Our fans and our teams love outdoor games and we are thrilled the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series will present a number of these experiences to a large number of our fans in a variety of National Hockey League markets,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “The Chicago game, at Soldier Field, will be a match-up of two recent Stanley Cup champions at a landmark stadium. We thank the Blackhawks and Penguins, Coors Light, Soldier Field and everyone involved in what will be a memorable, exciting and fun event.”

The Soldier Field game will mark the second time the Blackhawks will host an outdoor regular-season game. At the 2009 Winter Classic, 40,818 packed Wrigley Field, plus thousands of other fans filled the famed rooftop seats across the street from the ballpark, to watch the Detroit Red Wings beat the Blackhawks 6-4.

Former Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning has announced that a 25 percent stake in his namesake sportswear brand will be sold to Viva China Holding, a sports talent management and consultancy he also owns.

Li said the decision “was aimed at transforming its business model.” The sportswear company said two of its shareholders, Victory Mind Assets and Dragon City Management (PTC), have agreed to sell their stakes to Viva for US$175M.

Li is the founder of Li Ning, members of his family are the principal owners of Victory Mind Assets and Dragon City Management.

The acquisition will see Li reducing his involvement in the sportswear company.

CIC Industry Research Center’s Xiong Xiaokun said: “Li Ning will probably enter the sports-related real estate sector.”

One of Viva’s major businesses is construction of a “sport community,” which combines sports facilities and residential community development.{jcomments on}

 

A group fronted by former Los Angeles Dodger owner Peter O’Malley, his two sons, two nephews and golf star Phil Mickelson have completed the sale of MLB’s San Diego Padres.

The team declined further comment until the sale is approved by other Major League Baseball owners. The approval could come at the Aug. 16 owners meeting in Denver, according to U-T San Diego.

The purchase price from John Moores and a group of minority owners formed by Jeff Moorad in 2009 to buy the Padres is approximately $800 million, including $200 million in upfront money the Padres received as an advance payment from Fox Sports San Diego as part of a new 20-year television agreement, U-T San Diego reported.

The group includes O’Malley’s sons Kevin and Brian, nephews Peter and Tom Seidler and Ron Fowler, chief executive of Liquid Investments, according to U-T San Diego.

Moores bought the Padres 17 years ago for about $70 million.

The O’Malley family owned the Dodgers from 1950, when they were located in Brooklyn, to 1998.