SAC Capital Advisors Founder Cohen Considers $20M New York Mets Stake

Billionaire Steven Cohen of SAC Capital Advisors, viagra 100mg who is among the bidders for Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers alongside the South Korean Group E-Land, apoplectic is reported to be close to securing a $20 million stake in fellow MLB side the New York Mets.

The New York Mets has put 10 shares of the club up for sale at $20milion each to help repay the club’s debts to the Bank of America and MLB, which are $40-million and $25 million respectively.

It is understood that an investment in the beleaguered Mets, who lost $70 million last season and cut its payroll by $52 million this year, would not preclude Cohen from owning the Dodgers.

It has been reported that if Cohen was successful in his bid for the Dodgers, he would then divest his stake in the Mets over time.

Neither Cohen or a representative from the Mets has commented on the speculation.

According to Forbes, Cohen’s net worth is estimated at $8.3 billion. His investment in the Mets could lead to a buy out of the club out-right if he is unable to secure the Dodgers.

When The Mets attempt to raise $200 million from one investor alone Cohen was among the interested parties.

He has achieved MLB clearance which could augur well for his chance with the Dodgers, however. All bidders for the Dodgers are under-going stringent evaluation

The current investigation of Cohen’s Connecticut-based investment firm has not impeded the go-ahead. The SAC Capital Advisors records have been subpoenaed as part of federal investigation in which one current and two former SAC employees face charges of insider trading.

UEFA Euro Under-21s Partnered by Sport Event Denmark

The UEFA European Under-21 Championships staged in the summer of this year have agreed a deal announcing Sport Event Denmark as an official partner of the elite European youth soccer tournament.

In a deal agreed with UEFA subsidiary UEFA Events SA, capsule Sport Event Denmark will generate local and international promotional campaigns for the tournament, ed which will feature eight teams playing at four Danish venues from 11th to 25th June. In addition, allergist the organisation can expect its branding to be present on signage at each game.

UEFA Events SA chief executive David Taylor said: “Uefa is delighted to welcome Sport Event Denmark on board as an official partner of the U21 tournament. Sport Event Denmark will give the championship a significant boost by providing valuable exposure for the tournament, as well as providing unmatched experience and expertise in supporting successful international events in Denmark.”

Lars Lundov, the chief executive of Sport Event Denmark, added: “We are very pleased to be an official partner – as well as event partner with the Danish Football Association (DBU) and the host cities – in terms of the Uefa European Under-21 Championship in Denmark. Being the governmental sport events organisation, we are very much looking forward to hosting this very important event in close cooperation with Uefa, the DBU and the four host cities.”

Pyeongchang vows to respect IOC rules in 2018 bid

The head of Pyeongchang’s bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics pledged Thursday to respect the IOC’s rules after being warned following a conflict-of-interest investigation into sponsorship contracts tied to the South Korean candidacy.

Cho Yang-ho, who is chief executive of Korean Air and head of the Pyeongchang committee, said in an e-mailed letter to the IOC Ethics Commission that the bid group and all related organizations “will strictly respect the IOC Code of Ethics, the Rules of Conduct and all proper implementing provisions.”

His comments came a day after the International Olympic Committee issued a warning to Pyeongchang and reminded the bid to “fully respect the rules of conduct.” Two South Korean companies signed sponsorship deals with international sports federations headed by senior IOC members.

Korean Air signed a two-year, $1 million sponsorship deal with the International Skating Union (ISU) in October. The IOC said both sides agreed to postpone the start of the deal until after the 2018 host-city vote in July.

Ottavio Cinquanta is an IOC executive board member who heads the ISU.

The IOC said Wednesday a separate sponsorship deal between South Korean electronics giant Samsung and the international rowing federation, known as FISA, did not break the rules. Samsung is one of the IOC’s global sponsors.

“We appreciate the logic of this decision at this time, which has also been conveyed to the International Olympic Committee,” the Pyeongchang bid group said Thursday in a statement. “We believe that this matter is now closed and we can all move forward into the next phase of the 2018 bid campaign.

“PyeongChang 2018 has always been and continues to remain committed to complying with all IOC rules and regulations.”

Korean Air said it remains committed to sports sponsorship but decided to delay the ISU deal to avoid any “misunderstanding.”

“This decision clears up any current concerns that may have arisen,” the airline said in a statement Thursday.

Cinquanta insisted he did nothing wrong.

“I wasn’t acting as an IOC member for this deal, I was acting as the ISU president,” Cinquanta told The Associated Press from his office in Milan. “The commercial rights we granted are property of the ISU, not Mr. Cinquanta. If I thought I had done something wrong maybe I would have acted differently, but I don’t know because that’s not the case.”

Pyeongchang is competing against Munich and the French town of Annecy to host the 2018 Winter Games. The IOC will select the host by secret ballot next July 6 in Durban, South Africa.

AFC Wimbledon Look for New Stadium in Plough Lane

English League Two team AFC Wimbledon have revealed intentions to build a new stadium at Plough Lane in time for the 2017/18 season.

The Dons last week found out that they would be able to submit a planning application on the site of Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, near to where the now extinct Wimbledon FC played.

The team hope to construct an 11,000-seater stadium, with the possibility of an expansion to 20,000 thereafter.

“There are several challenges to overcome, but I’m hopeful we’d open up for business in 2017,” said chief executive Erik Samuelson.

“A new stadium at Plough Lane would mean a whole host of things from the trivial to the massive.

“If you’d said to any of our fans on 28 May 2002 ‘don’t worry – 15 years from now you’ll be in the Football League and opening a brand new stadium in Plough Lane’ they’d have said you’re absolutely nutty.”

Former Basketball Star Hakeem Olajuwon Becomes NBA Ambassador in Africa

Two-time NBA Champion and Basketball Hall-of-Famer Hakeem Olajuwon was today named Ambassador to Africa and will play a prominent role in the development of basketball on the continent. 

Olajuwon will work closely with the NBA Africa office, price sale which is located in Johannesburg and led by Amadou Gallo Fall, store NBA Vice President for Development in Africa. The Nigerian native will represent the NBA through a range of basketball development events and NBA Cares activities across the region to help grow the game, give back to communities in need, and bring attention to diplomacy through sport.

“Basketball has given me so much in life,” said Olajuwon. “In this new role I am looking forward to impacting young Africans and utilising the power of sport to help change lives in what is an exciting new chapter in my career.”

“We are elated that one of the greatest to ever play the game, a son of Africa, and a legend of Hakeem’s stature will officially represent the NBA in Africa,” said Amadou Gallo Fall. “He truly embodies the values of the game, and will be a great ambassador for the league and a perfect role model for Africa’s youth.”

FIA Expect Russian GP to Go Ahead Despite Political Unrest

FIA president Jean Todt has revealed the inaugural Russian F1 Grand Prix will go ahead as planned despite the ongoing political unrest in Ukraine.

Concerns have building about the staging of the race following the cancellation of the Russian round of the World Superbike Championship which was scheduled for Moscow Raceway on September 21.

Superbike race organisers said that decision was reached because “the current political situation affects the capabilities of a number of key partner companies essential to run the event.”

But Todt insisted preparations for the race at a newly-constructed street circuit around the Sochi Olympic Park site remain firmly on track.

“At the moment there is no change to the calendar. Russia is on,” Todt said.

“I am comfortable with what the FIM (world motorbike federation) has done, but at the moment we don’t have any reason to reconsider any race we have on the calendar.”

Asked whether the matter would be reviewed later this year, Todt replied: “We will speak to people who are involved with all of that.

“But as I say, at the moment we have nothing that should change the running of the calendar.”

Race organisers plan to sell 55,000 tickets for the event, with overseas visitors expected to account for about 20 percent of the crowd.

Construction work continues at the facility in Sochi and a decision on how many temporary stands will be installed around the circuit is expected to be made in the next week.

“I have no doubts the race will go ahead,” race promoter Sergey Vorobyev said.

“We have construction being done at a good pace, we have the operational and sporting preparations also being done very extensively. There is no doubt from any point of view that the race will happen.

“We have entered a very active phase in the construction,” he added. “We are doing the final interior works on the team buildings, pit building and main grandstand.

“We are preparing for laying the final layer of asphalt which will be done quite soon. We are confident that in August we will have the circuit completed.”

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2014 World Superbike Championship Russian Round Cancelled

The World Superbike Championship will not have a Russian Round after the organisers DWO and YMS Promotion decided to cancel the event.

The event that was set to be scheduled on the Moscow Raceway on September 21st 2014.

According to a statement: “The current political situation affects the capabilities of a number of key partner companies essential to run the event.”

“Parties regret the decision, ed but are confident that the strong partnership between DWO and YMS Promotion will prevail.”

“It is a common intention to continue with the organisation of the WSBK Russian Round in 2015 and for the remainder of the contract period up to 2021.”

IPL Reveals South Africa as Alternate Host if India Replaced

The Indian Premier League have revealed South Africa as an alternate location for the 2014 tournament set to take place between April 9 to June 3.

India is still venue of choice but is expected to clash with the federal elections in India, diagnosis IPL officials said South Africa would be the “preferred” alternative. A final decision will be taken only after a meeting between the organisers and officials of the Indian government.

“We are considering so many options with regards to the venue. We are waiting first for the home ministry to check the possible dates,” Sanjay Patel, the BCCI secretary, told the media after the IPL governing council meeting on Thursday. “As far as possible our interest is to hold the IPL in India. Then, probably, South Africa is the preferred venue at the moment. The second option is also there and the third option is also there.”

Reports last week had singled out Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa as potential alternative venues. Patel and Ranjib Biswal, the IPL chairman, clarified that as far as possible the BCCI wanted to hold the entire tournament in India but would consider shifting matches to South Africa if the need arose.

Biswal said he was looking forward to meeting the federal government, possibly in the following week, to check on the feasibility of holding the tournament in India.

“We will be speaking to the officials in the government of India and the home ministry,” Biswal said. “We want to hold maximum number of matches in India and if we get the green signal (from the government), then probably the whole tournament can be played here.”

NFL International Games at Wembley Sold Out for 2014

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has announced today all three International Series games at Wembley this year have sold out.

Goodell has flirted with the idea of installing an NFL franchise in London, and he admitted the city is “further down the road” to having a permanent team following the news of the three sell-outs.

Speaking at his annual address ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVIII in New York, it did not take long for Goodell to address the subject of the NFL in London.

“I believe that the response to the third game in the UK, and the way that the fans have embraced that, sold that out in such a short period of time is just another indication that the more we give fans in the UK, of NFL football, the more they want,” said Goodell.

“That’s a great tribute to the fans there, and their passion.”

The NFL sold out two International Series fixtures at Wembley last year, and Goodell’s plans for a London franchise now appear to be a strong reality.

“I believe you are further down the road because you are now three games into it. What our next step is, I don’t know,” he added.

“That’s something we’re going to have to evaluate. We believe that we are going to continue to grow there and that’s going to take work.

“We’re going to have to continue to invest in that marketplace and find ways to engage those fans even more deeply. And I’m optimistic that they will continue to respond positively, as they already have.”

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NHL Ticket Price Increase More Than NBA, NFL & MLB

It has been revealed the NHL has increased its ticket prices this season by a higher percentage than the NBA, capsule NFL and MLB for a second consecutive year, illness according to an annual study by Team Marketing Report.

The news comes approximately one month after the NHL resolved yet another lockout, the third in the past 18 years, that resulted in a loss of the entire preseason and 34 regular season games.

The average price of a non-premium ticket to an NHL game is currently $61.01, 5.7 percent higher than last season. By comparison, the average price for a ticket to an NFL game rose 2.5 percent to $78.38, 3.5 percent for an NBA game, which now costs on average $50.99 per ticket and the MLB remained flat at $26.98 for the average price of a ticket. The average cost for a family of four to go to an NHL game this season is $354.82, which includes tickets and things like drinks, hot dogs and parking, 7.9 percent higher than last season.

Tickets to Canadian teams are the highest in the league. At an average cost of $124.69 U.S. dollars, the Toronto Maple Leafs have the highest ticket prices in the NHL. The Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks and  Edmonton Oilers, which have an average price of $79.27, round out the list of highest ticket prices in the NHL, respectively. At an average price of $79.25, the Washington Capitals have the highest ticket prices in the U.S. this season, followed by the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers. But it was the Buffalo Sabres who saw the highest increase in prices this season, raising ticket prices on average by more than 26 percent to $46.15 per ticket.

Despite the increases for the NHL, attendance has been on the rise this season; since the lockout, there has been a 1.1 percent increase from last season’s average through games ending Feb. 12. The average attendance to an NHL game this year rose to 17,652, roughly 200 more people per game.