The National Hockey League’s (NHL) lockout is set to continue for the forseable future after the the first week of preseason games were cancelled on Wednesday.

The NHL, in the midst of its fourth work stoppage in 20 years, said in a statement that the preseason set to open on Sept. 23 is cancelled through Sept. 30, chopping 60 games off the schedule.

A league-wide lockout was imposed by the NHL on the weekend when the previous labor agreement expired with the owners and players at odds over how to divide a $3.3 billion revenue pie.

There have been no formal talks between NHL owners and the union representing its players since last Wednesday, leaving the scheduled Oct. 11 start of the 2012-13 season in doubt.

The work stoppage is the first in the NHL since a lockout wiped out the entire 2004-05 campaign, and the upcoming season could see the same fate as the two sides remain at a stalemate over key economic issues.

The NHL, which enjoyed record-breaking revenues last season, is looking to cut the players’ share in revenue while players are against taking an immediate, absolute salary reduction.

The cancellations come amid unconfirmed reports that the NHL will cut employee salaries by 20 percent and institute a four-day work week starting Oct. 1.

In the mean time players have flocked to European Leagues with no end to the lockout in sight.

British satellite broadcaster BSkyB won a long-standing dispute over the price it can charge rivals for its sports content after Britain’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled in the company’s favour on Wednesday.

The dispute dates back to 2010 when media regulator Ofcom ordered BSkyB to reduce the amount charged to competitors, such as Virgin Media and BT for its two most important SkySports channels in a move designed to increase market competition.

The price of a single channel was reduced by 23 percent to 10.63 pounds a month, and for both channels by 10.5 percent to 17.14 pounds.

After BSkyB appealed against the ruling, the difference between both sets of prices were paid into an escrow account by BT, Virgin Media and Top-UP TV, with the proceeds to distributed after the case was resolved.

Analysts at Deutsche Bank estimated this week that the amount held in favour of Virgin Media, assuming the Ofcom decision was upheld, was about 19 million pounds.

Britain’s Competition Commission said last week that BSkyB’s strong position in movies did not adversely affect Britain’s pay-TV market, a decision that was met by dismay by BT and Virgin Media.

Shares in BSkyB closed at 743 pence on Wednesday, valuing the group at around 12.35 billion pounds.

Takedown Entertainment Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, order Fight Rights Licensing Inc., ailment has signed a License and Distribution Agreement with FightWorld Inc. of Evansville, Indiana, USA.

 

The agreement with FightWorld includes the worldwide distribution rights to The Best of ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) tournament series in the years from 1998 – 2005 and showcased such MMA legends as UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) Hall-of-Fame fighters Tito Ortiz and Matt Hughes. FightWorld archives also include the complete Hook N Shoot events series which featured an abundance of current mixed martial artists such as Hermes Franco, Meisha Tate and Travis Lutter. Contained in the archives are many MMA documentaries such as The Best of Wanderlei Silva and Shamrock vs. Ortiz. All together, this agreement delivers over a hundred hours of premium mixed martial arts content into the growing Takedown library.

Park Sung-su the 58-year-old founder and top shareholder of privately-owned South Korean retailer E-Land Group has confirmed on Tuesday that he is part of a consortium shortlisted to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers out of bankruptcy.

The Dodgers were put up for sale after owner and Los Angeles businessman Frank McCourt was forced to place the team in bankruptcy protection last June, and could fetch a price of more than $1.5 billion, a record for a Major League outfit. McCourt bought the team from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp in 2004 for $430 million, primarily financed with debt.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said earlier this month he wanted the Dodgers sale – which is being conducted by Blackstone Group – to be wrapped up by April 30.

E-Land said it was taking a stake in a bidding consortium For the Dodgers, with local media saying its around 15 percent share was worth 150-200 billion won ($133-$177 million).

But the company declined to comment on local media reports it joined forces with former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley to bid for one of baseball’s most storied franchises.

Other shortlisted bidders are said to include billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, ex-Yankees and Dodgers manager Joe Torre and basketball great Magic Johnson.

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in South Korea, and Los Angeles is home to a large Korean population, with the Wilshire neighborhood dubbed ‘Koreatown’.

While E-Land’s motivation for a stake in the Dodgers remains unclear, such a move would give it greater reach into the Los Angeles market.

Park, who studied architecture at the prestigious Seoul National University, opened his first E-Land clothing store in Seoul in 1980 and the company has grown quickly, mainly through debt-fuelled acquisitions.

FIFA have released a press statement in the light of BBC’s Panorama special concerning allegations of bribe taking by three of the remaining officials set to vote on the 2018/2022 World Cup bids. The documentary, aired on Monday 29 November, revealed information alleging that Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou and Ricardo Teixeira had taken bribes in the 1990’s.

The alleged dealings listing 175 payments totalled around US$100m. The BBC have come under fire for criticism over the timing of the programme just 3 days before the decision on the host nations of the World Cup’s 2018/2022 will be made.

Though none of the three men would comment on the allegations made in the documentary, it is feared that England’s World Cup bid could be affected by the revelations. Andy Anson, Head of England’s 2018 World Cup bid told the BBC he was “disappointed with the timing” of the programme.

The three members alleged to have taken the bribes were paid by International Sport and Leisure (ISL), the leading sports marketing company at the time. The payments date from 1989 to 1999 before the company collapsed two years later.

ISL were granted with exclusive rights to market World Cup tournaments by FIFA with the company receiving millions from some of the world’s biggest brands as well as television broadcasting rights.

A fourth FIFA official was also named in the documentary with it not being the first time that vice-president Jack Warner has been investigated by Panorama. In 2006 the show revealed that Mr Warner had sold tickets for the 2006 World Cup in Germany on the black market.

FIFA ordered Warner to make a $1m payment to charity through his family business to “compensate for the profits it had made through resale of 2006 FIFA World Cup tickets”. Panorama now says it has seen e-mails and an invoice showing Mr Warner was involved in the procurement of $84,000 worth of 2010 World Cup tickets.

IOC to Examine Bribery Allegations

FIFA have since dismissed the allegations, continually referring to the court hearing in Zug, Switzerland in 2008 which failed to convict any FIFA officials of criminal offences.

One of the three men accused of accepting bribes, FIFA Vice-President Issa Hayatou, is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the governing body has referred the matter to its ethics commission.

“The IOC has taken note of the allegations made by BBC Panorama and will ask the programme makers to pass on any evidence they may have to the appropriate authorities. The IOC has a zero tolerance against corruption and will refer the matter to the IOC Ethics Commission,” it said.

FIFA were quick to refute the claims made by the BBC documentary and released a statement claiming that the events had taken place over 10 years ago and that the issue was closed.

FIFA Statement in Full

In relation to recent media reports, FIFA would like to recall the following:

The matters concerning the case “ISL/ISMM” which are referred to date back many years ago and were investigated by the relevant authorities in Switzerland.

In its verdict of 26 June 2008, the Criminal Court of Zug had not convicted any FIFA Officials. It is therefore important to stress again the fact that no FIFA officials were accused of any criminal offence in these proceedings.

Furthermore, it is important to recall that the decision was made on matters which took place prior to the year 2000 and there has been no court conviction against FIFA. The investigation and the case are definitely closed.

FIFA Media department, 30 November 2010

Civic officials in the Asian Games host city, Guangzhou, China are leaving little to chance when it comes to crowd behavior, encouraging its 10 million citizens in a barrage of brochures and text messages to act properly and in a “harmonious” fashion.

The last time China hosted a major multisports event – the 2008 Beijing Olympics – the crowds were well-behaved and cheerleading squads were created to help encourage some of the visiting athletes.

In a bid to ensure the spotlight remains positive, officials created a six-year program culminating in a handout of 1 million brochures and the sending of 40 million text messages to its citizens before the games start this week.

The two-week Asian Games, featuring 42 sports and more than 10,000 athletes, begin Saturday.

City officials began planning their education campaign shortly after winning the hosting rights in 2004, said Zhang Youquan, the deputy director-general for Guangzhou’s office of civility, at a news conference Tuesday.

Crowds at Chinese soccer matches can sometimes get unruly, not exactly the impression Asian Games organizers wanted to portray.

“At that time, we realized that the behavior of our citizens during the games could reflect the quality and image of the population,” Zhang said through an interpreter. “From then on, we have been trying to provide civic education and guidelines for spectator behavior.”

Those tips have included how to smile at spectators and competitors, learning some English expressions, sign language, “cheers for you” and a “gesture of the day.”

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has unveiled plans for a $9.8 million redevelopment of Queens Wharf, sale which will become the centre of Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) festivities in Auckland.

In 2011, Queens Wharf will be the largest of Auckland’s four RWC 2011 Fanzones, featuring open areas and a multi-purpose temporary facility named “The Cloud”.

“For six weeks next year Queens Wharf will be a hub of activity for our international visitors and New Zealanders. It will be a place where we watch Rugby games, enjoy live music and festival events, wow international guests and media with views of Auckland’s stunning harbour, and showcase the best of New Zealand with displays and events,” said Mr Key.

Made from steel, timber, glass and opaque PVC, the structure will be 180 metres long and 4,430m2 , with space to hold around 6,000 people.

“This is an exciting design, which alongside developments in the [area], will do a great job opening up the Auckland waterfront to the public and the 85,000 overseas visitors that will travel here for RWC 2011.”

Events scheduled to be held at the venue include a New Zealand food and beverage show, textile and agritech displays and fashion shows. A mezzanine space would be used to host VIPs and as an international media lounge.

The building will also include a Tourism New Zealand i-Site, where trained staff will help to promote the REAL New Zealand Festival, staged alongside RWC 2011, as well as regional and national tourist attractions.

Queens Wharf was purchased in 2009 by the New Zealand Government and Auckland Regional Council for $40 million with the long term view of opening up the area for the people of Auckland. The historic Shed 10 will be refurbished and remain on site.

Organisers of the United States Formula One Grand Prix, which will be held in Austin, Texas from 2012, have said the race will go ahead.

Reports have suggested the race is already in doubt, with claims that local authorities have not been properly consulted over the plans, and concerns over the road links to the site which is expected to attract around 120,000 fans.

However, Formula One United States spokesman Adam Goldman has said: “Tremendous progress is being made on the circuit in Austin, Texas.

“The project team and community look forward to hosting the F1 United States Grand Prix in 2012.

“We are working with the State of Texas, City of Austin and Travis County to break ground on the project by the end of the year.”

The last US Grand Prix took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana in 2007. The race’s eight-year run came to an end when F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone failed to come to an agreement with the circuit’s chiefs over new terms.

Indian cricketer, Nilesh Kulkarni, who announced his retirement from the game yesterday, has launched the Indian Institute of Sports Management.

The Institute aims to provide a structured sports marketing and management programme through its undergraduate and postgraduate diploma in Sports Management in association with Jai Hind College in Mumbai.

Kulkarni said: “I have retired in order to focus on developing the younger generation in the field of sports. I am now ready and excited to move into the next phase of my life which will be of paramount importance.

“Sports has always been my passion. IISM aims to deliver sports education with a global perspective and I’m confident that my students will find their tenure with us an enriching experience.”

The launch was attended by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief administrative officer, Prof Ratnakar Shetty. He added: “Sports management is a huge area which is untouched in India. Sports today have got various areas of specialisation.

“Cricket only used to be related to cricketers but today it is a career, you have an umpire who makes a career, you have a statistician, you have a video analyst. So I think avenues are open for people, it’s only how you look at it and go into areas where you want to understand and create a career for yourself.”

Kulkarni played three Tests and ten One Day Internationals for India. He became the only Indian ever to take a wicket on his very first delivery in a Test match.

This years Business India Forum was held on July 22, 2010 and the event once more organised by Celebrasian UK was held this year in London at Christie’s. A lovely small, niche auditorium amongst all those works of art from around the world.
The mix of topics this year was once more quite interesting with sports business meeting luxury and lifestyle in an Indian context, something with the exception of IPL isn’t really the case for India just yet. So something which is set to become more and more real for India in the coming years.

It was a half day forum with over 100 delegates attending. The opening session had the title “Overview of the Indian economy and three sectors”. Ridhika Batra, Director – Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, UK; was in the chair with Vijay Goel, Indo-EU Business Forum; Deepak Lalwani, Astaire Securities; and Farid Haque, Global Markets, Accenture as panellists and they all gave their views on how business could and should be done in India plus where the opportunities and possible problems lie. This set to tone for the rest of the afternoon.

The second session had the topic “The Business of Sports” with myself as the moderator with the focus mainly on cricket and football. My panel included Ishan Saksena, Chairman, Queen’s Park Rangers FC; Ashish Ray, Author and journalist; Kevin Roberts, Editorial Director, Sport Business Group; Anders Grundberg, Partner, McGuire Woods; and Clive W. Leach, Chairman, Durham County Cricket Club.

I started off giving a general overview on the Indian sporting field with the IPL the often mentioned example of commercialisation of sports in India, but I also gave the audience the information that football is a fast growing sport in India with the question to be asked on how and where can cricket grow further. My aim was to give an overview not only of cricket and football, which still where the main focus. My seasoned colleague Ashish took the discussions to another level as he is a cricket purist and was more interested in Test cricket, while most of the world was interested in 50 Overs and T20. An interesting discussion developed as India has clearly shown that Test cricket is of no real interest for the general public these days, while T20 is the new craze through the IPL; while in England Test cricket still has its place of its own. An interesting comparison was made as a strong league doesn’t automatically mean a strong national side. England and the EPL in football were compared to India and its IPL in cricket. And yes, it scarily sounded correct as both national sides have failed in recent major competition.

We also focused in the session on the main topic of business of sports in India. There are numerous opportunities not only in cricket and football with the example of the 30 year deal signed by IMG-Reliance with the Basketball Federation of India recently made, but there are also chances in Formula 1 and Golf.

After a tea break “Session Three – The Burgeoning Luxury and Lifestyle Markets” was held with Amin Jaffer, Director Indian Art, Christies; in the chair. The panel included Fiona Sanderson, Managing Director, The Luxury Channel; Onita Prasada Vashish, Owner, Onitaa Fashion; and Kevin Rego, International Head of Sales and Marketing, B4U TV.

The fourth and final session was on “Doing business in India”. It had Carl Nisser, Board member, Europe India Chamber of Commerce Counsel & McGuire Woods; as the moderator. The panel included Atul Gupta, Director, Euro Max Capital; and Parvinder Bhatia, Wasserman Media Group – India. They talked about the does and don’t in the Indian market. One thing that came out clear of this session was anyone interested to do business in India needs to know and then also understand how to do it in India. And that is the difficulty for international business across all fields as even multinationals have failed in India.

By Arunava Chaudhuri

http://arunfoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/business-india-forum-london-review.html