Madrid to Host 2015 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four

Euroleague Basketball have announced that the 2015 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four will be held at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid in the historic basketball city of Madrid from May 15 to 17, 2015.

The Final Four returns to Madrid, the Spanish capital, for the first time since 2008, when CSKA Moscow captured its sixth continental crown. Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu was joined by the Community of Madrid’s sports and youth general director, Pablo Juan Salazar, to make the announcement prior to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Championship Game Press Conference at Mediolanum Forum in Milan. 

“This year had many candidates interested in welcoming the Final Four, but we have decided to return to Madrid, because it fulfils all the requirements of being a great host city,” Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu said. “It is a European capital with easy access in a well-connected central location. Madrid has a great arena in the city center. It is a basketball city with a huge basketball fan base, which has filled the arena for every Turkish Airlines Euroleague game played there. And Spain is one of our strategic markets.” 

Madrid is home to Real Madrid who lost their second consective Championship Game in the Final Four to Israel’s Maccabi Electra 98-86 on Sunday.   

“It is a great joy to confirm that the Comunidad de Madrid will host the next final Four. I want to thank the Euroleague and its president Jordi Bertomeu in particular the great support he gives Comunidad de Madrid to organize this great event,” Madrid’s sports and youth general director, Pablo Juan Salazar said. “The 2014 FIBA World Cup is in Spain this summer and its final stage will be in Madrid, at Palacio de Deportes. Therefore, it is a matter of joy to offer all people in Madrid the chance to watch the best national teams this summer and the best teams in Europe next year… With Madridians’ trademark hospitality, we want to host this event with open arms, with the same reception that the beautiful City of Milan gave us.” 

The Euroleague final will be played in Madrid for the sixth time since 1958 and the city will host its third Final Four. Madrid hosted the second ever Final Four in 1967 before the concept was shelved for two decades. 

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FIFA Reveal Another Worker’s Death During World Cup Stadium Construction

FIFA have confirmed another worker has died while working on the construction of a World Cup stadium in Brazil.

Officials have confirmed that a 32-year-old was killed after receiving an electric shock at the Arena Pantanal venue in Cuiaba.

Emergency services chief Rosenil Moraes revealed that Muhammad Ali Maciel Afonso was pronounced dead after efforts from paramedics to revive him were unsuccessful. He is the eight worker to die from stadium construction related injuries.

“Our workers followed all the protocols and tried to revive him for more than 40 minutes. But he didn’t survive,” said Moraes.

Afonso was an employee for Etel Engineering, the company responsible for the installation of information and communication networks at the stadium.

The arena, which is scheduled to stage four group matches in this summer’s showpiece, is nearing completion with the final seats set to be installed this week.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke wrote on Twitter: “Saddened by the death of worker Muhammad’Ali Maciel Afonso at Arena Pantanal. My thoughts are with his family and colleagues.”

WTCC Reveals TV Audience Increase to 557 million for 2013 Season

The World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) have revealed their 2013 TV audience figures have continued to improve.

According to the final report issued by REPUCOM, the Germany-based sports research firm, cumulated audience for the 2013 season totaled to 557 million viewers that equates to an 8.9% increase compared to the previous year.

In 2013, 111 TV channels broadcasted at least one of the WTCC events, reaching 188 countries worldwide and this amounted to 1176 hours of broadcasting hours, 8.7% more than in 2012 .

As TV distribution continued to spread globally, Eurosport’s share of total coverage was limited to 19%.

Ulrich Lacher, Global Director Enterprise Services – REPUCOM explained: “For the second year in a row, we saw more quality in the two key factors: media impact and audiences growth. This despite major competition and a relatively suspense-free end of the season. The positive trend in North and Latin America is encouraging. New markets were opened and resulted in better distribution deals, which led to significant increases in audiences and media impact. Live and highlight coverage have been consolidated, indicating a loyal fan base, especially in growing markets like Morocco and Hungary. Despite the early decision of the championship titles that could have ‘poisoned’ the interest of the season, the growth of 2013 was somewhat significant.”

Antonios Argyropoulos, Head of Media Rights Distribution, Eurosport Events, commented: “We are delighted with the excellent figures published by Repucom for 2013, which prove once more WTCC’s relevant TV format and entertaining programmes. We are confident that with the new season starting 13th April in Marrakech, with exciting new cars, a new manufacturer and new drivers, we will keep growing WTCC success on TV across five continents.”

Indian Grand Prix Promoters to Meet Ecclestone to Discuss 2015 Return

Promoters of the Indian Grand Prix has vowed to meet with Bernie Ecclestone and try to get the New Delhi race back on the 2015 calendar.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone said this week he does not plan to reschedule the race, which will also not take place this year, for 2015.

“At the moment, India won’t be on for next year for sure,” Ecclestone said. “Probably 2016.”

Sameer Gaur, boss of the race’s non-governmental promoters Jaypee, said that in the wake of Ecclestone’s comments, he will arrange a meeting with the 83-year-old.

“I will soon set up a meeting with Mr Ecclestone and talk to him directly over the matter,” he told the Hindustan Times.

“As I have said earlier, I would want the race to return next year but let us see what comes out of the meeting with Mr Ecclestone.”

Leicestershire Cricket Announces CRM Partnership with Green 4 Solutions

Green 4 Solutions, drugs a leading customer relationship management (CRM) and ticketing provider, order has revealed a partnership with Leicestershire County Cricket Club to provide a joined up ticketing, CRM and eMarketing system.

They will also provide strategic data marketing services to Leicestershire CCC, with work already progressing ahead of the 2014 season.

Leicestershire CCC Chief Executive, Mike Siddall, said: “We are delighted to be working with Green 4 Solutions as we continue to improve our service to our members and supporters.

“We are impressed with Green 4’s extensive knowledge of CRM and their track record of working with clubs and leisure organisations to cultivate the relationship with their supporters, which is an essential focus for us moving forward.”

The agreement is for an initial term of three years and will see Green 4’s expert CRM agency, 4Sight Sport and Leisure, become an integral part of Leicestershire CCC’s marketing team.

Green 4 Solutions Director, Peter Oliver, added: “Leicestershire County Cricket Club has a rich heritage and a reputation for being a well-run, family-oriented club.

“We are looking forward to working with their team to further enhance the relationship between the club and their supporters.”

The partnership with Leicestershire CCC follows Green 4’s on-going work with Northamptonshire CCC, agreements with Gloucester Rugby and Exeter Chiefs, and 4Sight Sport’s hugely successful work with Birmingham City Football Club for their 2013/2014 season-ticket campaign.

NFL Announces 2014 Wembley Match-ups with Four New Teams Visiting London

The National Football League have announced the fixtures for next year’s NFL games at Wembley with four new teams to touch down on English soil.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Dallas Cowboys, the Atlanta Falcons will host the Detroit Lions and the Oakland Raiders will host the Miami Dolphins at London’s Wembley Stadium next season.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed the match-ups today at a luncheon with sports journalists in London.  The dates and times of the games will be announced at a later date.

“Our fans in the UK continue to demonstrate their passion for more football,” Goodell said. “Next year for the first time we will play three regular-season games in London.  We have scheduled three attractive games with four teams playing in their first International Series game.  The growing enthusiasm for the NFL internationally is exciting and we look forward to continuing to respond to this interest in our game.”

The Jaguars, who face the San Francisco 49ers in London on Sunday, committed to playing a home game in the UK in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, all at Wembley.  Miami will make its second visit to London for a regular-season game after hosting the New York Giants in the inaugural International Series contest in 2007.  Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, and Oakland will all play their first international regular-season game next season.

The International Series has increased NFL fan interest in the UK, with a current fan base of more than 12 million, including 2.5 million avid fans, a 30 percent increase in avid fans in the past two years.

The Minnesota Vikings’ 34-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in London on September 29 drew a crowd of 83,518 to Wembley.  The day before, more than 520,000 people attended a football festival on London’s famed Regent Street, enjoying football-themed games and attractions, including visits from Vikings’ and Steelers’ players and coaches.

Television ratings have shown substantial growth in the UK since 2006 – with Sunday viewership of NFL games almost doubling and the Super Bowl audience having increased 75 percent.  The league also has developed new and stronger business partnerships.

Yorkshire to Host Start of 2014 Tour de France

The start of the 2014 Tour de France will be in Yorkshire.

It will be the first time the sport’s most prestigious race has been held in the north of England and the first time in the UK since 2007.

The county will host the opening two stages, on July 5 and 6, before the race moves south for a third day that will finish in London.

The Grand Départ will be held in Leeds, which will also hold a festival of cycling to coincide with the arrival of the Tour.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, the agency behind the county’s bid, said: “Today is a proud day for everyone involved in the bid and the county as a whole. We are honoured that the race organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation [ASO], have selected Yorkshire to be the host location of the 2014 Grand Départ.

“Yorkshire is a passionate county of proud people and I am sure they will guarantee that their Grand Départ raises the bar in terms of expectations for all future hosts to come.”

The county had initially campaigned to host the race in 2016, but their bid was received warmly by the Tour’s organisers, who brought it forward two years after being impressed by Yorkshire’s “outstanding beauty”.

The other regions in the running were Edinburgh, Scotland, and Florence, Italy.

The details of the Grand Depart and the stages it will include will be revealed in January.

An ASO statement said: “The organisers of the Tour de France are pleased to announce that the Grand Depart of the Tour de France 2014 will take place in the United Kingdom in the county of Yorkshire, before heading to London for a stage finish.

“After an outstanding 2012 for British cycling, marked by the historical victory of Bradley Wiggins on the Tour de France, the United Kingdom will again hold pride of place in 2014.”

Four Bids Confirmed for 2016 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has confirmed that Oman, store  Argentina, capsule the Netherlands and Poland have bid for the prestigious 2016 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, bronchi David Graham, Oman Sail CEO said, “Yes, we have bid for the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in 2016. We plan to host it at Al Musannah Sports City.” He added, “We have prepared a strong bid and are hopeful of winning it.”

Meanwhile, the official ISAF website quoted ISAF Sailing World Cup manager, Antonio Gonzalez de la Madrid, who acts as ISAF technical delegate at the Youth Worlds as saying, “It is great news for ISAF and the development of youth sailing around the world that we have received bids from Asia, Europe and South America.

“All of the venues have the experience, expertise and knowledge to hold the 2016 ISAF Youth World Championship and we look forward to them all presenting their case in November. The ISAF Youth Worlds has seen future Olympic medallists pass through the system and the 2016 edition will be no different in showcasing the best young sailors in the world.”

The Youth World Championship sub-committee will meet at the 2012 ISAF annual conference in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland in November. The ISAF will make a recommendation to the Events Committee who will recommend the host venue to ISAF Council for final approval.

Tickets.com Join Rugby Expo

Global ticketing and marketing solutions company, denture Tickets.com, search has signed a deal to become the headline sponsor for the professional game-focused first day of Rugby Expo 2012.

Tickets.com will also take on the role of official ticketing partner for the event and will provide a bespoke ticketing system for the 1000+ delegates who are heading to the event.

As the sport’s biggest business-to-business conference and exhibition, price Rugby Expo will focus on the professional game on day one, attracting decision makers from clubs, unions, rights holders and brands.

Derek Palmer, Managing Director & Executive VP, International of Tickets.com said: “Last year’s event was a real success and the feedback that we received from delegates was fantastic; these are interesting times for the sport and Rugby Expo provides Tickets.com with the platform to not only profile our products and services but to also engage with many of the sport’s key decision makers.”

John Hockey, Chairman of the Event’s Management team Rugby Ventures said: “We are delighted to confirm Tickets.com’s involvement at Rugby Expo for the third consecutive year.

“Not only does the company play a vital role by delivering the event’s ticketing system but Tickets.com has proven that its innovative products and services can have a positive effect on a club’s commercial strategy and will therefore be well-placed to share best practice with the world of rugby at our event.”

Tickets.com’s clients include Aviva Premiership sides Northampton Saints and Gloucester Rugby as well as Premier League football side and current European Champions, Chelsea Football Club.

The Rugby Expo event at Twickenham is on 14 and 15 November.

Phoenix Coyotes Continue Affiliation Agreement with ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators

NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes Vice President of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager Brad Treliving announced today that the Coyotes have renewed their one-year affiliation agreement with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL.

“We are delighted to announce our continued affiliation with the Gladiators,” Treliving said. “They have consistently proven to be an elite organization within the ECHL and we look forward to having our young prospects continue their development in Gwinnett.”  

Gwinnett plays its home games at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. The Gladiators are one of 23 teams that compete in the ECHL and play in the South Division of the Eastern Conference. The organization was founded in 1995 as the Mobile Mysticks before relocating to Gwinnett in 2003.  The Gladiators have made the playoffs in seven of its nine seasons in Gwinnett, including a trip to the Kelly Cup Final in 2006.

In 2011-12, the Gladiators posted a 41-20-7-4 record capturing the South Division title for only the second time in team history. Head Coach John Wroblewski was named co-recipient of the John Brophy Award (Coach of the Year) after he guided the Gladiators to the team’s first postseason appearance in three years. In his first season as bench boss, Wroblewski led Gwinnett to its second-highest point total (93 points) in team history.

Gwinnett will open the 2012-13 ECHL season on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the South Carolina Stingrays.