Major League Baseball (MLB) has said it sweetened its offer to loan the Los Angeles Dodgers US$150million while the team is in bankruptcy as they seek to defeat a rival loan sought by team owner Frank McCourt.

John McHale, sick executive vice president with the baseball commissioner’s office, apoplectic said in a filing today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, that baseball is willing to provide “unsecured financing” that wouldn’t require any collateral to guarantee repayment.

Commissioner Bud Selig has urged U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross to reject the Dodgers’ request to borrow as much as US$150million from JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Highbridge Capital Management LLC. MLB officials claim that the Highbridge financing charges higher fees and a higher interest rate than one offered by Major League Baseball.

Selig’s office filed an objection to the proposed Highbridge loan under seal, saying it contains confidential information.

The Dodgers filed for bankruptcy on June 27 after Selig rejected a proposed television-rights deal McCourt negotiated with News Corp. (NWSA)’s Fox Sports.

The Dodgers will ask Gross to approve the Highbridge loan at a hearing next week. The team claims that it cannot accept the baseball loan because Selig is hostile to McCourt and the Dodgers. Gross has already approved a temporary US$60million loan from Highbridge.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has confirmed that Ottawa will host the 2013 Women’s World Championship, bringing the event back to the Canadian city for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1990.

Ottawa was of three Canadian cities to bid, pipping rivals from Kamloops and St. John’s. It will be the sixth time that Canada has staged the Women’s World Championship, scheduled to run from April 2-9 in conjunction with the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association’s provincial championships.

Hockey Canada president Nicholson told The Canadian Press: “We had three great bids and it wasn’t an easy process, but we certainly picked the best location. Ottawa deserves to have it for the second time, but both St. John’s and Kamloops put in very quality bids and we look forward to them bidding again in the future.”

Nicholson added that the IIHF is currently in the final stages of approving a new format for the Women’s World Championship. “There is going to be a new format which has us play the US in the round-robin games and there will be two different pools and they’ll be seeded,” he added. “So you’re going to see more competitive games, but with everyone still having the opportunity to win the championship, the top teams will play more often.”

Chelsea, viagra buy the English Premier League soccer champion, clinic is looking to Asia’s surging economy for its first stadium sponsor.

Ben Wells, the club’s head of marketing, says conditions in the global economy mean takers are likely to come from the east.

“We are in Asia, absolutely,” Wells said in an interview. “There are a lot of brands in these markets who eventually are going to outstrip their domestic demand and look to launch internationally. What better platform than the global footprint the Premier League provides?”

The Blues’ principal sponsor is South Korean consumer goods maker Samsung Electronics Co and the club sponsors the Asian Football Confederation, an organization responsible for soccer in 46 countries.

“The Asian market is colossal,” Wells said. “If you look at the AFC, they represent two-thirds of the world’s population.”

Current market conditions aren’t easy because sponsorship is being passed through greater internal rigor in terms of return on investment, according to Wells.

“The right partner will come along at the right time,” he said.

The Blues’ commercial revenue of 52 million pounds in 2009 is less than six of its European rivals’, according to accountant Deloitte LLP.

Source: Bloomberg

Japan is set to host a new Super Rugby franchise, governing body SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby) announced today.

The Asian country beat out Singapore as the preferred host for the 18th team in the expanded Super Rugby competition.

The southern hemisphere provincial competition will increase from 15 to 18 teams in 2016, with one team from South Africa and another from Argentina already awarded places.

Japan and Singapore were vying against each other for the last available spot with Japan getting the vote after a meeting of the South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby (SANZAR) executive board.

“Compelling proposals were put forth by Japan and Singapore in what was a very competitive tender process and we thank both parties for their passion in sharing our vision to expand the competition to new fans, territories and commercial markets,” SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said in a statement.

“While ultimately edged out in this instance, Singapore presented a highly attractive bid and we will maintain a positive relationship with an eye to potentially working with them in the future.

“Following the Executive Committee’s decision however, SANZAR will now work exclusively with the JRFU to finalise arrangements for their entry in to Super Rugby, subject to execution of the formal participation agreement.”

The 2014 Volvo World Match Play Championship will be played on the International Course at the London Golf Club, help it was announced today.

Volvo, sale IMG and the European Tour made the announcement for the event taking place from October 15-19.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary since the inaugural Championship, won by Arnold Palmer at Wentworth in 1964, the 2014 Championship will revert to a 16-man field and offer a prize fund of €2.25m (just over US$3 million) with a first prize of €650,000 (approx US$880,000).

Per Ericsson, President of Volvo Event Management, said, “We are delighted to make this announcement today and are looking forward to returning this great Championship to England, where we staged our last PGA Championship in 2004. The UK is an important market for Volvo and, after looking at many possible venues, we found the London Golf Club to be ideally placed to both host this world-class field and our most valued customers. I am grateful to our partners IMG and the European Tour for their on-going support and also to the London Golf Club for agreeing to host the Championship.”

George O’Grady CBE, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “Already a tournament with a great tradition on The European Tour, we look forward to the Volvo World Match Play Championship adding a new chapter to its rich history in this, its 50th year, when it is played for the first time at The London Golf Club.”

Charles Fairweather, Chairman of the London Golf Club added, “We are very excited to host the prestigious Volvo World Match Play Championship this October. We are looking forward to working with Volvo, IMG and the European Tour to deliver what we hope will be the best Volvo World Match Play Championship to date and I have no doubt that the players will find the International Course at the Club ideally suited to match play golf.”

The NBA’s Golden State Warriors have revealed their interest in operating a WNBA franchise on Friday, a day after the league announced that the Los Angeles Sparks ownership group has ceased operations of the team and laid off all front-office employees.

The Bay Area team also confirmed that it has been in contact with the WNBA about the possibility of taking over the Sparks.

League president Laurel Richie confirmed Thursday night that the WNBA has made contact with groups that have previously expressed interest in running a franchise.

The Warriors are now confirmed to be among those groups. Warriors owner Joe Lacob is a longtime women’s basketball supporter, a season-ticket holder for Stanford’s women’s team and a former owner of the San Jose Lasers of the American Basketball League. Golden State chief operating officer Rick Welts worked closely with then-president Val Ackerman to launch the league in 1997.

“Our ownership group has maintained their interest in operating a WNBA team in the Bay Area since acquiring the Warriors three years ago,” Warriors team spokesman Raymond Ridder said. “We’ve had exploratory conversations relating to this topic with the WNBA on several occasions since 2010, including most recently regarding the Los Angeles franchise. At this point, our dialogue remains in the exploratory stage as we evaluate the complexities of any such acquisition now or in the future.”