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.”

The US Tennis Association (USTA) have announced that prize money for the 2013 US Open will be increased by four million dollars, doubling the record two million dollar increase of 2012. 

Total US Open prize money in 2013 will be $29.5 million.  Singles prize money at the US Open has now increased by 34% since the 2011 US Open.  Overall tournament prize money has been increased by $6 million since the 2011 US Open. Distribution of prize money by round will be determined by the USTA in due course.  The USTA will solicit suggestions for this distribution from the men’s and women’s players and their respective tours. 

In order to accommodate the players’ request for a day of rest between the singles semifinals and finals, the 2013 US Open is scheduled to conclude on Monday, September 9.  The women’s singles semifinals will be played in a single day session on Friday, September 6, and the women’s final will take place on Sunday, September 8 at 4:30 p.m. ET, in the time slot where the men’s singles final was traditionally played. 

The men’s singles semifinals will continue to be played in a single day session on Saturday, September 7, with the men’s singles final to take place on Monday, September 9 at 5:00 p.m. ET.  In the new schedule, no competition will be scheduled for the second Saturday night of the tournament. 

“I’m pleased that the USTA has modified the US Open schedule to include a day of rest between the semi-finals and final,” said Andy Murray, winner of the 2012 US Open. “Together with the prize money increase, it’s good that they’ve taken on board the players’ concerns.” 

“We recognize the increased physicality required to compete at the highest level of the sport, and we have responded to the players’ request for a scheduled day of rest between the singles semifinals and finals,” said Jon Vegosen, USTA Chairman of the Board and President.  “The record increase in US Open prize money and the changes in the next year’s schedule are aimed at rewarding the players’ talents and accommodating the rigors of the modern professional game.”

The ATP said in a statement: “By modifying the schedule to allow a rest day between the semi-finals and the final, the US Open has recognised the incredible physical demands of men’s tennis.

“However, the ATP and its players have made it clear to the US Open that we do not support a Monday final. We strongly believe the US Open should keep a similar schedule to the other Grand Slams, with the men’s semi-finals completed by Friday and the final on Sunday. It is unfortunate the US Open response did not reflect our views on this issue and the ATP and its players will continue to pursue this matter in its discussions with the USTA.”

Omega Pharma-Quick Step, prostate the top-tier cycling team, have signed sports business research and analysis company Repucom as their Official Research Partner.

The deal will ensure that Repucom monitor the team’s exposure on television across the world in order to help with potential sponsorship deals.

Repucom will provide the team with media values and ‘repeatable analytics’ to take to current and potential sponsors.

Marnix Drysdale, Business Development Director for the team said: “In order to optimise the commercial value of our property, it is crucial that we validate our assets accurately.

“Pro cycling is generating tremendous media exposure nowadays, on a global scale. The sport is very sponsor-centric and hence the strong need to better understand our value proposition.

“With the Repucom partnership we believe we are well positioned to add value for our sponsors and increase revenues for the team.”

Omega Pharma-Quick Step are enjoying a successful season in the ProTour and are sitting fourth in the official Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) rankings.

Sachin Tendulkar, health India’s legendary cricketer, capsule has become the nation’s first active sportsman to be sworn in as a member of parliament.

Tendulkar spoke of his delight at the honour and hinted he would use the role to aid the development of Indian sport.

“In the last 22 years of my international career, cricket has given me so much. Today with the nomination, I am in a better position not only to help cricket but also other sports,” he said.

Tendulkar was previously considered for the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.

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Kiteboarding has won its battle with windsurfing for a place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games sailing competition after the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) made its final event and equipment selections.

The Council voted in favour of kiteboarding to replace windsurfing as the board event for both the men and women in 2016 during their ISAF Mid-Year Meeting in Stresa, buy Italy.

This follows the work of an evaluation panel set up in November 2011 to examine kiteboarding formats after the board events for Rio 2016 were defined as “windsurfing and/or kiteboarding”.

The panel recommended kiteboarding be included in the ISAF Event family including the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships.

But the Council decided to go further by giving the sport Olympic status, though the ISAF Windsurfing and Kiteboarding Committee will make further recommendations on the inclusion of kiteboarding at the ISAF Annual Conference in November 2012.

ISAF President Göran Petersson said: These announcements mark a new era for sailing and we welcome the new classes into the ISAF family. The equipment selections have fulfillied the criteria set out by the evaluation panel and we look forward to seeing the boats not only at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but also the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships.

“Kiteboarding has proven to us that it is ready to be included inito the list of prestigious ISAF event and it is a fantastic addition to the sailing programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.”

The Mackay FX, referred to as the 49er FX, was selected ahead of the 29erXX and RS900 as the two person women’s skiff while the Nacra 17 joins the Olympic equipment family after being selected for the two person mixed multihull event instead of the Viper.

Warwickshire County Cricket Club new pricing strategy may have paid off as Edgbaston is set to welcome a record attendance for a Friends Life t20 fixture after further free tickets were given away for the match between Warwickshire and Worcestershire on June 15.

As part of a promotion with Marston’s Pedigree – the official beer of both clubs – 10, generic 000 tickets were initially scheduled to be given away across 20 days in April.

However, pills Colin Povey, the chief executive of Edgbaston Stadium, has now confirmed that the match will be played in front of a sell-out crowd of 25,000 after additional free tickets were made available to supporters.

“After a phenomenal response, we were keen to distribute even more tickets and ensure that we have a packed Edgbaston that can get behind the Bears for our first home match of the tournament,” said Povey.

“The Friends Life t20 is fantastic entertainment that sports fans of all ages can enjoy, and the match on June 15 will be a great spectacle, which I hope will encourage many more fans to support the Bears here at Edgbaston in the future.”

Des Gallagher, head of brands marketing at Marston’s Beer Company, added: “The match between Warwickshire and Worcestershire is always a great fixture and as a supporter of both counties, we were keen to give even more spectators an opportunity to experience the local rivalry and the excitement that comes with a Friends Life t20 derby.”