UEFA has revealed its concern over the cost of hotels in Ukraine, the co-host with Poland for this summer’s European Championships.

The cheapest room available in Donetsk on June 11, the date of England’s clash with France in their opening Euro 2012 game, is 6,000 Ukraine Hryvnia (£478/$748).

The one starred Agat Hotel in Donetsk is currently charging double that for the same date.

By way of comparison, the cheapest hotel available in the Polish city of Gdansk, which will host world and European champions Spain and Italy on June 10, can be purchased for 135 UAH (£11/$17).

“There are issues around the high cost of hotels in Ukraine in particular,” UEFA’s events chief executive David Taylor told reporters in Warsaw.

“That is causing us some concern. Of course UEFA cannot fix that ourselves.We don’t manage hotels. But we do think it’s not a very good image to present of trying to charge as much as possible.

“We speak to the authorities, we speak to hotels, we try to ensure that they understand the importance of trying to set prices at a reasonable level so that, in future years, people who come to Ukraine can enjoy it and come back, not be scared off by high prices.”

Though UEFA cannot enforce change itself, it is lobbying to ensure hotels are affordable for the average spectator during Euro 2012.

by Ismail Uddin

Richard Worth, Chairman of the America’s Cup, has proclaimed NBC’s deal to broadcast sailing’s marquee regatta as “enormous.”

NBC will air two America’s Cup races in 2013 and will also broadcast this years America’s Cup World Series.

“The significance is enormous,” he exclusively told iSportconnect.

“Where sailing has been difficult to commit to for primary broadcasters, the new style of coverage is absolutely transformational, and the start times are far more reliable. The America’s Cup events are easy to follow, intensely watchable, and opening the door to a much broader range of viewership. The idea that this is Formula One on the water is not fanciful.”

He also expressed his admiration for Sky’s continued coverage of Amerca’s Cup and the America’s Cup World Series in the UK.

“Sky Sports don’t get much wrong when they decide to lead the way,” he added.

“From the next America’s Cup World Series event in Naples in the week of April 15th, Sky Sports will be devoting no less than 13 hours of live coverage to the drama of the fleet racing which is dangerous, thrilling and produced using the best technology on offer.”

by Ismail Uddin

Discuss NBC’s deal with Richard Worth here >>

Read Richard Worth’s exclusive iSportconnect interview here >>

Rutgers University is the centre of some controversy after it was revealed that one of the coaches was given $100,000 interest fre home loan while the History department is getting stripped of funds.

The women’s basketball coach got monthly golf and car allowances. Both collected bonuses without winning a championship.

On flip-side, the history department took away professors’ desk phones to save money and shrank its doctoral program by 25 percent. After funding cuts by the deficit-strapped Legislature, New Jersey’s state university froze professors’ salaries, cut the use of photocopies for exams and jacked up student tuition, housing and other fees.

Rutgers also increased funding for sports. The 245-year-old school spent more money on athletics than any other public institution in the six biggest football conferences during the 2009-2010 fiscal year, based on data compiled by Bloomberg. More than 40 percent of sports revenue came from student fees and the university’s general fund.

“I am dumbfounded,” said New Jersey Assemblyman David Wolfe, a Republican who is a professor of psychology at Ocean County College in Toms River. “Rutgers officials appear before the Legislature every year and claim they are underfunded and need more money. Now we find out we have the No.1-subsidized athletics program in the country.”

 

Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) have been plunged into further financial trouble after the league rejected a 17-year agreement with News Corp. (NWSA)’s which may leave the team’s future and its ability to meet a June 30 payroll in doubt.

According to MLB commissioner Bud Selig, price the broadcast package, erectile pills which included a US$385m loan to the Dodgers, isn’t in the best interests of baseball.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt responded that he’ll “explore vigorously our options and remedies.” The proposed deal with Fox was worth about $3bn, McCourt said at an April 27 news conference in New York.

The Dodgers have struggled to meet their last two payrolls and have another totaling about $30m at the end of this month that will include more than $8m in deferred compensation to former player Manny Ramirez, the Los Angeles Times has reported.

Steve Susman, one of McCourt’s attorneys, said in an e-mailed statement: “Commissioner Selig’s letter of rejection is not only a disappointment, but worse, is potentially destructive to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball.”

A deal for the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) to open the 2011-12 season in Russia seems to be over.

Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) President Alexander Medvedev stated: “It looks like we will not see much matches next season. And we have only one reason that the NHL due to their, sort of say, exclusively business-like approach.”

Reports suggest that the NHL asked for a guarantee of US$2-$3m for the trip to happen which the KHL saw as “unreasonable” as the Russian league would not have been able to break even “due to Russian hockey economic streams.” 

Speaking of the revenue guarantee claim, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said: “I am not prepared to disclose the substance of our discussions, but I will confirm that the discussions did not result in an agreement to bring NHL teams to Russia for next year”

Former FIFA president Joao Havelange expects Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira to seek the FIFA presidency in five years time.

In an interview with the Brazilian sports daily, Lance, Havelange said he talked Teixeira out of running for the presidency next year and advised him that it would be best to wait until 2015, after Brazil have hosted the World Cup.

Havelange said he believed that Sepp Blatter would be re-elected as FIFA president next June. Blatter was Havelange’s right-hand man at FIFA and served as secretary general for many years.

Havelange, 94, was FIFA president between 1974 and 1998, and is credited with revolutionising the organisation, from a Euro-centric amateurish governing body to a multi-billion global powerhouse.

Teixeira is chairman of the 2014 World Cup organising committee as well as being head of the confederation (CBF). Havelange insisted a successful tournament would prove his credentials for the top job at FIFA.

“Ricardo is dedicated, has 30 years experience,” said Havelange. “He would be a good president having administered the CBF. I think that would be justice in 2015.

“With a well organised tournament, he will demonstrate the ability to organize to FIFA. It is the opportunity of being present on the world stage.”

Teixeira was married to Havelange’s daughter Lucia Havelange for nearly 30 years, and they have a son together. Although they divorced in 1997, Teixeira, who was considered the protégé of the former FIFA president, is believed to be still close to him.

Despite his age, Havelange is still regarded as a hugely important figure in world sport. His behind-the-scenes work for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic bid was considered to be a crucial factor behind the IOC’s decision to award the Games to the Brazilian city in Copenhagen last October.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced a record investment programme for 2014, the second year of its current four-year (2013-16) funding cycle, despite recording a planned operating loss in 2013.

With Rugby World Cup 2015 set to deliver a record commercial programme and global participation at an all-time high of 6.6 million, funding invested and utilised by the IRB in 2014 (excluding Rugby World Cup 2015 related expenditure) will total £50 million.

It is anticipated that the core investment will remain at approximately this level throughout the four-year cycle, forecasting an investment of at least £193 million, eclipsing the previous cycle’s £150 million by 29 per cent.

The IRB’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2013 show a budgeted net loss for the period of £45.1 million, as adjusted for International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which the IRB operates in line with global best practice. Under IFRS, the IRB defers revenues and direct expenditures for RWC 2015 until the year of the tournament. These results are in line with expectations and reflect the IRB’s commitment to promoting and developing Rugby worldwide.

The commercial programme for Rugby World Cup 2015 is set to achieve record levels, driven by confidence in the Rugby World Cup brand, particularly in the European market. Revenues are currently in line with budget but ahead of schedule with all worldwide partnerships completed in record time. The IRB also acknowledges the strong continued support of HSBC as the title sponsor for the HSBC Sevens World Series, with Sevens revenues on a strong growth curve.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Our record investment is the driving force behind unprecedented growth in the Game with more than 6.6 million men, women and children actively participating. The IRB is committed to ensuring that the sport has the strong foundations from which to foster further growth and reach out and inspire new fans in major new Rugby markets, while ensuring a strong base.”

“We are committed to ongoing investment in our Unions, at all levels, and continue to collaborate with them and our regional associations to ensure that we service and support their strategic needs. We are also committed to supporting our high-performance and development Unions through unprecedented investment in competitions to prepare RWC 2015 and beyond to RWC 2019.”

Lapasset added: “These record levels of investment are made possible because of the continued growth of Rugby World Cup as one of the world’s most successful, best-loved and largest major sporting events, providing the IRB with the long-term financial platform to develop and grow the Game around the world.”

“The commercial programme for Rugby World Cup 2015 in England is on track to deliver a record net surplus for investment in the Game with our top level worldwide partner programme locked down in record time and with record value and a wider broadcast platform.”

IRB Chief Executive Brett Gosper added: “The IRB’s commitment to record development and growth in participation is reflected by the organisation’s diligence in maintaining reduced operating costs and strategically investing in the Game for the period 2013-2016 through targeted programmes, including training and education, player welfare, tournaments and high performance. We are also investing significantly in men’s and women’s Sevens as we count down to our Olympic Games return at Rio in 2016.”

Foot Locker, Inc., the New York-based specialty athletic retailer, has launched a new marketing campaign including a series of five new commercials in partnership with adidas featuring NBA Draft prospect Dante Exum of Australia.

The latest ads are part of Foot Locker’s successful “Approved” marketing platform and poke fun at Exum’s current “celebrity status,” or lack thereof, while centering on the idea that “Life Changes After the Draft.”

Each of the five spots will debut digitally on Foot Locker’s YouTube channel on Monday, June 23. The spots will also takeover NBA.com onWednesday, June 25. The spots will make their television debut on ESPN during the NBA Draft on Thursday, June 26.

“The NBA Draft is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we’re excited to partner with adidas to introduce Dante’s outstanding personality to American basketball fans and bring some levity to this special event with our ‘Life Changes After the Draft’ campaign,” said Stacy Cunningham, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Foot Locker.

“Working with Foot Locker on the ‘Life Changes After the Draft’ campaign was an amazing experience, and I am thrilled to be a part of the campaign,” said Exum. “The NBA Draft will certainly be a life-changing moment, and it was fun to be featured in these commercials that are going to help people see my personality.”

The Exum commercial series headlines a big week of draft activation for Foot Locker, which also includes the brand’s third annual SLAM draft suite on June 24 and 25, whereby exclusive interviews will be conducted to create new digital content with some of the top prospects in this year’s NBA Draft.

The PGA Tour is expanding its Women’s Initiative and renaming it PGA TOUR Woman. 

The objective of the change is to unify and grow the Tour’s community of female fans through shared attitudes and interests.

Encouraged by the 2013 response and growth of the onsite Executive Women’s Day program and Women’s Pavilion that are sponsored by Astellas, viagra 60mg the Tour will expand the concept by creating programs with new companies that embody the common ground among its diverse female fans.

According to Nielsen Media Research, nearly 83 million people tuned in to PGA Tour telecasts for at least 15 minutes in 2013. Of those, 46 percent were female.

“PGA Tour Woman is a platform created for our significant base of female PGA Tour fans that celebrates their widely varied interests, activities, lifestyle and aspirations,” said Donna Fiedorowicz, PGA Tour Senior Vice President of Tournament Activation and Outreach. “Based on the success we had in 2013 with Astellas as our Founding Partner, we are very excited about the potential PGA Tour Woman has to connect our female fans in a variety of meaningful ways and expand our opportunity to reach sponsors that might be more female-centric and have not yet considered partnering with us.”

Fiedorowicz said the PGA Tour already has had positive discussions with potential sponsors about their involvement with PGA Tour Woman to help build upon what already has taken place with the Women’s Initiative.

Astellas will remain the Exclusive National sponsor of the popular Executive Women’s Day events held on site at tournaments throughout the country.  Additionally, as the founding sponsor, Astellas will join other female-focused companies with the rights to PGA Tour Woman and on site activation at tournament sites.  Open to all fans, the Astellas Pavilion has been renamed “The Experience” and has been enhanced to include interactive games and activities focused on health and well-being. It will be showcased at 20 tournaments this year.

The Tour and Astellas Pharma US, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., announced in February 2013 a three-year agreement in which Astellas would champion the PGA Tour’s commitment to a new Women’s Initiative.

“Astellas is excited to continue its relationship with the PGA Tour as a sponsor of PGA Tour Woman,” said Pamela Buford, Director, Consumer Marketing at Astellas. “Through our sponsorship, Astellas will offer fans a range of interactive activities on site at tournament events as well as local community efforts that empower female fans to prioritize their personal health and wellness by having open and honest conversations with their doctor.”