The Canterbury Rugby Union has revealed a trading profit of $3, drugs 000 (excluding insurance payments) in the 2013 financial year. 

The result was announced at the Union’s recent Annual General Meeting and Chief Executive Hamish Riach called it a satisfactory result in a year of ups and downs.

“2013 was another outstanding performance on the field from our Canterbury A team, prostate winning its sixth consecutive ITM Cup Premiership title.  Despite this, revenue from match attendance was down compared with 2012, partly due to lower crowd attendances and partly due to us not hosting a final in 2013 as we had in 2012. Although this reduction in revenue was largely matched by reductions in the costs of ITM Cup matches and of representative teams in general.

“Match attendance will be a real focus to turn around in 2014,” Mr Riach said. “Sponsorship, signage and hospitality income remained at roughly the same level as the previous year, so we are very grateful to our sponsors for their ongoing support.”

Revenue from the International High Performance Unit (a joint venture between the CRFU and Crusaders) was up, but receipts from Gaming Trusts were reduced from 2012.

Half of Canterbury Rugby’s operating surplus is paid to the Christchurch Stadium Trust as part of the agreement formed when the temporary AMI Stadium was built, so the trading surplus was $6,000 before that payment was made.  The 2013 surplus was boosted by a $183,000 Business Interruption Insurance payment following final settlement with insurers, bringing the actual surplus for the year to $186,000.

The CRFU AGM also saw Grant Jarrold and Trevor McIntyre re-elected to the Board for another three years.  Grant Jarrold has subsequently been elected to Chairman of the CRFU for the ensuing year.  He replaces Stewart Mitchell who decided not to re-stand for election after more than ten years on the Board.

Mr Jarrold paid tribute to Mr Mitchell and said he is honoured to be taking up the post: “Stew has been a pair of safe hands and an excellent Chair for Canterbury Rugby.  His are big boots to fill but I look forward to taking on the challenge and continuing to contribute to this Union that I am so passionate about,” Mr Jarrold said.

Grant Jarrold is a partner in Deloitte Private for Canterbury and the upper South Island, a director in the Crusaders Limited Partnership and has also served as the Chair of the Belfast Rugby Club Inc.

Foot Locker, Inc., the New York-based specialty athletic retailer, unveiled a new national commercial titled “Disguise,” which features NBA stars James Harden and Anthony Davis.

The advert shows Harden devising an undercover plan so that he can repeatedly head to Foot Locker throughout February and shop for the best gear, without being recognized and mobbed by fans. Thanks to Davis’ best feature—his signature unibrow—Harden gets ready to put his plan into action to kick off the month at Foot Locker. The commercial lets everyone know that Foot Locker is the place where they can find the newest and freshest basketball styles both on and off the court.

“James Harden’s style is synonymous with the ‘Approved’ gear we know guys are looking forward to at Foot Locker in February,” said Stacy Cunningham, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Foot Locker. “This is Harden’s fifth Foot Locker commercial, and we are excited that our collaboration is launching at a time when our customers and fans can find the most exclusive gear at our stores.”

“Foot Locker does a great job of showcasing my unique style and sense of humor in their ad campaigns,” says Harden. “I’ve really enjoyed collaborating on another great spot that will resonate with fans.”

The commercial is part of Foot Locker’s successful “Approved” marketing platform and will begin airing on national broadcast on February 5.

Kent County Cricket Club have secured full planning permission for the development of the Club’s Worsley Bridge Road ground at Beckenham, no rx with work expected to commence in early December. 

The development will dramatically enhance the cricket facilities at the Beckenham Ground, store and will include an indoor cricket school to be built to ECB Academy standards, therapy as well as a new spectator stand for 2,000 that will increase capacity. 

The development also includes physiotherapy treatment rooms, along with a gym and Pilates studio, and a conference and banqueting area to seat 160 people, with bar and kitchen facilities. 

New offices, a floodlit AstroTurf football pitch, two hard standing tennis courts, and car parking complete the ambitious developments at the site. 

Following completion of the new multi-million pound facility, which will be built by Galliford Try Plc, the Club will enter into a 20 year lease. 

In addition, negotiations continue with regard to two other buildings – a health and leisure facility and a conference centre.  It is hoped that these developments will also happen in the near future. 

Kent Cricket CEO, Jamie Clifford commented on the announcement: “I’m delighted that full planning permission has been granted and we can now press ahead with the construction phase of the project. The Club has for a long time wanted to develop its London base, and I look forward now to seeing a high quality cricket venue in Beckenham. 

“In addition to the potential it presents for hosting matches, it will also become a centre of excellence in a key part of the county.  Our new indoor centre will provide us with a wonderful base from which to identify and develop young players. I would like to put on record my thanks for the support of the local community, Leander Sports & Leisure, and Bromley Council for their support in bringing the project a step closer.” 

It is expected that construction will start before Christmas 2013, and that the project will near completion by the end of 2014.

American car manufacturer is close to agreeing a new deal to stay in V8 Supercars according to reports.

Ford Performance Racing (FPR) is likely to remain so for 2014, with Ford set to stay the team’s backers despite preparing to close its Australian car manufacturing operations in 2016.

V8 sources have suggested Ford will not only agree to stay on next year, but retain a presence in the sport even after the Falcon disappears in three years.

Ford’s mid-sized Mondeo and its American big car the Taurus could be used under current Car of the Future regulations, though the two-door boy-racer favourite, the Mustang, would need a big rules tweak.

V8 Commission Chairman Steps Down

Meanwhile, V8 Supercars commission chairman Mark Skaife will stand down after next month’s Bathurst 1000 at the end of his two-year tenure.

In his role of Chairman of the V8 Commission, Skaife was instrumental in negotiating Nissan and Volvo’s return to the sport as well as restructuring the V8 Supercars television department.

The six-time Bathurst winner will remain with V8 Supercars in a business development role and as an adviser to the board.

V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said Skaifes’ tireless contribution had been invaluable and that he would assume the role of Strategic Business Development and as an advisor to the Board. 

“Mark’s contribution as Commission Chairman has been exemplary,” Warburton said.

“I have asked Mark and I am delighted that he has accepted the role of Strategic Business Development and Board Advisor. He continues to be a major asset for the sport in this role.”

Nottinghamshire are looking to crack down on websites who are selling Ashes tickets at more than face value online.

Trent Bridge has already cancelled several tickets found for sale on auction websites with perpetrators refunded and banned from buying tickets for future matches.

Nottinghamshire chief Lisa Pursehouse said: “Selling cricket tickets for profit does not contravene any laws but it does contravene our ground regulations.

“It is up to us to enforce these regulations and we have already cancelled tickets and blacklisted purchasers who we have found to be selling tickets for profit.”

The first four days of the Trent Bridge Investec Ashes Test sold out within hours of going on general sale last week. A limited number of tickets remain on sale for the fifth and final day of the Test.

“We want this match to be enjoyed by genuine cricket fans and if anyone has a genuine reason for being unable to use their tickets then they should get in contact with us, generic ” Pursehouse added.

“We will remain vigilant and continue to take action where we see tickets being sold for profit.”

Gordon Hollins, health ECB managing director for the professional game, added: “Our view is that selling tickets for profit is unfair on ordinary fans and prevents the game being accessible to all sections of the community,” said Hollins.

“ECB is committed to eradicating ticket touting wherever possible and all international venues who take action against touts will have our full and wholehearted support.”

With the NFL season beginning tomorrow night, the NFL UK has still failed to procure a broadcast deal with Sky Sports and ESPN.

NFLUK has successfully struck a deal with Channel 4 to show the Sunday night games, and the Super Bowl will be shown on the BBC, but the rest of the coverage is still up in the air.

A statement from the company suggests that there are several deals in the making with last year’s broadcasters. Sky television provided the Sunday Afternoon double-header and had access to NFL Network’s ‘Total Access’, while ESPN held the Monday night game and provided both their Sunday and Monday night countdown shows, but the deal looks unlikely to be completed until Tuesday at the latest.

The lack of communication that all sides of this discussion have had with the British NFL community is reproachable, and has left many fans feeling undervalued.

This was the worst possible time for such a conflict between the NFL and the broadcasters to occur, considering that the NFL has had its highest growth in UK viewership and participation over the past five years since the first boom back in the early 80s. They were the Seventh most watched sport on Sky Sports in the Uk last year.

This growth was already damaged by the St Louis Rams pulling out of their three-year deal to play at Wembley stadium in February.

The international game has been a great success, with near sell-outs over the past five years, but confusion over the Rams’ ability to play and several postponements of ticket sales has shaken consumer confidence that the event will go ahead.

But instead Jacksonville Jaguars have signed a deal to play a game at Wembley for the next few years.

Mehr als 100 Vertreter des internationalen Motorsport versammelten sich zum ersten International Motorsport Summit von Sport&Markt, Repucom und der Nürburgring Automotive GmbH am Nürburgring.

Sport 1 Moderator Wolfgang Rother führte durch das Programm, das vom Geschäftsführer der Nürburgring Automotive GmbH Jörg Lindner eröffnet wurde. In seiner Rede machte der Tourismusexperte klar, dass man eine Event-Plattform wie den Nürburgring erfolgreich betreiben kann und dass sein Unternehmen trotz der aktuellen Auseinandersetzungen mit dem Land Rheinland-Pfalz den Pachtvertrag bis 2040 erfüllen will.

Anschließend gaben Sport+Markt Vorstand Marcel Cordes und Repucom Geschäftsführer Danny Townsend einen Überblick über den Sponsoringmarkt weltweit. Mit mehr als 40 Milliarden Dollar Marktumfang und einem prognostizierten Wachstum von 5 bis 10% in den nächsten zwei Jahren, ist die Sportbranche weiterhin klar ein Wachstumsmarkt.

Die Herausforderungen der modernen Motorsportindustrie sahen die beiden Experten in den fragmentierten Märkten mit vielen Serien, Veranstaltern, Vermarktern und Rechteinhabern, der ökologischen Problemstellung, den fragmentierten Medienmärkten, die es immer schwieriger und diversifizierter machen, die Zielgruppen umfassend zu erreichen, sowie der Planung und dem Controlling von Sponsoringinvestitionen.

Den Vormittag rundete ein Vortrag von Ben Pincus, SVP Business Development EMEA von Just Marketing International ab, der einen Einblick über die Herausforderungen in der Sponsoring-Aktivierung gab. Die Fähigkeit Sponsoren zuzuhören und ihre Problemstellungen zu erfassen, eine umfassende Evaluierung zu liefern und die Fans nicht aus dem Auge zu verlieren, sind für ihn die wichtigsten Eigenschaften, die Agenturen in der Sponsoringlandschaft künftig mitbringen müssen.

Mit viel Zeit für Networking und neue Kontakte ist der International Motorsport Summit der Auftakt zu einer jährlichen Veranstaltungsreihe, die sich im internationalen Motorsportmarkt etablieren wird. Weitere Informationen folgen Morgen im nächsten Newsletter.

Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) president Gianni Petrucci has critisized Turin giants Juventus for seeking to have their match-fixing punishment reversed.

Juventus registered a claim of 444 million ($599m) Euros against the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in a local court in the aftermath of the 2006 Calciopoli scandal.

According to reports from Italy, Juve claimed the amount stating that they were mistreated by the FIGC over the match-fixing scandal.

Juve were stripped off two Serie A titles after being charged guilty of match fixing in 2006, which were given to Inter Milan. Moreover, the Old Lady were relegated down to the second division, Serie B.

But ever since Juventus have tried everything in its power to see their punishments overturned.

They have filed appeals with Coni’s National Court of Arbitration for Sport (TNAS) and European football governing body UEFA, while their latest attempt was to bring a case in a local Italian court in the Latium region.

Now that TNAS has declared itself unable to judge on Juve’s claim, Petrucci has had enough.

“I don’t like what’s happening in top-level football at the moment, it’s an illness of legal doping,” he said at a press conference in Rome.

“Top-level football will lose the respect of public opinion if it continues like this. I’m talking about a part of top-level football (Juve), a part that believes it’s cunning.

“I’m not having a go at lawyers but right now they’re trying to make everything possible.

“We’re in the hands of too many lawyers. I’m not saying that we don’t have the right to appeal to the courts, but we’re going beyond every level of sporting justice.

“There’s a lack of respect for the rules and for ethics. The arrogant and domineering must not prevail.

“I’m talking about a part of top-level Italian football because we’re witnessing something that’s never been seen before.

“Unfortunately they don’t accept the results on the pitch any more but as long as I have a voice to defend our rules, I’ll do so.

“The (football club) presidents knew that when they entered the world of sport: theirs is the money, the rules are ours!”

Asked about Juve’s latest appeal in the courts, Petrucci pleaded with the Italian giants to come to their senses.

“Where’s the sense in continuing? Taking a step backwards would mean taking two forwards,” he said.

“After this latest decision, what’s the point in continuing? Those with more intelligence put it at the service of others. I’m making an appeal but maybe those serve no purpose any more.”

Juve have never accepted the fact that they were stripped of two titles and still include the 2005 and 2006 scudetto crowns in their list of honours — although this is not recognised by the football authorities.

What particularly rankles is that although the 2005 title remains unassigned, the 2006 crown was awarded to runners-up Inter Milan.

“I don’t know if it was right to award that title to Inter, it’s not up to Coni to say so,” added Petrucci.

“However, the rules were respected and for Coni that’s the end of the matter. Those who want to re-open (the case) create problems for the serenity of Italian football. Nowadays you live on your credibility and your curriculum.

“It’s not true that whoever shouts the loudest is right. That’s enough, we’ve put our faith in a group of wise people to make a stand against the arrogance of a part of football.”

This topic has brought on a huge debate on iSportconnect’s discussion Serie A match fixing scandal- the aftermath. Leading figures Umberto Gandini – AC Milan Director, Michael Cunnah – iSportconnect board member and Steven Falk – Director of Star Sports Marketing have all waded in with their theories.

The prize fund afforded by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for the professional circuit of men’s tennis will surpass US$90m by 2014 according to chairman and president Adam Helfant.

The increase in prize funds include a 9 per cent rise in each of the next three years for the nine Masters 1000 events, which take place in cities such as Cincinnati, Paris, Rome and Shanghai. In addition, the season-ending World Tour Finals event will see a 30 per cent increase in prize money, with the amount available to the eight participating players set to rise from $5m to $6.5m over the next three years. The world’s top 12 players will also receive a bonus pool rise of 33 per cent, from $6m to $8m in 2014.

However, due to the fact that the four annual Grand Slams – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – are governed by the International Tennis Federation rather than the ATP, prize pots for these events will not be affected.

Much of the success of the ATP in recent years has been placed on the head of executive chairman and president Adam Helfant, who is set to leave the association in its healthiest ever position having announced that he will be moving on at the end of the year.

Helfant stated: “We are privileged to be experiencing a golden era in men’s professional tennis. It is fitting that the commitment and excellence of the players is recognised and rewarded in this way. We are very pleased to have reached this agreement that reflects the fact that business across the ATP World Tour is stronger than ever.”