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.”

Fernando Aguerre has been re-elected unopposed as President of the International Surfing Association (ISA) at the ISA 50th Anniversary World Surfing Games in Punta Rocas, Peru.

Aguerre will continue to lead the sport’s global development in what will be his eighth term as President. 

After promoting the unique culture and youthful values of the sport as ISA President for the past two decades, Aguerre will continue to use his energy and passion for Surfing as the driving force behind its continued worldwide growth.

The ISA Annual and Biennial General Meetings also saw the appointment of two new Vice-Presidents with New Zealand Olympic Windsurfing Gold Medalist and IOC Member, Barbara Kendall MBE, and two-time ISA Stand-up Paddle [SUP] RacingWorld Champion, Casper Steinfath, joining the ISA leadership structure. Kendall and Steinfath join Aguerre and the other two ISA Vice Presidents, Karin Sierralta (Peru) and Layne Beachley (Australia), on the ISA Executive Committee.

In his re-election speech, Aguerre praised the election of Kendall and Steinfath as a key moment in the development of the ISA. He also highlighted the positive social impact of the ISA’s activities, how the introduction of groundbreaking wave pool technology will play a ‘game-changing’ role in the future of the sport and how this, alongside the sport’s global youth appeal, will play a key part in the ISA’s drive for Olympic inclusion.

Speaking after his re-election, Fernando Aguerre, ISA President, said: “Electing Barbara Kendall to Vice President means that the ISA has gained a very experienced Olympic voice. It also means the ISA continues in its commitment to gender equality in Surfing, ensuring that the make-up of the governing body’s Executive Committee is a minimum of 40% female.

“Casper Steinfath is respected by his peers in the Surfing and SUP Racing community around the world, not just because of his Surfing abilities, but also because he is somebody we can count on. He has a diverse background, speaks five languages and he will be a great ambassador for the ISA.

“Athletes are central to how the world of sport, including the IOC, operates and it’s great that we now have a young, active athlete in the Executive Committee to spread the message of Surfing. Surfing speaks directly to young people. The unique culture and youthful values are the embodiment of our sport and we must harness this youthful energy and use it as a driving force behind our ambitions.

“With the new wave technology that is about to transform Surfing we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to take the sport to new territories. People who have never even been to the ocean will have the opportunity to Surf on consistent, high performance waves. This development really is a game changer for Surfing and combined with the sport’s global, youthful appeal, it can drive us towards the goal of Olympic inclusion.”

Barbara Kendall MBE, ISA Vice President and IOC Member, said: “Surfing and the ocean have always been a huge part of my life and I am thrilled to be able to give something back to the sport in this way. The ISA is at a very exciting stage of its development and I’m delighted to be able to contribute to this important journey. With its young fans and global appeal, Surfing can continue to grow and realise its ambition of joining the Olympic Sports Programme.”

Casper Steinfath, ISA Vice President and Professional Surfer, said: “This is a big honour for me and one I will embrace. I believe Surfing and SUP with their youthful values, have a unique way of connecting with people all over the world. As a competing athlete and a role model, I have a responsibility to express the true values of Surfing. I am now looking forward to taking on this additional role with the ISA and helping to take the message of Surfing and SUP to young people all over the globe.”

All hope is not yet lost for Bradford Bulls as London-based businessman Richard Lamb has revealed he will renew his bid to buy Bradford Bulls after the Super League club fell back into administration. 

The Rugby Football League’s decision on Tuesday to impose the maximum six-point deduction on the club for breaching its insolvency regulations for the second time in two years prompted the prospective new owners to walk out.

Mark Moore, chairman of Bradford Bulls 2014 Ltd which agreed a sale with the administrators last Friday, withdrew his offer and launched a scathing attack on the RFL for placing the club in special measures, thereby preventing them from signing any more players. 

The RFL responded by blaming Moore’s failure to go through with a £300,000 offer to previous owner Omar Khan for the club’s latest crisis.

That left Leeds-based accountant David Wilson running the club once more but the RFL remains confident of finding new buyers.

RFL director of standards and licensing Blake Solly said: “There are still two bids on the table that the administrator can have a look at.

“We’re also working with a number of other parties who contacted us in the last 28 days expressing an interest in the club. We will be working with the administrator to try and ensure the club has a viable and solvent future.”

Lamb, who was involved in rugby league commercially during the 2013 World Cup, confirmed he is still keen to acquire the club and has offered to provide staff to help organise Sunday’s home game against London Broncos.

“My desire has not changed from last week,” Lamb tweeted. “To lead your great club.

“I am waiting for David to come back to me, hopefully by the end of this week.

“I have told him if the club needs support at the weekend with staff and personnel I’d bring some people up from London to help.”

Moore claimed in his farewell tirade that the points deductions means relegation for the Bulls is “almost a certainty” but Lamb says he has no issue with the sanctions and insists that a drop into the Championship would not be fatal.

“If that’s the rules of the governing body, then you have to take it,” he said.

“Hopefully, if we are successful, we can make sure that this season we perform as strongly as we can.

“If it resulted in the club going into the Championship, then – as we’ve seen in Premiership rugby and a number of other sports – as long as you run the club effectively and efficiently, then you can return, in this case, to Super League in the following season.”