The National Basketball Association (NBA) will launch an eight-day on-court celebration for the upcoming Chinese New Year.

A total of 23 matches from February 8-15 will be live broadcast throughout China, with five teams promising to include Chinese-themed celebrations during the games, and two stadia to display Chinese-style decorations, the NBA announced.

Chinese New Year is on February 10 and 2013 is the year of the snake.

The NBA first celebrated the first Chinese New Year in 2012 when 21 matches were broadcasted in China, attracting 96 million television viewers. The league is set to make week long celebrations of the Chinese New Year celebration.

NBA China CEO David Shoemaker said: “The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for the Chinese fans. We’re glad to enjoy the holiday with our fans and their family. We’ll produce a series of Chinese New Year celebration and more exciting matches for the Chinese and American fans for the coming of the snake year.”{jcomments on}

More than 22, asthma 000 tickets for next year’s Investec Ashes Test at Trent Bridge were sold in the first six hours of general availability yesterday.

The ground often provides one of the best atmospheres in the country for Test cricket and that should be the case once again following unprecedented demand registered online.

The upshot is tickets being sold out for the first four days, unhealthy with some for the fifth still available.

“We have a great tradition of selling out Test matches at Trent Bridge and we are extremely pleased to have handled so many transactions in a single day,” said Nottinghamshire chief executive Lisa Pursehouse.

“We wish to thank all of the ticket buyers for their patience in waiting in line to have their call answered or to get through to our online sales page.

“Our system prioritises those who have been in the queue for the longest and we have processed more transactions today than ever before.

“We have set a new record for the number of tickets sold in a single day and that is testament to the passion of England fans in the East Midlands and the dedication of our ticket office staff.”

NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has lost a sponsor due to his public spat with his partner. 

TMZ reported that Zico coconut water followed the footsteps of Miami Dolphins to distance themselves from the football player by cutting his endorsement deal, just a few days after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. 

“In light of recent events involving Mr. Johnson, we have decided to terminate our relationship,” a representative for Zico said. “The values we espouse, through our employees, our customers and our brand, are central to our mission. We have taken this proactive step to demonstrate just how important those values are.” 

Chad was accused of head-butting his wife Evelyn Lozada. He was signed to the Dolphins two months before the incident, and was immediately fired after his arrest. His marriage to Evelyn was short-lived as well since she had filed for divorce from him. 

“I haven’t had to tread water in a long time… special thank you to my fans…family…friends for keeping me afloat…,” Chad recently tweeted. He additionally said in a statement, “I would like to apologize to everyone for the recent events that have occurred. … I will continue to be positive and train hard for another opportunity in the NFL.”

Über 1200 Besucher verzeichnet Europas größter Sportbusiness-Kongress „Spobis“.

Wie das Magazin „Sponsors“ berichtet trifft sich heute und morgen die Sportbusiness-Branche bereits zum 16. Mal, price cheap um im CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf über aktuelle Themen zu diskutieren. 14 Foren, doctor 130 nationale und internationale Top-Referenten und eine hochkarätig besetzte Hauptbühne bilden den Rahmen für den Kongress.

Am ersten Kongresstag bezieht DOSB-Präsident Dr. Thomas Bach am heutigen Montag im 1:1-Talk auf der Hauptbühne zu verschiedenen aktuellen sportpolitischen Themen Stellung Dazu gehört ein Ausblick auf die Olympischen Sommerspiele 2012 in London ebenso, wie ein Rückblick auf die fehlgeschlagene Bewerbung für die Olympischen Winterspiele 2018 in München.

Ebenfalls am Montag stellt sich Christian Seifert, Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung der Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), auf der Hauptbühne in einem 1:1-Talk den Fragen zur mit Spannung erwarteten Vergabe der Medienrechte für die Fußballbundesliga für die Periode von 2013/14 bis 2016/17. Die DFL erhofft sich bei der Ausschreibung der Medienrechte höhere Erlöse als bisher. Im Schnitt nimmt die Liga insgesamt 410 Millionen Euro pro Jahr für die nationalen Medienrechte ein.

Am zweiten Kongresstag wird Dr. Karl-Georg Altenburg als neuer Präsident des Deutschen Tennis Bundes (DTB) das neue Sponsorenkonzept seines Verbandes präsentieren. In seinem Vortrag geht Altenburg außerdem der Frage nach, wie die in den vergangenen Jahren in Deutschland eingeschlafene Sportart Tennis wieder zum Leben erweckt werden soll. Die Lösung soll ein neues Vermarktungskonzept bringen, das ersten Firmen vorgestellt wurde.

Weitere interessante SpoBiS-Themen in den kommenden zwei Tagen sind beispielsweise eine Diskussion zur Bedeutung der Deutschen Sporthilfe auf der Hauptbühne unter anderem mit Dr. Michael Ilgner, Vorstandsvorsitzender Deutsche Sporthilfe, und Franziska van Almsick, stellvertretende Aufsichtsratsvorsitzende Deutsche Sporthilfe. Ein Forum zu „Strategien von Sportmedien 2012“ mit anschließender Gesprächsrunde, in der Branchen-Experten wie Heiko Genzlinger, Geschäftsführer Yahoo Deutschland (Keynote), und Thomas Deissenberger, Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung Constantin Sport Marketing, das bevorstehende Jahr diskutieren. Ein Forum „Fußball“, in dem unter anderem SAP-Gründer Dietmar Hopp eine Case Study zur Jugendförderung bei der TSG 1899 Hoffenheim vorstellen wird.

Der Spobis hat sich in den 16 Jahren seines Bestehens zu Europas größtem Sportbusiness-Kongress entwickelt, der alle essenziellen Themen der Sportwirtschaft abdeckt. Seiner Funktion als Impulsgeber für Innovationen und Trends wird der Spobis auch in diesem Jahr unter anderem durch die Vergabe des Marketingpreises des Sports gerecht.

Über 1200 Besucher verzeichnet Europas größter Sportbusiness-Kongress „Spobis“. 

Wie das Magazin „Sponsors“ berichtet trifft sich heute und morgen die Sportbusiness-Branche bereits zum 16. Mal, um im CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf über aktuelle Themen zu diskutieren. 14 Foren, 130 nationale und internationale Top-Referenten und eine hochkarätig besetzte Hauptbühne bilden den Rahmen für den Kongress.

Am ersten Kongresstag bezieht DOSB-Präsident Dr. Thomas Bach am heutigen Montag im 1:1-Talk auf der Hauptbühne zu verschiedenen aktuellen sportpolitischen Themen Stellung Dazu gehört ein Ausblick auf die Olympischen Sommerspiele 2012 in London ebenso, wie ein Rückblick auf die fehlgeschlagene Bewerbung für die Olympischen Winterspiele 2018 in München. 

Ebenfalls am Montag stellt sich Christian Seifert, Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung der Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), auf der Hauptbühne in einem 1:1-Talk den Fragen zur mit Spannung erwarteten Vergabe der Medienrechte für die Fußballbundesliga für die Periode von 2013/14 bis 2016/17. Die DFL erhofft sich bei der Ausschreibung der Medienrechte höhere Erlöse als bisher. Im Schnitt nimmt die Liga insgesamt 410 Millionen Euro pro Jahr für die nationalen Medienrechte ein. 

Am zweiten Kongresstag wird Dr. Karl-Georg Altenburg als neuer Präsident des Deutschen Tennis Bundes (DTB) das neue Sponsorenkonzept seines Verbandes präsentieren. In seinem Vortrag geht Altenburg außerdem der Frage nach, wie die in den vergangenen Jahren in Deutschland eingeschlafene Sportart Tennis wieder zum Leben erweckt werden soll. Die Lösung soll ein neues Vermarktungskonzept bringen, das ersten Firmen vorgestellt wurde. 

Weitere interessante SpoBiS-Themen in den kommenden zwei Tagen sind beispielsweise eine Diskussion zur Bedeutung der Deutschen Sporthilfe auf der Hauptbühne unter anderem mit Dr. Michael Ilgner, Vorstandsvorsitzender Deutsche Sporthilfe, und Franziska van Almsick, stellvertretende Aufsichtsratsvorsitzende Deutsche Sporthilfe. Ein Forum zu „Strategien von Sportmedien 2012“ mit anschließender Gesprächsrunde, in der Branchen-Experten wie Heiko Genzlinger, Geschäftsführer Yahoo Deutschland (Keynote), und Thomas Deissenberger, Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung Constantin Sport Marketing, das bevorstehende Jahr diskutieren. Ein Forum „Fußball“, in dem unter anderem SAP-Gründer Dietmar Hopp eine Case Study zur Jugendförderung bei der TSG 1899 Hoffenheim vorstellen wird. 

Der Spobis hat sich in den 16 Jahren seines Bestehens zu Europas größtem Sportbusiness-Kongress entwickelt, der alle essenziellen Themen der Sportwirtschaft abdeckt. Seiner Funktion als Impulsgeber für Innovationen und Trends wird der Spobis auch in diesem Jahr unter anderem durch die Vergabe des Marketingpreises des Sports gerecht.

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Sportswear Giant Nike have dropped professional surfer Charly Martin after being caught with a knife in public while in Scotland.

World number three Martin was caught with a kitchen cutlery knife during a night out while he competed in a surf event in Thurso, viagra order Scotland last April.

The 21-year-old, from Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, admitted carrying a knife in public when he appeared at Wick Sheriff Court in September and was fined £500.

According to Scottish criminal law, “It is against the law to have with you in a public place an offensive weapon. A knife could be an offensive weapon depending on what it is and the circumstances in which it is carried or possessed. It is also against the law, in certain situations, to have a bladed or sharply pointed article (such as a knife) with you in a public place.” There is an exception for folding pocket knives where the blade is less than three inches.

He had the 11cm serated cutlery knife on West Church Street in Thurso.

The sportswear firm dropped from its label after his admission of the offence. The surfer claimed not to know that carrying the cutlery knife was an offence in Scotland.

A Nike spokesman said: “Nike has ended its sponsorship of Charles Martin as a result of his recent conviction. We have no further comment.”

More than 700,000 tickets have been sold for the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer tournament, held in Germany. The tournament, which starts on Sunday and is three weeks in duration, has proven popular with German soccer fans with about half the games expected to attract more than 20,000 fans.

Defending champions Germany will begin their bid for a hat-trick of women’s World Cup titles in front of 74,000 fans on Sunday. All matches involving the host nation have seen the majority of tickets sold.

Steffi Jones, President of the Organising Committee for the tournament, said: “These sales figures once again demonstrate the popularity of the Women’s World Cup among the public in Germany and abroad.”

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), organisers of the Wimbledon tournament, have revealed that this year’s men’s and women’s champions will receive a rise of 10 per cent to £1.1m (US$1.8m). However, they have called for changes to tax laws to ensure that the top players continue to compete.

The total prize fund for the 2011 tournament is £14.6m ($23.9m), an increase of 6.4 per cent from the 2010 tournament.

The AELTC has called on the Government to take action over tax laws that penalise individual sports stars with international athletes in individual sports competing in Britain currently being taxed at 50 per cent on their appearance fee, winnings and, crucially, a proportion of their worldwide endorsement earnings.

That means foreign athletes with commercial agreements based overseas are still taxed on those deals for the days they are in the United Kingdom.

Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt withdrew from the Crystal Palace Diamond League meeting last year because of the tax implications and, while Wimbledon does not expect to be directly affected, fears have been raised over other tennis events in the UK, such as the ATP World Tour Finals.

Wimbledon chief executive Ian Ritchie stated: ‘‘What we want is some action. Nobody has any problem with taxation on prize money but, in individual sports, athletes are taxed on their global endorsement income when they come to this country.

“If Lionel Messi comes here for a Champions League final he doesn’t get taxed on his endorsement income but when Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal come here they do.

“That is a disincentive, quite clearly. In the discussions we have had with players and agents, it is on their radar.”

Beijing has been selected to host the 2015 IAAF World Championships, asthma IAAF Council announced.

The selection of the Chinese capital to host the 15^th edition of the Championships will bring athletics back to the dazzling “Bird’s Nest” Stadium, doctor the centerpiece of the 2008 Olympic Games.

“To help build up our sport and the culture of athletics in a country of 1.6 billion inhabitants is a great opportunity,” said IAAF President Lamine Diack, when making the announcement. “As we sometimes say, China is not a country, it’s a continent. So this is a fantastic opportunity for our sport and for the sport in China.”

Beijing, whose metropolitan area is home to nearly 17 million, will become the third Asian city to host the IAAF World Championships, the world’s third largest sporting event. Tokyo played host in 1991 and Osaka in 2007.

“Beijing hosted a very successful World Junior Championships for us in 2006 and then of course a very memorable Olympic Games in 2008,” Diack added. “So this provides a great opportunity to showcase the Championships in the best possible light in China.”

“This is the most important sporting event for China since the 2008 Olympic Games,” said Liu Jingmin, the Vice Mayor of Beijing.

“We thank you for your trust. We will deliver a high standard event in Beijing which will open a new chapter in Championships’ standards.”

Beijing’s successful bid marks the latest phase of China’s commitment to add to and enhance its athletics legacy.

Entering the 1980s, the Chinese government stressed that “Athletics was the fundamental sport with great influence” and that it was “necessary to improve (the national) athletics programme”, setting the stage for the sport’s significant growth and visibility in the country. Further encouraging its athletics community, in 2002 the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) positioned athletics as a “focus sport”. In 2006 Beijing hosted the IAAF World Junior Championships where athletes from nearly 180 nations took part. The city has also hosted numerous IAAF Race Walking events, including the 2010 Race Walking Challenge Final, and the Beijing International Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, this year celebrated it’s 30^th running.

“We believe that our bid to host the highest profile athletics competition in the world will serve to further promote the development of athletic sports across the world,” said Duan Shijie, Chairman of the Chinese Athletic Association.

“Hosting a world athletics championships is an aspiration shared by all citizens of Beijing, which we believe will facilitate the development of athletics in Beijing and China and substantially advance the exchanges and cooperation between China and the rest of the world,” sai Guo Jinlong, the Mayor of Beijing.

League One football club Sheffield Wednesday has said that going into administration will not solve the side’s financial problems.

Wednesday has been served with a second winding-up petition by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over an outstanding bill of £600,000 (US$946,000).

The petition will be heard in the High Court on 17 November.

The club has debts of over £27 million (US$42.6 million) and chairman Howard Wilkinson and chief executive Nick Parker are currently negotiating with three potential investors.

A club statement read: “Ongoing talks with a lead investment party and others remain extremely positive. One investment group has pledged to pay HMRC £600,000 as a token of its commitment to concluding a deal at the club and we continue to monitor that situation.”