REGULATORY
THE ECB asked asked the UK government to introduce strict new laws against ticket touts after finding widespread ticket reselling for the ICC World Twenty20 was taking place on the internet. A private investigation by the ECB found 1,900 tickets available from 400 different sellers on online auction website eBay.
THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE proposed scrapping the transfer window domestically and a transfer ban on clubs that fall behind on their tax payments in a four-page letter to the government, signed by chairman Lord Mawhinney.
EVENTS
RALLY GREAT BRITAIN is set to return in 2010, after the World Rally Championship promoter International Sportsworld Communicators placed it in the provisional calendar, to be approved by the FIA at next month’s World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, West Ham United and Hull City were rumoured to be the clubs to contest a pre-season competition in Beijing this year, playing against Chinese Super League team Beijing Guoan at the Worker’s Stadium.
THE FOREIGN OFFICE expects up to 30,000 Manchester United fans to travel to Rome for the Champions League final next week. Those with tickets number 20,000, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office expects a further 5,000 to 10,000 to travel without tickets.
ENGLAND launched its 2018 World Cup host bid highlighting the country’s strong stadia and passion for football and emphasising the fact that the bid is supported by all levels of football in England. The launch event at Wembley Stadium was attended by past and present England players including Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Geoff Hurst, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham.
LEADERS IN FOOTBALL, the conference, opened applications for 200 tickets available to leading commercial and marketing suppliers. The other 800 tickets for the event are available by invitation only.
THE RETRACTABLE ROOF over Wimbledon’s Centre Court was unveiled to the public during an exhibition of mixed doubles and singles matches involving former stars Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Tim Henman and Kim Clijsters playing, watched by a crowd of 15,000 as rain fell outside. British number one Andy Murray also made a surprise appearance and Roger Federer sent a video message from Madrid.
BORIS JOHNSON said he was not convinced by the design for London’s Olympic Stadium, which leaves certain sections of the crowd uncovered by a roof. “I have yet to see a very convincing explanation of what happens if it rains very heavily on the night of the opening ceremony,” he said.
MARKETING
DIAGEO brand Guinness renewed its title sponsorship deal with rugby union’s Premiership for a fifth year, taking the partnership to the end of the 2009-10 season.
CRISTIANO RONALDO was reported to be close to signing a £6 million per year sponsorship deal with Nike, which would be the biggest annual endorsement deal in world football.
GENERATE, the London-based PR firm, was appointed by International Sportsworld Communicators, the World Rally Championship promoter, as global PR and communications partner for the motor racing series.
ST ANDREWS golf course agreed a new three-year sponsorship deal with financial services company Allianz Group, the first in the course’s 600-year history. Allianz will sponsor the annual St Andrews Links Trophy, amongst other initiatives.
ADIDAS extended its sponsorship deal with UK Athletics until 2013. The partnership has been alive since January 2005.
MEDIA
SEBASTIAN COE said that television rights-holder would not determine the scheduling of athletics events at the London 2012 Olympics. He was responding to suggestions that the times of races would be scheduled to suit US television audiences. He said, “People say to me are we going to have a 100 metres at two o'clock in the morning? The answer is categorically no.”
PERSONNEL
JONATHAN GREGORY is leaving his post as commercial director at Wembley Stadium to become director of partnerships for England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
FINANCE
UTV MEDIA, owner of the TalkSport radio station and the Northern Ireland ITV franchise purchased the free weekly sports magazine Sport, which had been axed last month after its owner Sport Media and Strategie went into administration.
