Hong Kong

Italian sportswear company FILA has signed a $12 million three year deal as technical sponsor/official supplier for the ATP Tour Super Nine series and world championship.

The World Wrestling Federation has signed three new distribution agreements in Asia as part of its strategy to expand programming within the region.

Hong Kong cable-TV operator i-CABLE Communications could lose the broadcasting rights for Premier League soccer in the England and Scotland to Rupert Murdoch?s Star TV.

Delegations from four cities bidding for the 2006 Asian Games will gather in the South Korean city of Pusan this weekend for last-minute lobbying ahead of Sunday's vote to decide the host city for the event.

One of Hong Kong?s biggest sports events of the year has become the subject of a controversy based on the possible breach of new laws on tobacco sponsorship.

Manchester United will take another step towards global brand status by opening a chain of retail shops in the Middle East.

Hong Kong, weary of trying to crack down on illegal football betting, is instead thinking of legalising soccer wagers to head off crime and reap millions of dollars in tax revenue. For the full story see the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.

Despite crackdowns and steep penalties, illegal betting on horse racing in Singapore is still a bustling S$10 million (US$5.72 million) a month business.

BMCMedia has been appointed by the Walt Disney Internet Group to represent football web site Soccernet, in all major markets in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Peoples Republic of China, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and New Zealand.

The four-member Olympic Council of Asia's Evaluation Committee has arrived in Hong Kong's to scrutinise Hong Kong?s bid to host the 2006 Asian Games

Kai Tak airport in China is one of two new locations being considered for a world-class stadium, along with a site near Tuen Mun.

A decision on who should run Melbourne, Australia's 2006 Commonwealth Games, is set to be made next week.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia has denied that it is bidding to host the 2002 Thomas and Uber Cups, pointing to its own financial straits and the current uncertainty in Indonesia.

Australian cricketer Mark Waugh has agreed to meet anti-corruption investigators following a warning from the Australian Cricket Board that he risked ending his international future if he did not co-operate.

Australian-based design and planning firm Hassell has formed an alliance with HOK, the world's biggest sports facility architectural firm.

World Wrestling Federation Entertainment (WWFE) has appointed internet industry veteran Howard Meltzer to chief operating officer, New Media, which includes responsibility for the core web site wwf.com.

Russell E Wolff has been appointed Vice President, Programming at ESPN STAR Sports.

DIRECTV, the leading US digital pay-TV entertainment service, has reached an affiliate agreement with FOX Sports World to offer the network on the DIRECTV programming line-up beginning September 1, 1999.