North America
VANOC 2010 KICKS OFF 2007 WITH SEVEN NEW DEALS
The Vancouver Organising Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) agreed deals with seven more Canadian companies for its Official Licensing Programme under the ‘Novelty Gift’ and ‘Collectibles’ (Hard Goods) categories.
IMG ACQUIRES OCTAGON CSI – REPORTS
Industry sources and media reports say that IMG has acquired rival TV rights and production company Octagon CSI.
US SOCCER INDUSTRY TAKES STEP UP WITH BECKHAM
In a deal that could be worth £128m over five-years, David Beckham yesterday announced he would be leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season to join Major League Soccer (MLS) side LA Galaxy – a move observers say will increase MLS' status on the domestic and international sports map.
EBAY TO BUY STUBHUB
eBay is set to buy online ticket reseller StubHub Inc. for $310 million in a deal which will underscore the way that way that new media are fundamentally changing the secondary ticketing market.
CARS.COM SPONSORS ESPN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The Cars.com website agreed sponsorship deal for ESPN and ESPN2 Saturday Afternoon College Basketball from February 2007.
SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR EXTEND SCOTT’S ROLE
The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Board of Directors voted unanimously to extend the contract of Tour Chairman & CEO Larry Scott for an additional five years, until 2011.
PRUDENTIAL NAMING RIGHTS FOR NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Financial services company Prudential agreed a $105.3 million deal for naming rights for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER CLUB D.C. UNITED SOLD
A consortium of local and national investors led by MacFarlane Partners acquired the operating rights to Major League Soccer’s D.C. United franchise from AEG, a subsidiary of the Anschutz Company.
LEADING US EXPERT JOINS INTERNATIONAL SPORTS SECURITY SUMMIT
The speaker roster for the upcoming International Sports Security Summit goes from strength-to-strength with the addition of one of the USA’s best respected sports security specialists.
ESPN REACHES DEAL WITH LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
US broadcaster ESPN agreed a new eight-year TV rights agreement with Little League Baseball to broadcast the Little League World Series baseball and softball events until 2014.
PGA TOUR KICKS OFF NEW FORMAT FOR TV GAINS
The 2007 US PGA Tour teed off this week with its new TV rights partners and its new format, the FedEx Cup.
FOX SPORTS RENEWS PREMIER LEAGUE RIGHTS
Fox Sports International renewed its deal for US broadcast rights for the English Premier League.
NHL, NHLPA AND VERIZON WIRELESS AGREE DEAL
The National Hockey League, the National Hockey League Players' Association and Verizon Wireless, agreed a new multi-year deal.
JAMES J. FOX APPOINTED BY US FIGURE SKATING
US Figure Skating appointed James Fox as an associate executive director.
ASTAVITA AND USA TRIATHLON SIGN SPONSORSHIP
Astavita signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with USA Triathlon. The USA’s national governing body for triathlon, duathlon and a member of the Olympic Organisation.
ESPN TAKES STAKE IN ARENA FOOTBALL
ESPN acquired national TV rights to the Arena Football League in a deal which also gives it a minority stake in the 19-team indoor league.
CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE INKS NEW DEAL
The Canadian Football League signed a new TV rights deal, to start in 2008, with Canadian sports network, TSN.
FIFA WINS MASTERCARD BREATHING SPACE
The New York Southern District Court ruled that FIFA does not have to immediately comply with the court order issued 7 December 2006 requiring it to grant MasterCard Inc. an eight-year World Cup sponsorship deal, pending the outcome of the requested appeal.