Spain
Real Madrid to remove shirt sponsorship
Spanish soccer club Real Madrid is planning to remove sponsorship from the team’s shirts from the beginning of next year.
World Sports Solutions diversifies into golf
World Sports Solutions (WSS) has extended its portfolio by targeting the golf industry. The Manchester-based sports management company was originally only involved in soccer but, for the last month, has also worked with the Williams Formula One racing team.
Olympics leave lasting legacies on host cities, says report
While the 2008 Olympic Games will last only 16 days, host cities will feel their effects long after the awarding of the final gold medals, according to a new report.
Barcelona transfer under investigation
Joan Gaspart, president of Spanish soccer club Barcelona, has appointed a commission to investigate alleged irregularities in the transfer of the Brazilian player Geovanni.
FIFA president faces toughest battle yet
FIFA president Sepp Blatter faces the toughest fight of his career this week when delegates from around 200 national associations meet in Buenos Aires for FIFA's Extraordinary Congress.
World Anti-Doping Agency to help fund EPO testing
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) plans to step up its fight against drugs in sport by helping to finance testing for the stamina-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO).
Spanish basketball facing row over foreign players
Professional basketball in Spain is on a collision course with the sport’s ruling body after its recent decision to allow Community-B nationals to play as EU nationals in the country’s ACB competition.
FIFA agrees new transfer system
On the day that a new world record for soccer transfers appears to have been set, the $68m sale of Zinadene Zidane by Juventus to Real Madrid, FIFA’s executive committee agreed a new system and the establishment of a Football Arbitration Panel(TAF) to settle disputed transfers.
Barcelona agrees on budget target
The board of directors of Spanish soccer club Barcelona have agreed a budget of Pts25.6bn ($129m) for the coming season, representing an increase of Pts8bn ($40.239m) over last year. A surplus of $10m was announced for 2000/2001.
Soccer rights the spur for Italian pay-TV merger
While the sports industry may sometimes over-inflate its value to media operators, it seems the merger agreement between rival Italian pay-TV outfit’s Stream and Telepiu was greatly motivated by sports rights issues, a leading UK media analyst has told sportbusiness.com.
WSS signs golf partnership
Management company World Sports Solutions (WSS) is expanding its golf involvement by partnering the Gary Player Group for all European activity.
Espanyol seek to renew stadium contract
Espanyol and Barcelona Promotions are seeking to renew the contract Espanyol has with the Catalan government committee, BP for use of the Olympic Stadium for home soccer games.
Partizan to start own television channel.
Yugoslav first division soccer club Partizan Belgrade will start broadcasting their own television channel on Friday.
Soccer Grand Prix series aims for 1bn viewers for first season
A new crowd-pleasing motor-racing Grand Prix series featuring cars racing in the livery of Europe’s top soccer clubs is aiming to reach one billion viewers in its first season, sportbusiness.com can reveal.
RFEF to investigate real Madrid incentives
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president says he will look into allegations made by a former Real Madrid official that the club paid incentives to other teams to win matches against their rivals.
Fire delays World Karate Championships
The fire in Madrid's Palacio de los Deportes has meant that the XIV World Karate Championships will take place one week later than expected and in a new venue.
FBI to publish Deloitte & Touche Rich List
Readers of Football Business International, SportBusiness' soccer specific title, due to be launched in September, will be the first to discover which is the richest football club in the world.
Brazil withdraw threat to throw out Barca
Brazil has withdrawn its threat to have Barcelona thrown out of the European Champions League if they do not release Rivaldo for international duty.