Spain

NBA fans in more than 750 million households around the world will be able to tune into the NBA Finals 2000 featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers.

Americans will see no live television coverage of the Sydney Olympics because of an 18 hour time difference between the two nations, NBC television officials were quoted as telling the Los Angeles Times.

On the day that News Corps and Vivendi have proposed a joint shareholding of their digital businesses, European media big-hitters Bertelsmann, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert and Pearson (PTV) have agreed to merge CLT-UFA, Europe's leading commercial television and radio broadcaster, with Pearson Television, the independent television production company.

Spanish telecommunications giant Telefonica are still interested in buying Minardi, the Italian Formula One team has confirmed.

The Spanish Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a small sporting-goods distributor Cidesport, which claimed Spanish rights to the Nike name that has been registered in Spain since 1932.

Atletico Madrid president Jesus Gil and his board were suspended on Wednesday until March 31 from running the club after Spain's high court said it wanted to ask questions about alleged misuses of funds.

With no sign of last-minute candidates tossing their hats into the ring, the fight for the FIFA presidency is set to be a tussle between two soccer heavyweights - a smooth-talking Swiss and an affable, straightforward Swede.

A new European Super League moved several steps closer after announcemnts from UEFA, and top clubs Manchester United, Arsenal and Ajax Amsterdam.

In Germany football clubs are eager to float and London banks want to help, according to a Reuters report.

Computer services company Sema Group Plc has said it had been chosen to run information techology for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the years 2001 to 2008.

Italian Serie A soccer club Internazionale remain on course for a flotation despite the resignation earlier this month of their chairman Massimo Moratti whose departure was followed by several other board members.

The French parliament have adopted a draft law governing professional sports clubs that allows clubs to take on a new status as limited companies and to sell shares.

President Fidel Castro has thrown his weight behind Cuba's ambitious bid to host the 2008 Olympics, saying it was merited both because of the island's athletic record and as a right for the Third World in general.

Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid has hit back at claims it has defaulted on a transfer payment ? saying it has all been a `misunderstanding?.

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.

Florentino Perez, president of Spanish soccer club Real Madrid, wants to follow Manchester United's example in exploiting marketing opportunities in the game.