Business

The Football League and the clubs it represents seem to believe they have a God given right to TV revenues, says Joe Cogan, executive editor of internet sports content publisher Sportev.

UK terrestrial platform ITV Digital has gone into administration today - almost certainly signalling the end of its ITV Sport Channel.

Granada, the major shareholder with Carlton Communications in the ITV Digital fiasco, will see a 25 percent up-side from the platform's closure - even if they have to pay costs running into the hundreds of millions of pounds.

Coors Brewing Company has reached a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the National Football League, it has been confirmed.

Victory in Moscow's bid to host the 2005 World Athletics Championship will result in a $30million (EUR34.38m) spend - according to sport chiefs in the Russian capital.

The financially troubled German media giant the Kirch Group is just 24 hours away from bankruptcy, according to reports.

Chelsea Village PLC, owners of the English Premier League soccer club, has reported a turnover increase of 17 percent to £57.2million ($81.5m/EUR93.1m) in its interim results to December 31, 2001.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) will have to fork out an estimated £1m ($1.4m/EUR1.6m) after it lost its legal case against two former England captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith.

US internet and cable TV company Oxygen Media, which was set up in 1998 to target the women's market, is to cut 20 jobs and reduce its sports programming.

Sports content provider Sports.com is to replace Sportal as the content distributor for the official website of Italian Serie A soccer club Juventus.

Building society Nationwide has renewed its sponsorship with the English Football Association - signing up to become the latest member of the FA's elite new partner programme.

The Nationwide Building Society is expected to announce today that it is signing a new four-year sponsorship deal with the Football Association, according to reports.

The final decision on whether the rebuilding of Wembley Stadium can take place is likely to be delayed again because it would clash with local elections taking place in England and Wales.

UK sports investment firm Online Sports & Leisure plc has agreed to buy a 22 percent stake in Sports Network - the boxing promotion and management business of Frank Warren - for an initial £2.8million ($4m/EUR4.5m) payment.

UEFA president, Lennart Johansson, has hit back at proposals by Sepp Blatter to weaken Europe's position in world soccer.

Cell phone giant Vodafone has signed a title sponsorship deal for this September's Formula One Italian Grand Prix .