Business

English Premier League champions Manchester United have chalked up a 79 percent rise in pre-tax profits for the six months to 31 January according to the club's latest set of financial results.

Australian Rugby Union (ARU) managing director John O'Neill has flown back to Britain for another meeting with World Cup officials to further discuss the ongoing issue of joint hosting the event with New Zealand.

CART has completed the restructuring of its communications division.

Atlanta-based company, Immersion Entertainment, LLC, has developed a portable action replay system for fans of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

The International Cricket Council's (ICC) bid to become a more polished organisation has taken a step forward, according to officials attending a four-day seminar in South Africa.

Mercedes-Benz and the ATP have renewed their marketing partnership.

The collapse of the English Football League's deal with ITV Digital may prompt it to set up its own pay-TV platform, according to media reports.

The Scotland and Ireland Euro 2008 bid team have appointed Craigie Taylor International and their Scotland based associates RiversGani Communications to manage their International media relations campaign.

Many of the key challenges facing sports sponsors and broadcasters will be brought into sharp focus during a seminar session during this week’s SportelAmerica sports television market in Miami.

Manchester United is expected to see revenues rise by about £7million ($10m/EUR11m) to £77m ($110m/EUR125m) for the half-year ending January 31, according to sports analysts at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein.

UEFA's in-house marketing team has signed its first major sponsorship deal for the Euro 2004 soccer tournament.

Major League Baseball's Chicago White Sox has signed an exclusive multi-year ticketing deal with Tickets.com.

New Zealand rugby officials say they had approached the International Rugby Board (IRB) with a plan to resolve the hosting of next year's Rugby World Cup.

Multi-soccer club stake-holder ENIC plc has reported a £1million ($1.43m/EUR1.62m) profit in the company's unaudited interim results for the period ending December 31, 2001.

Formula One racing driver Eddie Irvine has heavily criticised the FIA's decision to allow each driver only one engine for the three days of a Grand Prix weekend from 2004.

Avaya, the technology partner for this summer's World Cup in Japan and South Korea has signed a six figure sponsorship deal with pan-European sports website Sports.com.

Football League representatives will meet the 72 member clubs tomorrow to discuss the revised offer made by ITV Digital for the lower league's broadcast rights.

Formula One governing body, the FIA, has been given the green light to forge ahead with controversial plans to cut costs with the aim of helping smaller teams compete more effectively.