Events

The Italian government are to prepare new rules limiting a single digital television broadcaster from owning more than 60 percent of rights to the total amount of football games, an Italian newspaper has reported.

Confusion over scheduling, disputes over judges' decisions, rumours of food poisoning and an upside down flag are some of the problems faced by organisers of this week's Asian Winter Games in South Korea.

A major corporate sponsor of the Sydney 2000 Games, car maker GM-Holden, has said it was concerned about the impact of the International Olympic Committee corruption crisis on its sponsorship investment.

The Boyer Group has been appointed the exclusive signage sales agent for Stadium Australia in a seven-year deal.

The United States Olympic Committee will give the eight American cities bidding for the chance to become the US candidate for the 2012 Olympic Games more time to prepare their bids.

Gaylord Entertainment Company has acquired the naming rights to the Nashville Arena from the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators.

Melbourne has tabled a bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games in anticipation of the International Olympic Committee moving to a system of rotating regions when awarding future Games.

World motor racing body FIA said it is expecting the European Commission's antitrust department to formally outline its objections to the commercial aspects of Formula One and other championships soon.

Six European cities desperate for their two weeks in the world spotlight will pledge their undying loyalty to the Olympic movement next week as the contest to host the 2006 Winter Games reaches its climax.

FIFA and Women's World Cup have brought in a leading live entertainment producer to create an elaborate opening ceremony field production which will include the choreographed movements of 1,500 girls from local schools to form four giant female soccer players on the field.

Sponsors of soccer's world famous FA Cup competition are holding crisis talks over fears holders Manchester United will pull-out of this year's tournament.

The European Commission has opened formal proceedings into Formula 1 and other international motor racing series.

German TV channel TM3, which pulled off the coup of the year in German sports broadcasting by buying the rights to Champions League soccer, aims to triple its market share in the long term, according to a German magazine report.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has signed an IR#18 million ($24.3 million) sponsorship deal with the country's Telecom provider.

A report in the UK's Financial Times has added substance to earlier newspaper reports that BSkyB are looking to buy a stake under 10% in Leeds Sporting plc, which owns Premier League club Leeds United.

Westwood One, America's largest radio network, and SportsLine USA, the leading global Internet sports media company and publisher of CBS SportsLine, have signed a three-year, $9 million promotional and programming agreement.

Lucozade Sport, has signed as the Official Sports Drink Supplier to the 1999 London Triathlon, which takes place on 19th September at the Royal Albert Docks, London.

US investment group Liberty Media has moved to calm fears that its buy-out of six German cable television companies from Deutsche Telekom had stalled by announcing that a deal has been signed worth around $4.95 billion (?5.5bn).