Media

UEFA's executive committee will consider changes to the format of the Champions League and could reduce the size of the competition, UEFA president Lennart Johansson said on Thursday.

Manchester United?s club television channel ? MUTV ? has been launched in Scandinavia, giving fans in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland the ability to subscribe to the digital broadcast.

The battle for one of the world's hottest broadcast deals kicked off on Monday when England's top 20 soccer clubs set terms for the sale of their lucrative Premier League screening rights.

European Rugby Cup Limited (ERC) and ISL Worldwide have mutually agreed to end their relationship with regard to the European Cup and European Shield competitions.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has slammed suggestions he was preparing to relax his grip on Grand Prix racing, saying he would have to be carried out in a coffin before he left the sport.

UK terrestrial broadcaster Channel 4 has signed a one-year deal worth #4m with StepStone, the European online recruitment agency, giving StepStone broadcast sponsorship of all sport coverage on Channel 4.

Australian broadcaster the Seven Network Ltd has said its pay-TV unit C7 is to take a stake in digital broadband services provider Access1 Ltd as part of a content alliance.

UK all-sport radio station talkSPORT says it is being `robbed? of ratings after a survey revealed many listeners mistook its broadcasts for that of its rival the BBC.

Bookmakers have opposed the British government's decision to sell the state-owned Tote betting business to the racing industry on grounds it would be a virtual monopoly.

The first dedicated worldwide football betting Internet service has been launched.

The Internet could provide $1 billion in new revenue for Europe's top football clubs within the next 10 years, according to a UEFA newsletter.

European soccer's showcase club competition, the Champions League, should be shorter, according to Bayern Munich commercial manager Uli Hoeness.

Artificial turf can be used for official international matches outside the finals of FIFA competitions, world soccer's governing body has said.

While European soccer continues to enjoy massive popularity racism remains a cloud over the sport in some territories. The issue may, primarily, be a social concern but there may be long-term commercial implications for the corporations who pour millions into the sport in sponsorship.

The judge investigating allegations of match-fixing and betting against Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram and two other leading players has said he expected to submit his report next week.

The beleaguered organisers of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games have suffered a second blow in two days when the official broadcaster suspended its advertising contract.