Sponsorship & Marketing

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and the Breeders? Cup are close to a merger deal which includes an estimated $3.5 million in cash.

Three-times Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has been asked by the German tax administration to pay 10 million marks ($4.63 million), reports the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

The Indian team for the Olympic Games 2000 will be sponsored by Samsung, the information technology and telecommunications company, which is spending about $200 million in 40 countries on its Sydney Games marketing programme.

New Zealand Cricket has extended its sponsorship agreement with Clear Channel, the Texas-based media company.

Sydney Olympic Games marketeers have cruelly ignored the two animals most associated with Australia in their choice of Olympic mascots. Kangaroos and Koala Bears have been sidelined to make way for a new cast of animal stars: the duck-billed platypus, the kookaburra and the echidna (a spiny anteater).

The International Olympic Committee has appointed Sports Marketing Surveys to conduct worldwide television monitoring and broadcast analysis research for the Sydney Olympic Games.

Sportswear firm adidas is denying accusations of ambush marketing ? despite stepping up its Olympic-based advertising campaign in Australia.

European van firm LDV has signed as the main sponsor of Scottish Premier League soccer team St Mirren.

Bavarian tycoon Leo Kirch's media group has confirmed it plans to unite its three sports rights management agencies in a new holding company and integrate the Internet more strongly into its sports activities.

German sports marketing company, Global Sportnet, has extended its rights portfolio by signing a marketing contract with the most successful club in Greek football.

Dodge Motorsports' Winston Cup apparel went on sale last week, an early reminder to NASCAR fans that Dodge is returning next year to the U.S. racing series made popular by drivers Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon.

ISL Worldwide is to buy up all outdoor media sites surrounding the venues staging soccer?s Euro 2000 in a bid to thwart any plans of ambush marketing.

Sportsworld Media Group plc, the sports, media and entertainment business, has been appointed as exclusive marketing and media agent to the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the governing body for the sports of Triathlon, Duathlon and related multi-sports worldwide.

Sportvision, a leader in sports media technology, has named Larry Novenstern as Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing. Mr. Novenstern joins Sportvision from BBDO Worldwide, the third largest global advertising agency network, where he served as Senior Vice President and Director of Sports Marketing Services.

Following yesterday?s announcement that William Burkhardt has been promoted to the new position of executive vice president, ESPN International and Enterprises, ESPN President George Bodenheimer has announced further senior executive promotions.

The Eurobet Arrows F3000 team has been officially launched at the Arrows F1 Team's Leafield, Oxfordshire headquarters.

South Korean sports site start?ups are proliferating and using US-based sports marketing models, according to a report from The Korean Times.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Sema Group are due to sign their master information technology agreement in New York later today.