Sponsorship & Marketing

Michael Jordan – the man who revolutionised athlete endorsements - has decided not to hold a news conference this week to announce whether he is coming out of retirement because of last week's terror attacks in New York and Washington.

Soccer legent Johan Cruyff will become the global ambassador for Hyundai during the World Cup next year in Japan and South Korea, following a deal with sports marketing giant Octagon.

UK Athletics has signed a five-year, £20m ($29.3m/B

The Seven Network and Soccer Australia have confirmed broadcast plans for the 2001/2002 soccer season.

InterClubNet, the Alternative Investment Market (AIM)-listed online player-trading platform, has appointed Alec McGivan as its international sales and marketing director.

UFA Sports has signed a deal with Turkish soccer club Galatasaray to act as the marketing agency for the club for four years .

Premier One Racing is set to announce its first English soccer club later this month - as it promises all major European clubs will be represented in the new motorsport.

Internet giant Yahoo! has signed a deal with soccer's world governing body FIFA to manage and run the official websites of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups - in doing so becoming the 15th and final official partner for next year's tournament.

Sportsetail, the merchandising business owned as a joint venture by the UK’s Hay & Robertson and BSkyB, has reached a European product and distribution agreement with FIFA for the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.

London stock market-listed Sportsworld Media Group plc has issued a statement reiterating its confidence in meeting market expectations for the year ended 30 June 2001, despite a 20% fall (from a weekly high of 373.5p 312.5p) in its share price over recent days.

The New York Yankees has created its own television company called YES with hopes of doubling its broadcast revenues.

An official of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Football Association has told sportbusiness.com that assistance is required from international stadium companies in the renovation of the Middle-Eastern state’s soccer infrastructure

Brazilian rights marketing company Traffic, who lobbied furiously to get the troubled Copa America in Colombia reinstated, are now demanding that Argentina are fined and excluded from the next tournament, to be held in Peru in 2003.

Copyright Promotions Partners (CPP) Korea, CPLG's joint-venture company handling the World Cup 2002 licensing programme for Asia Pacific, has held a fashion show in Seoul displaying over 500 World Cup Japan/Korea 2002 licensed products.

The future for a new Wembley Stadium looks bleak after it became clear the UK government is unlikely to support a new major national stadium in London.

The following profiles show the strengths and weaknesses of the five candidates seeking to take over from Juan Antonio Samaranch when he retires after 21 years in charge of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July.

Hurt by the biggest corruption scandal in its history and the perennial problem of drugs in sport, it would be no surprise if the Olympic movement turned to a clean-cut doctor to run its affairs.