Headlines of 2012
January 2, 2013
July
Military Sends Extra Troops to Aid Shamed G4S at Olympics
G4S, the Official Security Services Provider of London 2012, have failed in their promises to provide the recommended amount of security personnel for the Games.
Instead up to 3,500 extra troops will be needed for security duties during the Olympics amid fears that private firm G4S will not be able to meet the needs, the defence secretary will say today.
Wimbledon to be Moved Back a Week in 2015
Wimbledon organisers have decided to be put back the event a week in the calendar, starting in 2015.
The decision will mean there will be a three-week gap between the French Open and Wimbledon. Currently there is just a two-week period between the two grand slam tournaments.
IRB Appoints Brett Gosper as CEO
The International Rugby Board has appointed Brett Gosper as its Chief Executive Officer.
Vastly experienced and with an impressive sport and business track record, Gosper will start the role on August 15 and joins the federation at an exciting time for a sport that continues to experience unprecedented global participation, interest and commercial growth.
Tokyo 2020 Bid President Takeda Elected to IOC
Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) and Tokyo 2020, was elected Thursday as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC
Sir Craig Reedie Elected Vice-President of IOC
Britain’s Sir Craig Reedie, a member of the London Olympics organising committee board, was elected as an International Olympic Committee vice-president on Thursday .
Chevrolet to Become Manchester United’s New Shirt Sponsor
General Motors brand Chevrolet has agreed to become Manchester United’s new shirt sponsor beginning with the 2014/2015 season.
Chevrolet, the current Official Car Partner of the Club, will become only the fifth shirt sponsor in the Club’s 134 year history.
Seb Coe: Empty Olympic Seats to be Filled
Sebastian Coe, London 2012 chairman has vowed to fill seats with troops and students following reports of empty seats at a few Olympic venues.
Gaps were visible at a number of venues today and yesterday, including the Aquatics Centre, gymnastics and beach volleyball – other venues such as rowing, boxing, shooting and handball were full.
August
Randy Lerner Completes Sale of Cleveland Browns
Randy Lerner has completed the sale of NFL franchise Cleveland Browns to Tennessee businessman Jimmy Haslam III.
Jon Jones Becomes First UFC Fighter to Get Nike Sponsorship
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has signed a global deal with sportswear giant Nike.
Jones, the 25-year-old UFC light heavyweight champion, confirmed on his Twitter account that he has signed an endorsement deal with Nike, becoming the first mixed-martial-artist to wear the famed swoosh on a global scale.
Closing Ceremony Attracts 26 Million Viewers
London’s Olympic closing ceremony last night attracted a peak audience of 26 million viewers on BBC.
The ceremony, with performances from the Spice Girls, Take That and The Who, banked 22.9 million average viewers and a massive 80.7% audience share for BBC One between 9pm on Sunday and the early hours of Monday morning. 18.5 million viewers were still tuned in to the ceremony at midnight.
Lord Moynihan to Quit as BOA Chairman
British Olympic Association (BOA) Chairman Colin Moynihan has decided to leave his post later this year.
Moynihan, who helped steer Team GB to 29 gold medals and third place in the medal table at London 2012, will step down in November when a successor is elected.
Nike to be England’s Official Kit Supplier
American sportswear giant Nike is on the verge of signing a deal with the England football team that would make them their official kit provider.
Nike, who already supply the England rugby team, are believed to be launching the new ‘Away’ strip for the soccer team, despite their official kit sponsor Umbro’s existing 20 million pound deal, which was supposed to run till 2018.
September
Manchester United’s Share Price Drops to All-Time Low
Manchester United’s share price has dropped to $12 – its lowest price yet and giving the club a valuation 40% less than the Glazers had hoped.
Ten per cent of United’s shares were put up for sale on the New York Stock Exchange last month with their American owners hoping to achieve a price of $20 each, which would have valued the club at $3.3 billion.
October
Nike Severs Ties with Lance Armstrong
Cyclist Lance Armstrong has been hit with double disappointment after Nike ended their ties with the American who also stepped down as chairman from his cancer charity Livestrong.
Goal-Line Technology to be Implemented after FIFA Signs Deals
Goal-line technology is now a visible possibility after FIFA signed licence agreements after sports technology providers, GoalRef and Hawk-Eye.
New Jersey F1 Race Postponed Until 2014
New Jersey will not host a Formula One race in 2013 according to F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Ecclestone suggested organizers “misjudged” the commercial and logistic requirements for hosting the event. Instead the American race will take place in 2014 .
Monisha Kaltenborn Named Sauber’s New Team Principal
Monisha Kaltenborn has become Formula One’s first female team principal on Thursday after taking the helm at Sauber from founder Peter Sauber with immediate effect.
The Swiss-based team said in a statement at the Korean Grand Prix that 41-year-old Kaltenborn, who was previously chief executive, would take over Sauber’s duties at race weekends.
November
Infiniti Get Title Sponsorship Rights to F1 Champions Red Bull Racing
Newly crowned Formula One Constructor’s world champions, Red Bull will have a new name from 2013, becoming officially Infiniti Red Bull Racing as of the start of next season, after an expansion to its partnership with the Japanese car manufacturer.
New York Mayor Cancels Marathon Following Hurricane Sandy
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced that the New York marathon has been cancelled in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy.
The Mayor had earlier made a statement that the event would go ahead and be dedicated to victims of Sandy and their families.
UCI Sponsor Sues Cycling Governing Body over Doping Fiasco
Australian clothing brand SKINS has filed a law suit against the International Cycling Union (UCI) seeking $2 million in damages and alleging that the sport’s governing body lacked leadership in the fight against doping.
Rory McIlroy Set to Sign Nike Mega-Deal
Following storng rumours Rory McIlroy is set to join sports giant Nike for the upcoming season for a staggering $250 million deal.
Sebastian Coe Confirmed as BOA Chairman
Sebastian Coe has appointed the new chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman, succeeding Colin Moynihan after being voted in unopposed.
Coe’s only competition for the role, head of British hockey Richard Leman, withdrew from the election in October to clear the path for the two-time Olympic champion following his role in delivering “the most successful Olympics in history”.
News Corp Completes Takeover of ESPN Star Sports
Media conglomerate News Corp, owned by Rupert Murdoch has completed the acquisition of ESPN Star Sports.
News Corp had in June announced that it will buyout ESPN’s 50 per cent stake in ESS to become the sole owner of the sports network.
Chelsea Announce First-Ever Profit Under Abramovich Ownership
Chelsea FC plc today announced a profit of £1.4 million for the first time in Roman Abramovich tenure as owner of the Premier League club.
The figures, for the year ending 30th June 2012, showed a record group turnover of £255.7 million, making Chelsea the fifth largest club in Europe in terms of revenue.
Scottish Football League Looking for Division Restructure
The Scottish Football League has revealed the 30 member clubs have voted unanimously to pursue a reconstruction proposal,
The SFL met on Wednesday to discuss a three tier 16-10-16 league structure, which does not as yet include Old Firm reserve teams as reported in advance of the meeting.
Barcelona Announce Qatar Airways as New Shirt Sponsor
Spanish soccer giants FC Barcelona have announced Qatar Airways will be their new shirt sponsor from the 2013/14 campaign.
Pepsi Replaces DLF as IPL Title Sponsor
Pepsi have made an entrance to the Indian sponsorship market after bagging the rights to title sponsor the cash-rich Indian Premier League in a five-year deal.
Coca-Cola Re-Enters F1 Market with Lotus F1 Deal
The Coca-Cola Company will return to Formula 1 in January 2013 through its global energy brand “burn” in a multi-year sponsorship of Lotus F1 Team.
Details of the sponsorship will be revealed in 2013 when the partnership officially launches.
December
West Ham United Named Preferred Bidder for Olympic Stadium
West Ham United have been announced as the ‘Highest-Ranked Bidder’ to move into the Olympic Stadium.
The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) ranked the Premier League club’s bid as the number one choice after a meeting on Wednesday.
Euro 2020 to be Staged in Multiple Countries
The Euro 2020 Championships will be staged in multiple cities across the continent, UEFA have announced.
The decision was taken by UEFA’s executive committee at a meeting in Lausanne on Thursday.
Baku to Host First European Olympics in 2015
The first-ever European Olympics is set to be a reality after Baku, capital of Azerbaijan was announced host of the inaugural event in 2015.
The European Olympic Committee voted to approve the creation of the new competition, which will be held every four years, after all 49 member countries met to discuss the proposal in Rome.
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