NHL`s Panthers use football agent in ad campaign

(PANTHERS, MARKETING, CAMPAIGN, SEASON, TICKET, WOULD)

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Drew Rosenhaus, a sports agent who typically battles with football team owners to get lucrative contracts for his clients, has been enlisted by the NHL`s Florida Panthers in a marketing campaign to boost season-ticket sales.
"This is part of our new marketing campaign that`s launching next week," Panthers President Michael Yormark said in a statement Tuesday. "The premise of the campaign is that he`s been retained by Panthers` fans to renegotiate the season-ticket pricing."
Sports teams have been hurt by the recession as fans cut back on spending at games or attend fewer events. In the National Hockey League, the tight credit markets have led to the expected sale of several teams as well as the bankruptcy of the Phoenix Coyotes.
The Panthers last season had an average attendance of 15,621 at its home arena, which seats 19,250 people. A full-season Panthers ticket currently costs an average $54.16.
Rosenhaus, who represents such National Football League players as wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson, will appear in television, radio and print ads talking about how he has been hired by fans of the hockey team to negotiate lower season-ticket prices and other benefits for the 2009-2010 season that begins in the fall, Yormark said.
The campaign is set to start on July 7, but the team would not confirm if it would result in lower season ticket prices.
(Reporting by Ben Klayman, Editing by Maureen Bavdek)
Original article

Venus restores order after Murray epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, CENTER, COURT, WOMEN, VENUS)

By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Sobriety returned to Wimbledon Tuesday after the heady brew of the night before with Center Court open to the sunny skies and women`s champion Venus Williams blasting through to the semi-finals.
The 29-year-old American romped to a 5-0 lead against Poland`s Agnieszka Radwanska and completed a 6-1 6-2 victory on auto-pilot as slumbering Court One fans applauded politely in temperatures soaring into the 30s Celsius again.
Fourth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva then crushed Italy`s Francesca Schiavone 6-2 6-2 in quick time meaning that holders of costly Court One tickets were treated to a mere two hours 14 minutes of singles play.
Venus will face world number one Dinara Safina for a place in her eighth Wimbledon singles final after the Muscovite wore down unseeded German Sabine Lisicki 6-7 6-4 6-1 on Center Court in a match that at least resembled a proper contest.
Second seed Serena plays Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the day`s last quarter-final with a sense of predictability sweeping women`s tennis. Most pundits have already pencilled in a fourth Wimbledon final between the insatiable sisters Saturday.
"That first set for me was really almost perfect," Venus told reporters. "Do I feel invincible? I`d like to say yes, but I really do work at it."
Having won 33 consecutive sets at Wimbledon it seems only Serena is capable of stopping her. Asked what it must be like to have to play herself, Venus said: "I have no idea. I guess the same way I feel when I have to face Serena Williams."
The drowsy nature of what should be one of the biggest days in the women`s draw was all a stark contrast to Monday`s late-night blockbuster in which Andy Murray fought tooth and nail for nearly four hours to beat Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka under Center Court`s illuminated canopy.
That electrifying five-set contest will go down in Wimbledon folklore as the day the tournament changed forever and it was pretty much all anybody was talking about as the fans poured through the gates on another sweltering day.
Murray`s victory -- played out in front of 15,000 fans on Center Court, thousands more crammed together in the dark on Henman Hill and a British television audience of 12.6 million -- has set a high standard that sadly the women could not match.
"The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds," Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said of the events of the previous night.
Murray, who had a day off to recover before his last eight assignment against Juan Carlos Ferrero, said it was the noisiest crowd he had ever played in front of -- which for somebody with experience of U.S. Open night sessions was quite a statement.
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Yao injury could be career-threatening, says doctor

(HOUSTON, INJURY, CLANTON, SEASON, COULD, WOULD)

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Houston Rockets center Yao Ming`s foot injury is severe enough to end his career, the team doctor told the Houston Chronicle newspaper.
A CT scan showed Yao`s injury not only failed to heal as expected but has got worse, Rockets physician Tom Clanton said.
"At this point, the injury has the potential for him missing this next season and could be career-threatening," Clanton said on the paper`s website (www.chron.com).
Clanton said he was trying to "make certain there is no option we are overlooking that would provide an earlier return or would be an option for treatment that he would prefer rather than doing additional surgery."
The 7-ft-6in (2.29m), 310-pound (140.6 kg) Chinese center could try to immobilize the left foot in the hope that the hairline fracture will heal on its own, Clanton said.
He added that because Yao had no pain or other symptoms there was reason to be optimistic that approach could work.
Yao, a seven-times NBA All-Star, fractured his foot during the Western Conference semi-finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8.
He averaged 19.7 points per game and 9.9 rebounds this season.
(Writing by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; Editing by Sonia Oxley)
Original article

Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, MURRAY, AUSTRALIAN, PERKINS, REGULAR)

By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - "Andymonium" reigned supreme at Wimbledon as fans of newly crowned "King of The Night" Andy Murray threatened to blow the new roof off Center Court.
But Wimbledon officials were quick on Tuesday to stress after Murray`s epic night marathon that the world`s most famous tennis tournament would always be a daytime, open-air event.
Players at Wimbledon will not be following the U.S. and Australian Opens with matches played deep into the night.
Anyone who watched the first late night match in the cathedral of tennis will never forget the deafening roar on Monday evening.
The British third seed got a standing ovation from 15,000 screaming fans who leapt to their feet whenever he struck a winner in his titanic five-set victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.
Forget the British stiff upper lip. Reserve was abandoned. Fans punched the air, cheering till they were hoarse. Union Jack flags were frenetically waved.
"At the end, that was probably the noisiest crowd I played in front of," Murray said.
But he was not complaining. "Support is great. If it`s loud, then it`s better."
Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins, reflecting on Murray`s gladiatorial fourth-round battle with Wawrinka, said: "The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds."
London`s transport system was suddenly confronted late at night with thousands of spectators pouring onto the streets in search of a bus or a train.
"A lot of people descended on the system when not expected. This will not be a regular experience," Perkins told Reuters.
"This is not the start of regular night shifts. This is not the U.S. or the Australian Open. We are conscious we are in a residential area. We need to think of our neighbors," he said.
Murray thought Wimbledon should stay a daytime tournament and not adopt regular night-time sessions.
"You can`t really do it. I don`t think for the outside courts and stuff. They can`t play because of the dew and they don`t have floodlights. I like it being a day event."
Once the euphoria of novelty had died down, Wimbledon spokesman Perkins agreed: "It was an historic occasion but as with all historic occasions, it is best if they don`t happen too often."
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Related articles:
Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic
Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, MURRAY, AUSTRALIAN, PERKINS, REGULAR)

By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - "Andymonium" reigned supreme at Wimbledon as fans of newly crowned "King of The Night" Andy Murray threatened to blow the new roof off Center Court.
But Wimbledon officials were quick on Tuesday to stress after Murray`s epic night marathon that the world`s most famous tennis tournament would always be a daytime, open-air event.
Players at Wimbledon will not be following the U.S. and Australian Opens with matches played deep into the night.
Anyone who watched the first late night match in the cathedral of tennis will never forget the deafening roar on Monday evening.
The British third seed got a standing ovation from 15,000 screaming fans who leapt to their feet whenever he struck a winner in his titanic five-set victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.
Forget the British stiff upper lip. Reserve was abandoned. Fans punched the air, cheering till they were hoarse. Union Jack flags were frenetically waved.
"At the end, that was probably the noisiest crowd I played in front of," Murray said.
But he was not complaining. "Support is great. If it`s loud, then it`s better."
Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins, reflecting on Murray`s gladiatorial fourth-round battle with Wawrinka, said: "The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds."
London`s transport system was suddenly confronted late at night with thousands of spectators pouring onto the streets in search of a bus or a train.
"A lot of people descended on the system when not expected. This will not be a regular experience," Perkins told Reuters.
"This is not the start of regular night shifts. This is not the U.S. or the Australian Open. We are conscious we are in a residential area. We need to think of our neighbors," he said.
Murray thought Wimbledon should stay a daytime tournament and not adopt regular night-time sessions.
"You can`t really do it. I don`t think for the outside courts and stuff. They can`t play because of the dew and they don`t have floodlights. I like it being a day event."
Once the euphoria of novelty had died down, Wimbledon spokesman Perkins agreed: "It was an historic occasion but as with all historic occasions, it is best if they don`t happen too often."
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Related articles:
Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, MURRAY, AUSTRALIAN, PERKINS, REGULAR)

By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - "Andymonium" reigned supreme at Wimbledon as fans of newly crowned "King of The Night" Andy Murray threatened to blow the new roof off Center Court.
But Wimbledon officials were quick on Tuesday to stress after Murray`s epic night marathon that the world`s most famous tennis tournament would always be a daytime, open-air event.
Players at Wimbledon will not be following the U.S. and Australian Opens with matches played deep into the night.
Anyone who watched the first late night match in the cathedral of tennis will never forget the deafening roar on Monday evening.
The British third seed got a standing ovation from 15,000 screaming fans who leapt to their feet whenever he struck a winner in his titanic five-set victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.
Forget the British stiff upper lip. Reserve was abandoned. Fans punched the air, cheering till they were hoarse. Union Jack flags were frenetically waved.
"At the end, that was probably the noisiest crowd I played in front of," Murray said.
But he was not complaining. "Support is great. If it`s loud, then it`s better."
Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins, reflecting on Murray`s gladiatorial fourth-round battle with Wawrinka, said: "The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds."
London`s transport system was suddenly confronted late at night with thousands of spectators pouring onto the streets in search of a bus or a train.
"A lot of people descended on the system when not expected. This will not be a regular experience," Perkins told Reuters.
"This is not the start of regular night shifts. This is not the U.S. or the Australian Open. We are conscious we are in a residential area. We need to think of our neighbors," he said.
Murray thought Wimbledon should stay a daytime tournament and not adopt regular night-time sessions.
"You can`t really do it. I don`t think for the outside courts and stuff. They can`t play because of the dew and they don`t have floodlights. I like it being a day event."
Once the euphoria of novelty had died down, Wimbledon spokesman Perkins agreed: "It was an historic occasion but as with all historic occasions, it is best if they don`t happen too often."
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Costs squeeze profits at Japan`s baseball teams

(BASEBALL, REVENUE, TEAMS, THEIR, COSTS, TIMES)

By Junko Fujita
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese baseball pulls in the fans, produces the players and rakes in revenue many American clubs would be proud of -- but in terms of profit they still languish in the little league.
Despite earning similar revenues to Major League Baseball teams in North America, few of Japan`s 12 big professional outfits say they are profitable, prompting even their once-indulgent owners to cut costs in tough times.
Add in the credit crunch and sliding TV revenues and teams are tightening their purse strings in ever more dramatic and visible ways, including the imminent departure of high-profile American manager Bobby Valentine from the Chiba Lotte Marines.
"However hard Japanese baseball teams work to cut costs and boost revenue, most of them can`t become profitable," said Munehiko Harada, a sports management professor at Waseda University. "They have done so much but they are still struggling. We might be seeing the limit of their potential now."
The contrast with U.S. teams, almost all of which are reported to be profitable according to a Forbes magazine list, comes down to huge stadium fees faced by Japan`s teams.
DIFFICULT TIMES
U.S. baseball teams typically own stadiums or get subsidized access to public facilities but most Japanese teams hire venues at commercial rates, often from private investors.
The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks pay 4.8 billion yen ($49 million) a year, a quarter of their annual revenue, to the Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC), owner of the team`s home stadium, said Itaru Kobayashi, a team director.
That is about seven times the sum the New York Yankees paid New York City for its former home, the Yankee Stadium, records from the New York City Comptroller`s Office show.
The Hawks, now owned by a mobile phone company, Softbank Corp, have never made a profit since the team was founded in 1938 despite having the fourth-highest audience.
"I always ask myself why it costs so much to operate a baseball team in Japan," Kobayashi laments.
Japanese teams survive because their losses are treated as tax-deductible marketing costs for their corporate owners, which include meat packer Nippon Meat Packers Inc, leasing company Orix Corp and drink maker Yakult Honsha.
But the sustainability of that model may be in doubt as team owners such as Orix, with a huge exposure to a troubled property market, face difficult times.
FIGHTING BACK
The departure of just one team could threaten a 60-year-old system of two leagues with just six teams each, as it did when high costs drove out Kintetsu Corp`s Buffaloes.  Continued...
Original article

McGehee grand slam propels Brewers to top spot

(BREWERS, FIRST, PLACE, MCGEHEE, INNING, THREE)

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Milwaukee Brewers moved into sole possession of first place in the National League Central with a 10-6 victory over the slumping New York Mets on Monday, the win highlighted by Casey McGehee`s first career grand slam.
McGehee acknowledged a curtain call ovation from the 39,872 fans at Miller Park after his sixth inning blast, winning over the same spectators who booed him for dropping a routine fly ball that led to two New York runs in the top of the inning.
"If somebody would have told me this time last year I`d have 40,000 people calling me out of a dugout for a curtain call, I would`ve said they were lying," McGehee, who has hit all five of his career homers in the last 13 games, told reporters.
"I didn`t really know what was going on. I`m just glad I was able to redeem myself a little bit."
Milwaukee`s win combined with the Cardinals` 10-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants put the Brewers (41-35) one game ahead of St Louis in the division, while the Mets lost their fourth straight game.
Braden Looper (6-4) went 6 1/3 innings for the win. Four relievers finished the game, including Trevor Hoffman, who came on in the ninth and needed just one pitch to induce a double-play and record his 18th save in 19 chances.
J.J. Hardy had four hits, including a homer, and Jason Kendall added three hits and an RBI for the Brewers, who had 19 hits off five New York pitchers.
"We were all really excited for him," Hardy said of McGehee, who was playing in just his 50th Major League contest.
"It`s also great to get into first place."
New York (37-38) fell one game under .500 for the first time since May 5 and slipped into third place in the NL East, three games behind the first place Philadelphia Phillies.
"If we cannot sustain a level of .500 play, then yeah, we need help," New York manager Jerry Manuel said. "We`re a below average team. Period."
Fernando Nieve (3-1) was roughed up for three runs on 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings and took the loss. Gary Sheffield homered, had three hits and three RBI and Ryan Church had four hits for New York.
(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto; Editing by John O`Brien)
Original article

Williams sisters head for familiar final tussle

(VENUS, SERENA, WIMBLEDON, HAVING, COURT, GRAND)

By Neil Maidment
LONDON (Reuters) - Sisters Venus and Serena Williams will go into Tuesday`s quarter-finals increasingly confident of setting up a fourth family showdown in the Wimbledon final.
Five-times Wimbledon winner Venus has ground to make up, having lost twice here to Serena in 2002 and 2003 before enjoying success in the 2008 showpiece.
Third seed Venus, consigned to Court One for the second day in a row despite being defending champion, faces Polish 11th seed Agnieszka Radwanska having won the last three of her four encounters with the Pole.
Opening on Center Court will be Russian top seed Dinara Safina, who will enjoy her second consecutive day in the limelight against unseeded German Sabine Lisicki, despite not having yet won a grand slam title.
Serena will follow Safina as the American continues her quest for an 11th grand slam title against eighth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
Serena, who destroyed Slovakia`s Daniela Hantuchova on Monday, will be looking for revenge having lost to Azarenka in this year`s Miami final.
Last up on Court One is unseeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy who plays Russian fourth seed and serial grand slam semi-finalist Elena Dementieva.
Dementieva has reached the semi-final at every grand slam event including three at Wimbledon in 2000, 2005 and 2008 and is tied 4-4 in her head-to-head record with Schiavone.
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Related articles:
Murray wins thriller under new roof

Murray wins thriller under new roof

(SECOND, MONDAY, FIRST, CHAMPION, THIRD, TITLE)

By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Heatwave conditions heralded the start of Wimbledon`s second week on Monday as the surviving 32 men and women in the singles draws chased quarter-finals slots.
With the mercury shooting past 30 degrees as Elena Dementieva polished off fellow Russian Elena Vesnina to become the first player into the last eight, fans grabbing spots near Henman Hill`s huge video screen in advance of the Andy Murray show later sizzled in the sunshine.
Defending women`s champion Venus Williams, looking for a third consecutive title here, was able to conserve vital energy, the American third seed strolling through to the quarters when tearful Serbian opponent Ana Ivanovic retired after losing the first set 6-1.
Like the third round of a golf major, nicknamed moving day, when the top players begin to rise up the leaderboard, Wimbledon`s second Monday is traditionally the moment when the main title contenders turn it up a notch.
Men`s favorite Roger Federer, seeking to reclaim the title he has won five times, has not been absent from the second week of Wimbledon since 2002, the year before his domination of the grasscourt slam began.
Federer, on course for a record 15th grand slam title, was scheduled first on Center Court for his fourth-round match against Robin Soderling, the Swede he beat in the French Open final earlier this month.
At times during the first week Federer appeared to be playing exhibition tennis, so untroubled was his progress, Soderling`s grass scorching serve and the baking temperatures should make the cool-as-a-cucumber Swiss break sweat.
SOARING TEMPERATURES
With older sister Venus already safely through, twice champion Serena Williams was also expected to make short work of unseeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova in the furnace-like bowl of Court Two.
Murray, the 22-year-old Scot tipped as Federer`s most likely opponent in the men`s singles final on Sunday, has become a tea-time fixture at this year`s championships.
The world number three was again scheduled third on Center Court to play the second best tennis player in Switzerland, Stanislas Wawrinka, when temperatures should have dipped to more comfortable levels.
Support for Murray has grown steadily since the start of the tournament and expectation levels, like the temperatures, are soaring with acres of newsprint mapping out the Scot`s likely route to greatness.
"The biggest question mark this week is whether Murray can maintain his poise," former men`s champion Boris Becker, now a BBC pundit, said on Monday. "If he can, then he is going all the way to the final."
Lleyton Hewitt`s vocal fan club, the Fanatics, will be back on Court Two to watch the 2002 champion take on Radek Stepanek having serenaded the Australian battler into the last 16 for a sixth consecutive year on Saturday.
After a first week of record-breaking crowds, up almost 10 percent on last year, large queues of hot and bothered fans snaked toward the All England Club again on Monday with another busy day expected for the club`s first-aiders.  Continued...
Original article

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Early slip costs Barnes outright lead

Russians enjoy mixed success in 4th round of Wimbledon

(WHILE, DEMENTIEVA, RUSSIAN, SAFINA, 6-3, PLAYER, WIMBLEDON)

Maria Sharapova poses, plays down Wimbledon hopes
MOSCOW, June 29 (RIA Novosti) - World No. 1 Dinara Safina and fellow Russian Yelena Dementieva won on Monday to secure places in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, while two compatriots were knocked out.
Top seed Safina enjoyed a narrow victory over Amelie Mauresmo, beating the French player in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, while No. 4 seed Dementieva sent another Russian Yelena Vesnina home in straight sets 6-1, 6-3.
A fourth Russian player, Nadia Petrova (10), is also packing her bags after losing to Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (6) 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 3-6.
Safina will play against Germany`s Sabine Lisicki for a semifinal place while Dementieva faces Francesca Schiavone of Italy.
 
Original article

Villarreal confirm interest in Pavlyuchenko

(MILLION, RUSSIAN, PAVLYUCHENKO, PAPER, TOTTENHAM, MOSCOW, TRANSFER)

MOSCOW, June 29 (RIA Novosti) - Spanish club Villarreal have confirmed their interest in Tottenham Hotspur`s Russian forward Roman Pavlyuchenko, Sport Express said on Monday.
The paper cited a Villarreal spokesman as saying that the former Spartak Moscow striker was one of the players the club was looking at to bolster its attacking force.
However, the paper also said that as the side was not prepared to spend more than 12 million euros ($16.8 million), a loan deal was the most likely option. Tottenham paid some $28 million for Pavlyuchenko last August.
Pavlyuchenko scored 14 times for Tottenham in his debut season. However, the majority of these goals came in the less-prestigious Carling Cup.
In other transfer news, Sport Express said that a deal to take CSKA Moscow`s Russian international Yury Zhirkov to Chelsea could be concluded in the next 48 hours. The Russian club could earn as much as $33 million from the transfer, the paper said.
The attacking left midfielder / defender has been an integral part of CSKA`s and Russia`s success over the past few years, scoring the second goal in a 3-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in the 2005 UEFA Cup final and starting every game in Russia`s run to the semifinals of Euro 2008.
He was recommended to the club by Russian national coach Guus Hiddink, who managed Chelsea from February to the end of the 2008/2009 season.
 
Original article

Three Russian women through to fourth round at Wimbledon

(ROUND, MATCH, VESNINA, PETROVA, DEMENTIEVA, 64, FRENCH)

MOSCOW, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia`s Dementieva, Petrova and Vesnina all made their way through to the fourth round of Wimbledon on Friday.
Twenty-seven-year-old Elena Dementieva trounced her unseeded compatriot, Regina Kulikova, in just under an hour 6:1, 6:2 to set up a fourth round meeting with another Russian, Elena Vesnina.
Vesnina, ranked 37th in the world, dropped the second set in her three-set thriller against Slovakia`s Dominika Cibulkova, seeded 14, but dug deep in the third to break the Slovak`s serve and win the match 7:5, 4:6, 6:4.
Earlier Nadia Petrova, seeded tenth, was also involved in a three setter against Argentine Gisela Dulko, who dumped Maria Sharapova earlier in the week. Petrova dropped the first set but her power began to tell as she broke back to take the final two sets and run away with the match 3:6, 6:3, 6:4.
In a post-match interview Dementieva, who was the 2008 Wimbledon semifinalist, said that she had been working on her fitness following her surprise third-round defeat in the French Open.
"I took some time off after the French Open and was working on my fitness and I was more focused on the footwork and just the core build exercise. I just started to practice a couple days before Eastbourne and came there early to get used to the surface. It`s really worked for me," the Olympic gold medalist winner told journalists.
 
Original article

Russian billionaire Prokhorov may buy NBA`s New Jersey Nets

(PROKHOROV, RUSSIAN, WEBSITE, BASKETBALL, RICHEST, PLANS, WOULD)

Prokhorov jumps to top of Russian richest list, Deripaska tumbles
Richest Russians
MOSCOW, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov is part of one of four groups interested in buying the New Jersey Nets basketball team, Sports Illustrated reported on Friday on its website.
SI said a highly placed National Basketball Association source predicted that Prokhorov - Russia`s richest man according to this year`s Forbes list - would get through the league`s vetting process for prospective owners.
The Sports.ru website said that the businessman`s Onexim group had denied having plans to buy the Nets.
"Mikhail Prokhorov has not made any plans to purchase this club nor held any negotiations," Igor Petrov was quoted as saying.
The 2.06-meter (6-foot-9) Prokhorov is known to be a big basketball fan, and as a major shareholder in Norilsk Nickel funded the Euroleague champions CSKA Moscow, before selling his stake in the metals giant last year.
He has long been interested in buying an NBA franchise, and has entered into preliminary negotiations with several teams, Sports.ru reported.
"Prokhorov would prefer to acquire a team, firstly, on the East Coast, where it`s easier for him to fly, and secondly, in a city where there are Russians," the website quoted a source as saying. "New Jersey fits this plan perfectly: it is virtually in New York, and soon will be right in New York - the team plans to move to Brooklyn."
 
Original article

Arsenal`s Andrei Arshavin dismisses his agent

(ARSHAVIN, CONTRACT, HOWEVER, ARSENAL, THINGS, EXPRESS, PROBLEM)

MOSCOW, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - Arsenal forward Andrei Arshavin has parted company with his agent, the player`s official website announced on Friday.
Dennis Lachter was regularly quoted by world sports media as Arshavin`s protracted, and at times torturous, move to Arsenal from Zenit St. Petersburg dragged on. Arshavin eventually signed for the London club in February.
He has however expressed dissatisfaction with his contract, worth 80,000 pounds ($127,000) a week.
"I have a problem with my contract. Certain nuances emerged linked to taxation and some other things. As a result, I`m getting less money than I expected. It`s not critical but I still need to put it right," the player told The Mail on Sunday in May.
However, the Russian international denied that contract problems lay behind his decision.
"This is in no way connected with the drawing up of my contract with Arsenal," Arshavin told Sport Express. "In fact, I would like to express my immense gratitude to Lachter for helping me make the move."
"However, Dennis, who has a newborn son, is living in Israel and can not be close by all the time. It`s simpler for me to solve things myself," he said.
 
Original article

Ukraine`s Euro 2012 prospects bleak admits President Yushchenko

(UKRAINE, UEFA, CONFIRMED, 30, VENUE, NOVEMBER, CITIES)

MOSCOW, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - Euro 2012 joint host Ukraine faces serious difficulties in completing preparations for the tournament, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said on Thursday.
Ukraine has been hard hit by the global financial crisis, and delays in the implementation of plans to improve infrastructure have lagged far behind UEFA requirements. UEFA president Michel Platini said recently that, "There are huge infrastructure problems to be resolved in Ukraine."
European football`s governing body has so far only confirmed that the capital, Kiev, will host games, although it has not yet approved the city as the venue for the final. A decision on the suitability of the three other cities - Donetsk, Lvov and Kharkov - will be made on November 30.
"November 30 is Judgment Day," Yushchenko said, as quoted by the Rosbalt news agency. "Believe me, I don`t want to play the role of a bearer of bad news, but all of this is a major warning."
Ukraine and Poland were named as joint hosts for the tournament in April 2007. All four Polish cities put forward for Euro 2012 - Warsaw (opening game), Poznan, Wroclaw and Gdansk - have been confirmed by UEFA as venues.
 
Original article

Zenit `offer Fenerbahce $14 million for Spanish striker Guiza`

(TURKISH, 2008, GUIZA, RUSSIAN, ZENIT, MILLION, RUMORED)

ANKARA, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - Zenit St. Petersburg have offered Fenerbahce 10 million euros ($14 million) and Turkish striker Fatih Tekke for Spanish international Daniel Guiza, Turkish media said on Thursday.
Talks between the two clubs are believed to have been continuing for the past 10 days and a decision is expected by the end of the week.
Fenerbahce signed 28-year-old Guiza from Mallorca in July 2008 for 14 million euros. However, the forward has scored a mere 16 times in 50 matches since joining the Turkish side.
Guiza is well known to Russian football fans, scoring in Spain`s 3-0 semifinal win over Russia at last summer`s Euro 2008.
Zenit trainer Dick Advocaat has transfer-listed Tekke over what he called his "unprofessional;" attitude.
There has so far been no official comment on the rumored deal.
Zenit are currently in 7th place in the Russian Premier League after 12 games. The club has lost a number of key players since lighting up the European arena in 2008, with Andrei Arshavin leaving for Arsenal, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk signing for Bayern Munich, and Argentine star Alejandro Dominguez returning to Rubin FC.
Russian international Pavel Pogrebnyak is also rumored to be on his way out, possibly to an English Premier League club.
 
Original article

Roddick outguns Berdych to set up Hewitt clash

(BERDYCH, AFTER, RODDICK)

LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Roddick booked a tantalizing quarter-final date against former champion Lleyton Hewitt after outgunning Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6 6-4 6-3 at Wimbledon on Monday.
The American sixth seed fired down 24 aces as he outclassed the 20th seed with a combination of guile and power.
After giving Berdych the runaround, Roddick sealed his place in the last eight here for the fifth time when his opponent could only paddle a backhand into the net.
Berdych had been one of only two men who had not dropped a set coming into the fourth round but he failed to trouble Roddick with his baseline tactics and went out after an hour and 48 minutes.
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Top U.S. court agrees to hear case on NFL licensing

(COURT, AMERICAN, NEEDLE, NFL, LEAGUE, NATIONAL, ANTITRUST)

By Ben Klayman
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Monday it would decide whether the National Football League should be treated as a single entity under federal antitrust law in a dispute over an exclusive license to make caps and other headgear.
In a case that could affect other sports leagues, the court agreed to hear an appeal from American Needle Inc, of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, on whether the NFL and its 32 teams can be sued under federal antitrust laws for signing an exclusive licensing deal with Reebok International in 2001.
The case will be argued during the court`s upcoming term that begins in October. A decision is expected in the first half of next year.
American Needle, a former licensee of the NFL, challenged the deal, which offered Reebok an exclusive license for 10 years according to court documents, claiming the NFL was 32 separate business entities and not a "single entity" as the popular professional sports league said.
Germany`s Adidas AG bought Reebok in 2006 for $3.8 billion in a move to boost its U.S. presence.
In its original lawsuit, American Needle had charged the NFL with unlawful restraint of trade and monopolizing the team products licensing, manufacturing and wholesale markets by violating antitrust laws by working too closely together, according to court documents. The cost of basic fitted caps jumped to $30 from $19.99, American Needle said in court documents.
American Needle lost the case in U.S. District Court as well as in the federal appeals court in Chicago in 2008.
"American Needle has pursued this litigation because it feels that if it could compete for the use of NFL trademarks in selling hats that it could provide lower priced merchandise than is currently available on the market," said Glen Nager, an attorney at Jones Day, which is representing American Needle.
The NFL also had urged the Supreme Court to take the case in the hope of winning a national victory, as it and other sports leagues have lost similar cases in other appeals courts.
"We look forward to the opportunity to explain why the court should confirm and extend on a nationwide basis the favorable rulings of the Court of Appeals on the application of the antitrust laws to the unique structure of a sports league," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email.
The National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League filed briefs supporting the NFL with the Supreme Court, while Major league Baseball, which has an antitrust exemption on many issues, did not.
The U.S. Justice Department had urged the Supreme Court not to hear the case, saying neither American Needle nor the NFL had presented a question warranting review by the justices.
The case is American Needle v. National Football League, No. 08-661.
(Additional reporting by James Vicini in Washington; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)
Original article