Source: Daily_Mail
Charles Sale: Sports last in line for Davies listed TV report
The David Davies report on the future of listed TV sports events is the subject of official complaints before it is even published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on Friday.[LNB]A number of sports bodies, who have most to lose if their freedom to sell TV rights to the highest bidder is restricted by regulations insisting on free-to-air broadcasting, have either verbally protested or written, like the England Cricket Board, to Minister of Sport Gerry Sutcliffe wanting to know why the recommendations are being made available to the media before them.[LNB] Waiting game: Sporting bodies are unhappy that they have to wait an hour longer than journalists to discover the findings of David Davies' listed TV sports events[LNB] More from Charles Sale... Lord Triesman's calamitous 2018 campaign team dodge the big issues12/11/09 Charles Sale: St James' Park rebrand fails to register @ Newcastle11/11/09 EXCLUSIVE: 2018 World Cup crisis summit called as Caborn faces axe11/11/09 CHARLES SALE: 2018 World Cup might bypass Liverpool10/11/09 CHARLES SALE: Jet-set David Beckham divides 2018 World Cup bid team10/11/09 CHARLES SALE: Lines drawn over TV rights report08/11/09 CHARLES SALE: Crocked Dean Ashton to seek FA's millions06/11/09 Charles Sale: England show up clubs on poppies05/11/09 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE The Press will be invited to view the findings at 9am on Friday morningat the DCMS's London headquarters, while furious sports have been toldthey will have to wait until 10am before the contents are made publicon the DCMS website.[LNB]And even more frustrating for the sports bodies, who aim toundermine the findings sufficiently for the Government to ignore them,Davies will start his briefing for journalists just as cricket, golf,tennis, football, rugby and horse racing learn their fate.[LNB]Ashes cricket in England will be protected along with football WorldCup qualifiers, Wimbledon and the Open golf. Events to be de-listedinclude the rugby league Challenge Cup final, the Derby and the WinterOlympics, which attract far less interest than the summer Games.[LNB] The FA took down Al Jazeera perimeter advertising at the MillenniumStadium before the 2005 World Cup qualifier against Wales since theydidn't want the televised backdrop to David Beckham corners to bepromoting an Arab station used for publicity by the Taliban. [LNB]Four years later Al Jazeera, now the biggest sports network in theMiddle East with a set-up to match Sky Sports, are effectivelybankrolling the England friendly against Brazil in Doha[LNB] The desire of FIFA president Sepp Blatter (right) to seek what wouldbe a fourth term of office from 2011 to 2015 has not impressed the FIFAexecutive. [LNB]It is being put down to Blatter's overriding ambition to win a Nobel Peace Prize before he's finished. [LNB]And his desire to take the World Cup to new places explains whyRussia are emerging as strong favourites to host the World Cup in 2018.[LNB] The BBC sports editor's recruitment process has descended to farcical levels. [LNB]James Porter, the BBC's head of sports news, who interviewedfirst-round candidates, will play no further part in the job search ashe is moving to a new job in the BBC in-house training department. [LNB]This is because he doesn't wish to move to Manchester, where sport and the sports editor will be based from 2011.[LNB] Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Club, has agreed tolead the Football League's search for a new chairman to replace LordMawhinney, who is to stand down next March after the League's annualawards dinner.[LNB]Making way: Lord Mawhinney is to step down[LNB]Mawhinney, as Sports Agenda revealed on Thursday, is leaving thepost earlier than expected and will be a hard act to follow. The formerTory Cabinet enforcer has kept 72 clubs in line for seven yearsfollowing a period of turmoil as well as showing other footballauthorities the way with a number of initiatives.[LNB]Ritchie's role was announced in a letter Mawhinney sent to his clubson Thursday, saying: 'A new generation of club leadership suggests itcould be time for new League leadership.' [LNB]But the tennis chief, who would be a highly suitable successor to Mawhinney, will not be a candidate.[LNB]And Mawhinney's success means the next chairman is likely to beindependent of a club, which would rule out Ipswich's DavidSheepshanks, who has long coveted the role.[LNB] The selection of Arsenal's Emirates Stadium as one of the proposed London venues for the 2018 World Cup isn't guaranteed. [LNB] Standing still: Arsenal have yet to sign up as hosts to the FA 2018 World Cup bid [LNB][LNB]Arsenal have yet to sign up to the FA bid because some of the FIFAregulations are so open-ended and Arsenal's plc company want to knowexactly what their contractual responsibilities would be before theyput pen to paper.[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People:Gerry Sutcliffe, James Porter, David Beckham, David SheepshanksPlaces:London, Manchester, Wales, United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia, Middle EastOrganisations:All England Club, England Cricket Board, Football League
