MUMBAI: Airtel Africa, a subsidiary of Indian telecom major Airtel, has sealed a partnership agreement with African pay TV platform DSTV that sees the two organisations working together to air a weekly TV football show, Airtel Rising Stars.

Grassroots football is part of Airtel Africa?s vision to develop and nurture young football talent and compliments Africa?s largest pan African youth football initiative, the Airtel Rising Stars, which is supported by Airtel and Manchester United.

DSTV will cover live football matches in various countries, leading towards a pan African inter-country final of the Airtel Rising Stars youth tournament being held in Nairobi later this year. The show will also trace the career paths of African footballers, demonstrating sporting journeys that have led to fame and success.

?We have always believed that football has the ability to develop and connect youth across the continent. This was the rationale behind our pan African football tournament and talent development program, Airtel Rising Stars, which is now into its second year. The enthusiasm Africa has for the sport is undeniable. Our decision to be involved in this new show compliments our ongoing commitment to support the passions of our young adult consumers," explains Airtel Africa CMO Andre Beyers.

?Airtel Football? focuses on different aspects of the sport across the continent and airs on Super Sport 9 every Monday.

Aside from profiling African footballers, the fast-paced half hour show explores a wide range of topics including insights on the sports fraternity, culture across various African countries and major tournaments/games being played on the continent. The show will run for 44 weeks and is also available to viewers in high definition.

MUMBAI: Manchester United, the globally popular football club, is reportedly mulling moving its initial public offering to US from Singapore.

Two reasons are being cited for Man-U?s move. The first reason is to secure higher valuation by moving the IPO to US. Secondly, Malcolm Glazer, the American owner of the club, wants to use the IPO in US to retain control by using a dual-class share structure.

Man-U, which was planning a $1 billion IPO on Singapore Stock Exchange, had delayed the public float because of volatility in the stock markets.

MUMBAI: Manchester United is the world?s most popular club with 659 million global followers.

Kantar, which carried out a survey, found that football remains the world?s most popular sport, with 1.6 billion followers globally, reinforcing the results of a recent Fifa survey. For the survey, Kantar gathered 54,000 respondents from 39 countries.

The club?s commercial director Richard Arnold commented on the long-term strategy that has made Manchester United the number one club in the world?s number one sport: "Manchester United has built on a tradition of iconic players, iconic teams and iconic achievements -- Beckham, Busby, Benfica ?68. Now our games are broadcast to 1.15 billion households globally, to an audience of over four billion a year."

Since 2007, Manchester United has rolled out new approaches to reach fans. The connections to the club has grown exponentially: from the increase in TV viewership from two to four billion last season, to the demand from millions of media subscribers in 72 countries through media partnerships and to the way the footage of Wayne?s overhead kick echoed around the world on social media.

"With the DHL Champions Trophy tour we have seen that passion from our community of followers face to face in 38 cities across the globe, and there does not seem to be a beach or street in the world where you do not see the Aon and Nike shirt. This survey shows that our family of followers is going from strength to strength," Arnold said.

Manchester United has 71 million followers in Americas, 90 million in Europe 73 million in Middle East and Africa, 325 million in Asia-Pacific an 108 million in China.

The number of Manchester United followers globally has grown by 98 per cent since the previous survey in 2007. Manchester United?s family of followers is larger than the combined population of the US, Brazil and Mexico.

MUMBAI: Manchester United has held on to its position as the world?s most valuable football brand with a brand value of $853 million despite a dissapointing Premier League season wherein it lost the title to Manchester City, according to brand valuation company Brand Finance.

However, the valuation firm has warned that shrewd commercial management and commanding Champion?s League performances by Bayern Munich could see United unseated from the top spot of the Brand Finance Football 50 in the near future.

German football club FC Bayern Munich climbed to the second spot with a brand valuation of $786 million representing a 59 per cent increase over the last year. The success in Germany and presence in the final of the Champions League has been bolstered by financial nous.

Bayern Munich pipped Spanish giant Real Madrid, which has slipped to third spot with its valuation decreasing by seven per cent to $600 million.

?However Bayern needs to start building its brand in emerging markets or they will be left behind by relying too heavily on their domestic fan base," commented head of Sports Brands Dave Chattaway.

Also witnessing a decrease in its brand valuation is Spanish club FC Barcelona, whose brand valuation shrinked by eight per cent to $580 million.

AC Milan, the only Italian club to make it to the top ten, has a valuation of $292 million.

Italian and Spanish clubs fared badly this year, affected by the economic turmoil in their home markets. Attendances are down due to high unemployment and uncertainty.

Clubs in both countries must continue to look abroad for a steady stream of commercial and broadcasting revenues, capitalising on strong brands, Brand Finance said.

Joining Bayern Munich in the top ten table is FC Schalke 04, which has seen its valuation zoom by 97 per cent to $266 million. The club has moved to 10th position from 12th position last year.

Champion?s League triumph secures another season in Europe for Chelsea but despite two trophies the club stays fifth with a brand value of $398 million due to a poor Premier League performance.

Arsenal and Liverpool share sixth and seventh spot respectively with a valuation of $388 and $367 million.

Meanwhile, the huge investment in local rivals, Manchester City, has finally yielded a Premier League victory. With Sir Alex Ferguson reaching the end of his career and the Glazers still paying off debts, the club may struggle to maintain the squad it needs to stay at the top.

The huge investment by Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi, estimated at $1.5 billion, is beginning to pay off for City. The club has matched United on the field and though still in its shadow in terms of Brand value, it is catching up rapidly. At $302 million, the Man City brand is worth nearly double what it was in 2011.

Brand Finance CEO David Haigh said, "This year?s study shows that even football isn?t immune to the Euro crisis, with Spanish and Italian teams being hit hardest. The two top teams operate different marketing strategies, Bayern prioritising its domestic fan base whilst United concentrates on global opportunities."

MUMBAI: Bankrupt MLB franchise Los Angeles Dodgers has been bought by a consortium led by legendary Laker Magic Johnson‘s bidding group for the Dodgers and Dodger Stadium for $2 billion, making it one of the costliest purchases ever paid for a North American sports franchise.

The sale officially is to Guggenheim Baseball Management LLC, which includes Mark R. Walter as its controlling partner, Johnson, Peter Guber, Stan Kasten, Bobby Patton and Todd Boehly. Current owner Frank McCourt and certain affiliates of the purchasers will also be forming a joint venture, which will acquire the Chavez Ravine property and parking lots for an additional $150 million.

"I am thrilled to be part of the historic Dodger franchise and intend to build on the fantastic foundation laid by Frank McCourt as we drive the Dodgers back to the front page of the sports section in our wonderful community of Los Angeles," said Johnson.

The deal will be presented to bankruptcy judge Kevin Gross next month for an expected approval. The price would set a new mark for a sports franchise, topping the sale of the NFL‘s Miami Dolphins to Stephen Ross ($1.1 billion) in 2009 and of the Manchester United soccer club in England by Malcolm Glazer and his family ($1.47 billion) in 2005.

"This transaction underscores the Debtors‘ objective to maximize the value of their estate and to emerge from Chapter 11 under a successful Plan of Reorganization, under which all creditors are paid in full," the Dodgers said in a release.

"This agreement with Guggenheim reflects both the strength and future potential of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and assures that the Dodgers will have new ownership with deep local roots, which bodes well for the Dodgers, its fans and the Los Angeles community," said McCourt. "We are delighted that this group will continue the important work we have started in the community, fulfilling our commitment to building 50 Dream Fields and helping with the effort to cure cancer."

The Dodgers entered bankruptcy last June when they couldn‘t meet player payroll or pay bills after MLB Commissioner Bud Selig declined to approve a $3 billion agreement between FOX and the Dodgers to extend their television broadcast rights.

Based on a settlement with MLB and overseen by the bankruptcy court, McCourt had until 1 April to identify a winning bidder. The deal must close by 30 April, the same day McCourt must pay his former wife, Jamie McCourt, a $131 million divorce settlement.

There were three final bidders in the auction run by Blackstone Advisory Partners on behalf of McCourt -- the winning group of Guggenheim, Johnson and Kasten; billionaires Steven Cohen and Patrick Soon-Shiong and agent Arn Tellem; and Stan Kroenke, owner of the St. Louis Rams.

The McCourts bought the Dodgers in 2004 from Fox for a net purchase price of $371 million. With the $2 billion for the team and stadium, plus $300 million for the surrounding land and parking lots, the selling price is a total of $2.3 billion, just shy of $2 billion appreciation in eight years.

Reacting to the sale of Dodgers, MLB Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig released a statement saying, "It is extraordinarily exciting for Major League Baseball that Magic Johnson, a beloved figure in Los Angeles and around the world, has entered into an agreement, along with Guggenheim CEO Mark Walter and longtime baseball executive Stan Kasten, that would make them a part of our national pastime,"

"I believe that a man of Magic‘s remarkable stature and experience can play an integral role for one of the game‘s most historic franchises, in a city where he is revered. Major League Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities, and Magic Johnson is a living embodiment of so many of the ideals that are vital to our game and its future.

"The interest in this franchise and its historic sale price are profound illustrations of the great overall health of our industry. This has been a long, difficult process, and I once again want to thank the great Dodger fans for their loyalty and patience."