BBC must take action over sexist sports coverage, says Maria Miller

Culture secretary Maria Miller has attacked the BBC in excess of its sexist Wimbledon exposure, and said that she is to refuse the Open golf championship since it is being held at the Muirfield club, which refuses to confess women members.

Maria Miller has written a scornful letter to Tony Hall, the director general of the BBC, demanding to know "any further action is likely to be taken" over Wimbledon commentator John Inver dale’s sexist comments.

Inver dale provoked outrage when he said that women's champion Marion Bartoli was "never going to be a looker, you'll never be a Sharapova so you have to be scrappy and fight?", prompting more than 700 complaints to the BBC.

Maria Miller, who is also minister for women and equalities, said that she is particularly concerned about the BBC incident as she has identified increased coverage of women's sport as a top priority.

"It is therefore a matter of some concern to me that any comment on the looks and stature of a female athlete could be made in the context of one of the UK's, and indeed the world's, sporting calendar," she said in a letter sent to the corporation last week.

She said that the BBC had not gone far enough with Inverdale's apologies, both on-air and in a letter to Bartoli, and that she wanted to see more action.

"I would be grateful for an update on any further action that is likely to be taken following these complaints, and whether there may be positive steps that the BBC could take in the future to ensure that the perception of and commentary on female athletes, and women's sport generally, are as positive and inclusive as possible."

Miller and Hugh Robertson, the sports minister, intend to boycott the Open golf championship because of the Edinburgh club's refusal to admit women members.

Inverdale is to anchor the BBC's coverage of the event.

A government aide said that the good work of the London Olympics, which has seen an estimated 1 million more women playing sport as a result, is threatened by the BBC's attitude and actions such as the continued support of sexism in golf.

"There are still national sporting events being held at clubs that refuse to allow women members and BBC journalists referring to women in a sexist and derogatory fashion at a highlight of the British sporting calendar," said a source close to Miller. "The culture secretary is clear that this is a problem which can't be ignored."

Miller's letter was copied into Lord Patten, the chairman of the BBC Trust.

In the last year Miller has hosted several round tables with broadcasters about how to improve the coverage of women's sport.

The BBC has increased its output in this area, most recently broadcasting the women's Euro 2013 football tournament.

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Source: Guardian

Real Madrid Tops The World's Most Valuable Sports Teams

Real Madrid has been a giant of European soccer for the past century, racking up a record 32 La Liga titles and nine UEFA Champions League trophies. The club’s success has fueled a global following and attracted superstar players over the last 20 years like Raul, Ronaldo, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Real Madrid can add one more trophy to its case: It is now the world’s most valuable sports franchise, worth $3.3 billion, surpassing former No. 1 Manchester United. Los Blancos have the highest revenues of any team in sports ($650 million during the 2011-12 season), and revenues are up 62% over the last three years. Madrid’s operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and player trading) of $134 million is second only to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys among sports teams.

The revenue spigot isn’t shutting off anytime soon. The club extended its kit supply deal with Adidas last year in a pact worth $42 million a year. Madrid inked its largest sponsorship deal ever this spring with Emirates. The deal to put the Dubai-based airline’s name on the team’s shirts is worth $39 million annually for five years starting next season. Madrid is planning a $320 million renovation to its stadium, Santiago Bernabeu, which could add $60 million a year to revenues by 2018.

While Real Madrid is the most valuable team in sports, don’t expect its owner to cash in. The team is run by billionaire Spanish construction mogul Florentino Perez, who serves as president. But the club is owned by its 93,000 members, who pay $195 annually. Members get discounts on tickets and merchandise. The only thing comparable in the U.S. among major sports teams is the Green Bay Packers, which is owned by its 364,000 shareholders.

United ranks second with a value of $3.17 billion. The club launched an initial offering to the public in August and the stock is up 23% since then. Fans cheered United’s record 20th English Premier League title this year, while investors are excited about soaring sponsorship revenues. The Red Devils signed a seven-year, $559 million shirt sponsorship deal last year with Chevrolet. The team inked a naming rights pact for its training facility with insurer Aon in April. The deal is expected to net United more than $200 million over eight years. The club has 32 official sponsors in total. The Glazer family, who control United, also own the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which ranks No. 28 with a worth of $1.03 billion. The Glazers are the only family to own two of the top 50 franchises.

Source: Forbes

Lionel Messi and Neymar can play together, claims Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola is persuaded Lionel Messi and Neymar will come together to overwhelming effect for Barcelona next season. The former Santos starlet protected his budge to Camp Nou prior in the summer and, but sections of the media have questioned whether the pair will be a good fit jointly due to their parallel styles of play.

However, the Bayern Munich boss took some time out from orally repartee with his previous club to declare that the pair will have no difficulties playing collectively next season.

He told Lance: "Barca have always had some of the best players in the world at their disposal, and Neymar and Messi are undoubtedly two of the best at the moment. "I know Messi very well. He is a fantastic person as well as player. I have met Neymar too and he seems like a good lad and I`m sure they will have no problem playing together."

The 42-year-old then turned his politeness towards next summer`s World Cup, and believes his inhabitant Spain will go into the contest as favorites to keep their title - despite their 3-0 defeat to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final a fortnight ago.

He added: "It seemed perfectly normal to me that Spain lost [to Brazil]. They were physically better than us. "But I believe that Spain is still favorites going into the World Cup."

Neymar is set to create his bloodthirsty debut for the Blaugrana when they open their Liga season against Levante on August 18.

Indians Preview of Detroit Tigers

By the instance he obtains to Citi Field for the All-Star game next Tuesday, Max Scherzer could own a split of the AL record for successive winning decisions to release a season.

The Detroit Tigers' right-hander, though, has a pair of starts previous to then. Scherzer will attempt to develop into the second decanter to open 14-0 in the last 27 years Monday night when the AL Central-leading Tigers bring to a close their four-game series visiting the second-place Cleveland Indians.

There was no revelation Scherzer (13-0, 3.09 ERA) was one of six Tigers named to the All-Star team Saturday, as he's off to a begin manager Jim Leyland told the team's official website is "hard to believe." With a career-best sixth repeated winning start on Wednesday - he permitted two runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 6-2 triumph at Toronto - Scherzer became the first pitcher to start 13-0 since Boston's Roger Clemens opened 14-0 in 1986.

The AL record is 15-0, set by Cleveland's Johnny Allen in 1937 and equaled by Baltimore's Dave McNally in 1969. "(My) record's kind of overblown," Scherzer told the Tigers' official website. "I'm playing a part on a great team here. Every time I start, they're always picking me up, they're always making plays. That's the reason why I'm 13-0."

A most important league-best 7.87 run-support standard has certainly helped Scherzer, whose 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA in eight road starts. He enhanced to 2-0 against the Indians (46-42) this season by giving up one run in eight innings of a 5-1 triumph at Cleveland on May 21.

Scherzer has won his last two starts at Cleveland after going 0-3 with a 7.48 ERA in his first four. He'll look an Indians team that snapped a four-game trailing line - and a seven-game slip in this series - with Sunday's 9-6 victory. Michael Brantley went 3 for 4 with two homers, a twice and a career-best five RBIs to assist Cleveland climb within 2 1/2 games of the division lead.

"Michael Brantley looked like Barry Bonds,'' Tigers All-Star right fielder Torii Hunter said later than his team's five-game win line was snapped.

The Indians will go for the series split with Scott Kazmir (4-4, 4.86) getting his initial look at the Tigers since 2010 while with the Los Angeles Angels. The expert left-hander was 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his earlier two starts previous to not earning a conclusion in a 6-5 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday when he surrendered three runs in five innings.

Kazmir has an 8.53 run-support standard while going 4-0 with a 4.26 ERA in six outings at Progressive Field. He could make use of all the sustain he can obtain the way All-Star third baseman Miguel Cabrera and Hunter have been drumming. Cabrera, the most important league leader with a .368 batting average and 90 RBIs, belted his 28th homer Sunday in the middle of his four hits. That tied the reigning AL MVP and Triple Crown champion with Cecil Fielder for the most home runs by a Tiger before the All-Star break.

Hunter is 12 for 23 with two homers and 11 RBIs in the last five contests after striking a game-tying three-run shot and concluding with a season-best four RBIs on Sunday. Indians All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis, 2 for 11 with five strikeouts this series, is 1 for 7 with a twice off Scherzer this season, but Nick Swisher is 3 for 3 with a triple and a double. Only one other player - Houston's Carlos Corporan (two homers) - has more than one extra-base hit against Scherzer in 2013.

LA spotlight too bright for Dwight Howard

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal says the Los Angeles limelight was too dazzling for Dwight Howard. Speaking at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Shaq hammered his previous colleague as if they were battling in the post.

O'Neal opened his mouth astonished when asked about Howard, who chose to go away the Lakers for the Houston Rockets behind Friday, and joked about reassuring on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick in Saturday's race. A few seconds afterward, he threw an elbow Howard's way.

''It was expected,'' Shaq said. ''We've all been in LA, and not a whole lot of people can handle being under the bright lights. Everybody wants to do it, but when you get there, there are certain pressures. I think it was a safe move for him to go to a little town like Houston. That's right, little town. I said it.''

Source: Yahoo! Sports