What's wrong with this picture? ... Katrina Hayman was snapped swilling a beer at the Taranaki Bride of the Year contest. Photo: Cameron Burnell/Taranaki Daily News She had a beer. So what. Stubbie-swilling Katrina Hayman has hit back after a photograph of her drinking a beer at a local Bride of the Year competition ''outraged'' New Zealand and caused a controversy that made headlines as far away as the UK.Organisers of the bridal event called for an apology, many New Zealanders expressed their displeasure and online commentators slammed the photo as "disgusting" after it appeared in the Taranaki Daily News yesterday.But the woman at the centre of the storm can’t understand what the fuss is about."I mean, that is just the type of person I ... Continue reading →

The Business of Sports [INFOGRAPHIC] For activities considered non-essential to society, the sports industry is a thriving and lucrative business. At an estimated worth of $422 billion, the sports industry is a significant sector of the American economy. Sports marketing and advertising spending alone is estimated at $28 billion. The NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL together bring in $23 billion a year in revenue, which is much more than any state’s operating budget.Team owners, managers, and sports players are not the only people who net the income in the sports industry. There are three million people employed in the sports industry in some fashion. There are a wide range of positions that need staffing in order for the industry to work well, such as fitness ... Continue reading →

Wed May 9, 2012 3:09am EDT * Q1 operating profit 574 mln DKK vs 823 mln forecast * Jan-March sales rise to 12.87 bln, above forecast* Company keeps 2012 flat outlook unchanged* Says Russia market share improved from previous quarter (Adds details, background, comments)COPENHAGEN, May 9 (Reuters) - Danish brewer Carlsberg failed to meet first-quarter profit forecasts after its crucial Russian market took another hit from beer tax hikes.The world's fourth-largest brewer, whose brands include Carlsberg, Tuborg and Baltika beer, said its beer volumes dropped by 4 percent due to falling East European volumes while Northern and Western Europe saw growth."It is a weak result in Eastern Europe driven by destocking in Russia," said Jyske Bank analyst Jens Thomsen. "The market expected it would be ... Continue reading →

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The gritty western Pennsylvania city whose rich minor league hockey history helped inspire the cult movie hit "Slap Shot" is getting another chance to support a hockey team.A group of investors is relocating a junior league franchise from Alaska to Johnstown, where the comedy movie about a minor league hockey team that turns to violent play to gain interest in a failing factory town was filmed.James Bouchard, the chairman and chief executive of private investment firm Esmark Inc., is heading the deal bringing the North American Hockey League's Alaska Avalanche to Johnstown, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh.Bouchard's group, Johnstown Sports Partners LLC, announced the deal at a news conference Thursday in a ticket lobby packed with fans and local dignitaries at ... Continue reading →

Beer and wine sales fell by seven percent in the first financial quarter, and retailers suggest that tax increases and more Danes than ever taking their booze business down south are the reasons. According to the Coop shopping chain, one of the main catalysts occurred on January 1 when the government raised wine taxes by 3.50 kroner a litre and beer taxes by seven kroner per crate. "It’s not because the Danes suddenly became teetotalers on New Year’s Day,” Coop food manager Jens Visholm told Politiken newspaper. “There are indications that convey that they are simply driving to the borders and getting their wine and beer there.” And it seems like it’s mostly people living in the rural areas that are driving down to Germany ... Continue reading →