Guardian joins sports battle with new launch

The Guardian is joining the newspaper rush to cash in on a summer of sport with a new tabloid section launching this Friday.

The 24-page magazine, called Sport 96, will run every Friday until the Olympics finish.

This is in addition to a new eight-page pull-out sports section that began in The Guardian this Monday, which will also run until the end of the Olympics.

Sport 96 will carry features-based editorial aimed at “those who are less than fanatic about sports”, according to a spokeswoman. It will take an “off-the-wall and witty” approach to sport and will preview coming events.

The magazine’s launch will be accompanied by a national radio advertising campaign.

The Guardian’s move follows The Daily Express, which created an enhanced sports section last month.

The Times then started offering a separate sports section with its Monday issue three weeks ago, along with a price cut to 10p that will run throughout the summer.

The Independent countered this by launching a Wednesday sports supplement, along with a money-off voucher for the news paper.

The Telegraph has been running enhanced Monday sports coverage for some time.