New sports title aims to go daily

Dedicated sports newspaper Sports First has announced it will launch on March 15, with an initial print run of 250,000 and a cover price of 50p.

The broadsheet newspaper, published by Parliamentary Communications, is expected to have two sections totalling 48 pages and included 16 pages of colour.

Initially, the newspaper will be published on Sundays only. Circulation, sales and marketing director Nick Thompson says that if the target settle down figure of 150,000 is achieved within two to three months, then a further issue will launch on either Saturday or Sunday.

He says: “Obviously there is a lot of sports activity on the weekends which could be covered on Monday, and on the Saturday there could be previews of that activity.

“We are targeting male ABC1 readers aged between 18 and 44. However, we would like to reach all sports fans,” says Thompson.

The eventual aim is to produce a daily sports newspaper.

It is understood that an advertising campaign will back the launch using local radio, point of sale merchandise and direct mail to sports clubs. The creative work is being handled by Crusader Levinson Russell, with media buying through CDP.

Parliamentary Communications also publishes the House Magazine, Parliamentary Monitor and The Parliamentary Magazine.