Times Sports Daily launches first

The Times has stolen a march on the Daily Telegraph by becoming the first broadsheet to launch a stand-alone sports section six days a week.

Last week, The Daily Telegraph revealed that from May 15 it would be launching a sports section to run every day.

But the launch of The Times Sports Daily on May 7 is an attempt to attract young male readers back to the Wapping-based newspaper.

The section will feature in-depth coverage of sports, including football, badminton and bowls, across 12 full-colour pages. It also claims that it will produce the most advanced results service in the British press.

The Times editor Peter Stothard says: “Sport is an important element of the paper and this change reflects our commitment to providing the best coverage.”

Sports coverage in the broadsheet market has become more competitive and innovative in recent times.

The Times launched the Football Handbook last year. The Observer has also launched a monthly supplement called Observer Sport Monthly, while earlier this month The Guardian launched a twice weekly sports section.

Camilla Rhodes, managing director of The Times, adds: “The launch of the stand-alone sports section underscores the importance of sport to the paper.

“The new section will drive success through the paper every day of the week.”