Top Sport Magazines Report Downturn
According to recent media reports, some of the top paid-for sports magazines are yet another branch of the industry to suffer due to the economic downturn, with double-digit falls in the football and golf markets.
Independent magazine Golf International has been the hardest hit, falling 40.1% period on period and 38.7% year on year. Its nearest rival, IPC’s Golf Monthly, fell 12.6% period on period to 67,314.
The leader in the golfing market, Bauer Consumer Media’s Today’s Golfer, fell to 77,069, down 5.9% period on period and 10.8% year on year.
Its connected title Golf World was alone in reporting an increase, with a 3% upswing period on period to 36,852.
Meanwhile, although Haymarket’s FourFourTwo continued to lead the football market, posting an ABC of 90,084, this figure was down 12.9% year on year.
Out of the top six paid-for sport magazines, only one (Golf World) reported an increase in numbers.
The exposure of these figures marks a time when sports media overall seems to be receiving a hit – the most publicly known being the collapse of broadcaster Setanta just a month ago.
