Racing Post put up for sale

With a move that was widely predicted in the business community, Ms Sly Bailey, Trinity Mirror's chief executive, put the Racing Post up for sale yesterday with a price tag in the region of £200 million. I was intrigued to learn that the late Robin Cook, an avid racing fan, had tabled a bid for the title two years ago.

It's not really been a year for the racing press - the demise of The Sportsman a couple of months back also comes to mind.

The Sportsman fails to deliver

Seven months after first hitting the streets, The Sportsman newspaper has ceased publication.

I first heard the news on Saturday's 'The Morning Line'; the latest copy on the web site is dated Thursday 5th October.

The paper, which has been losing money hand over fist from the start, has bowed to the inevitable.

The Sportsman: the next instalment

The Times City Diary reported yesterday that current investors at The Sportsman newspaper had stumped up another £400,000 which should cover losses for another month, or until a buyer is found.

I do think the paper has improved following the decision some weeks back to concentrate primarily on horse racing but the administrators have one big struggle on their hands trying to sell this business.

The Sportsman's revamp

On Saturday I purchased the revamped edition of The Sportsman.

From a racing perspective big improvements have been made, although I had to try four retail outlets before I could find a copy. In addition the cards for both Bangor and Market Rasen didn't contain insight notes for individual runners which is disappointing for a specialist newspaper.

To ensure its long term survival the paper needs to concetrate on the horse racing product, improve distribution and maintain its pricing differential with the Racing Post.

For sale: one daily newspaper, nearly new

The Times reported yesterday that administrators for The Sportsman were going to place an advertisement in The Sunday Times under the heading 'Business For Sale' in an attempt to find a buyer for the paper.

One of the administrators was quoted as 'confident' a buyer would be found within the next two weeks.

I would suggest that if the business is being advertised in this manner then it's more in desperation than confidence and it is unlikely a buyer will be found.

As the paper starts to sack employees, there are a couple of rumours doing the rounds - one that it will relaunch as a freesheet and one that a revised business plan will concentrate on horse racing.

Watch this space.

The Sportsman enters administration

Barely four months after its launch, BBC Ceefax reported last night that The Sportsman newspaper had entered administration with immediate effect.

Publication is set to continue while chiefs attempt to secure additional funding.

The Times' City Diary reported a week or so ago that Kelvin MacKenzie, former editor of The Sun, had looked over the books and decided to walk away.

With that sort of recommendation, the odds look stacked against this betting newspaper surviving much longer.

The Sportsman on the ropes

This piece from today's Times highlights the increasing commercial pressures facing The Sportsman following its lacklustre performance during the World Cup http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9071-2264239,00.html

The World Cup and The Sportsman

Just four days to go before the big kick off.

The new paper The Sportsman will be hoping for a good World Cup; daily sales are currently below 20,000 with 40,000 established as the break even figure.

I've bought the paper on a couple of occasions. I'd have to say I haven't seen another single customer buy a copy; it's not available in a lot of newsagents.

Priced at £1 I think it's fair value but others disagree. Many commentators think the paper will be out of business by the end of the year.

Come on guys - if your circulation figures need increasing, why not offer the punters a free bet on the football?

The Sportsman

Cards on the table - I'm not very good at tipping. If I was, I'd be betting not blogging. The old adage says only bet what you know and, as I don't know all that much, I don't bet all that often; when I do I concentrate on jump racing.
Generally the racing coverage in The Catholic Herald isn't up to the mark; last Friday a guy called Nick Thomas tried to redress the imbalance in that paper by writing a piece about The Sportsman. The very same day I bought a copy of The Sportsman which, as Nick Thomas points out, is the first new daily since The Independent twenty years ago. The Sportsman is an interesting read - an ambitious project. What do others think? It's reasonably priced but I wasn't struck with the racing selections, not at Musselburgh anyway. No winners, but the advert at the top of the page claims 'The Sportsman Knows'. Hard to take these claims seriously sometimes, isn't it? Still, it's early days yet...