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Summary
The global sports press market, specifically focusing on France, has seen a shift towards digitization, as traditional paper formats lose ground to digital alternatives. This transformation has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely impacted sales and advertising revenues for sports news titles. However, the French sports press market represents a small niche within the overall press industry, accounting for 0.77% of paid circulation.
Despite the challenges of digital transition, the online presence of sports press titles is starting to offset the decline in traditional press revenues. The digital press sector has been experiencing a robust expansion, with a 44% increase in daily digital press diffusion reported in 2022, since 2019. Consequently, print media are pacing towards a digital-focused model, propelled by the changing consumption habits of a predominantly male readership and a new generation that is increasingly engaging with sports content through digital channels. As such, sports press publishers and distributors are adapting to these trends, navigating a declining demand for physical newspapers and a growing appetite for digital offerings..
Sports Press Market Dynamics in Contemporary France
The sports press market in France embodies a niche within the broader press market, and while it constitutes a relatively small proportion of the overall press circulation—hovering below 1 percent—it holds unique characteristics that demand attention. In recent years, the French sports press has grappled with a discernible decline in physical sales, mirroring trends observed in the magazine market. Between 15 and 20 million copies of sports press were in paid circulation in 2022, an increase of over 60 percent from the previous year. However this takes the pandemic into account, when really the sales have been steadily decreasing over time when discarding 2020 and 2021.
This fall in physical sales is part of a global trend that has seen a significant shift from paper to digital formats. Despite the downward spiral of print media revenue worldwide, there has been a marginal increase in users paying for both print and digital press access. Intriguingly, while the paper format struggles in Europe and North America, it thrives in populous nations like China and India, buffering the global market from a more precipitous decline.
Focusing on France, the digitization of the press is palpable, with online sports press diffusion witnessing a 33 percent uptick in 2022 from 2019, contrasting starkly with the downturn in print media subscriptions. This ongoing digital transformation has seen companies refocusing on core competencies, as exemplified by the Amaury group's business maneuvers, and expanding digital offerings to cater to the digital consumer.
As for consumption preferences, digital press consumption has cemented itself as more than a transient trend, with a growing number of French choosing it as their primary source of information. Despite the enduring appeal of paper, nearly all French people interact with the press in some form each month, and more than 80 percent read at least one digital article per month. Despite challenges to print circulations and advertising revenues, the sports press segment has resiliently maintained a diverse and specialized offering that closely aligns with enthusiast demand.
Daily sports news is led by offerings like L'Équipe, with specialized magazines like So Foot, Vélo Magazine, and Tennis Magazine providing periodic publications for specific sports interests. The pricing for these niche publications varies, with annual subscriptions ranging from approximately 35 to 67 euros.
Overall, the French sports press market, while coping with substantial evolution and digitization, continues to command a dedicated readership drawn to its specialized and varied content offering. The enduring allure of sport and its inherently dynamic nature ensures a steady renewal of interest and engagement within the sector.
Key Market Players in the French Sports Press Industry
The French sports press market, while niche, boasts a variety of publications catering to diverse sports interests. Several leading players dominate the industry landscape, each with distinct offerings that appeal to their respective audiences.
Amaury Media Group: Amaury Media stands as a titan in the sports press market, with an impressive portfolio that includes the heralded daily sports newspaper, L'Équipe. The paper serves as a comprehensive source for sports news across varying disciplines. In addition to L'Équipe, Amaury Media Group publishes specialized titles such as France Football, Golf Magazine, and Vélo Magazine, each dedicated to its specific sport and audience.
La Dépêche Group - Midi Olympique SAS: Associated with the regionally strong La Dépêche du midi group, Midi Olympique SAS distinguishes itself by disseminating rugby news through two versions of its publication, Midi Olympique - rouge and Midi Olympique - vert. A strong regional presence and a focus on a sport with a passionate following cement its place as a key player in the rugby segment of sports media.
SO Press: On the more stylish end of the spectrum, So Press positions itself as the purveyor of the popular So Foot magazine. This monthly publication takes a creative and somewhat alternative approach to covering soccer, reaching out to a reader demographic seeking both depth in analysis and uniqueness in presentation.
Each of these publishers has tailored their offerings, exploring different sports or delving into particular aspects of one sport, ensuring their place in the fabric of the French sports press market. This specialization has allowed them to survive and adapt in a transforming industry that continues to feel the impact of digital transition and changing consumer behavior.
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- Number of pages : 30 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update : 11/04/2024
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Overview of the sports press market
The sports press includes titles dealing with sports and sports news. Sports press titles can be found in both the magazine and newspaper segments, with a wide variety of formats (newspaper or magazine) and publication frequencies: daily, weekly or monthly. The sports press does not include the automotive and motorcycle press.
The global press market is very continent-specific. The paper format is very popular in China and India, two giants in terms of audience. However, in Europe and North America, the paper format is gradually losing ground to digital.
In France, the sports press is a sub-segment of the press market. In fact, paid circulation in France for the sports press represents 0.77% of paid circulation for all mainstream press. Nonetheless, this niche has a number of special features that make it particularly interesting in today's changing press sector.
Indeed, following the trend in the magazine market (for which a Businesscootstudy is available here), the sports press is experiencing a decline in physical sales. Paid circulation (number of sales), up 61.5% between 2021 and 2022 , conceals the reality of a sector that has struggled to recover from the pandemic, and is still reporting 22% fewer sales than in 2019. Publishers' advertising revenues are also in decline, and the transition to digital is generating losses from advertisers who are not yet convinced by the new formats. However, revenues from online presence can offset the decline in revenues from traditional press formats.
We can also observe that players in the sports press market are engaged in a strategy of refocusing on their core business, as illustrated by the sale of Le Parisien to LVMH by the Amaur group. The Amaury group's sale of Le Parisien to LVMH is a case in point, but they are also developing their digital offering, and specializing their product range to meet a highly diverse demand.
What's more, despite the decline in print circulation, the French continue to be drawn to sporting activities and newspapers, while the market is regularly renewed by the emergence of new practices and international events.
1.2 The global press market
The World Association of News Publishers is a non-governmental organization that defends the interests of the press worldwide. Each year, this institution produces a report on trends in the sector. In the ****/**** edition, it reports on key figures and trends in the global newspaper market, with an estimate for ****:
*** million ...
1.3 The French sports press and sports news market
The sports press market in France
Each year, the Alliance pour les Chiffres de la Presse et des Médias (***). This report provides an overview of the different press segments in France. To take a closer look at the sports press segment, we'll concentrate on the "Sports and sports news press" ...
1.4 Declining advertising revenues for the French press
Find out more about this section in the Businesscoot study focusing on the magazine press in France - available immediately here -
Advertising revenues for the press as a whole (***) fell by **.*% in ****, to just *.*** billion euros and **,*** advertisers.
press advertising revenues France, Q***** - Q* ****, in millions of euros Source: ****
1.5 The transition to online sports press consumption is underway
According to theACPM, in ****, the French press will record more than *** million online visits per day.
The digital consumer press
The structural trend has been confirmed in recent years: taking into account the Covid period, the share of online press consumption will rise sharply from ****, an increase already begun in ****.
Visits ...
1.6 Pandemic: global sport at a standstill has taken its toll on sports press publishers
The covid-** crisis saw the stoppage and cancellation of sports competitions eagerly awaited by the public. The sports sector has suffered greatly from the crisis, and so has the sports press. A francetvinfo.fr article published on May **, **** reports on the measures taken by the sector to cope with the news ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Traditional press consumption in France
The French and the press
Each year, the ACPM publishes its survey program: La Preuve édition ****. The study reports various data on the sector, such as trends in the number of French people who claim to read the press each month.
growth in the number of readers France, ****-****, in millions ...
2.2 Digital press consumption: more than a trend, a transformation
Reading the digital press is a new consumer habit that is no longer in doubt. Digital formats are gradually taking on a more important role in people's lifestyles, and the press must see this as an opportunity to evolve, since the demand for information is present on these media.
What is ...
2.3 Most-read sports publications
In its **** Observatory, the ACPM reveals the rankings of the leading sports press titles in terms of paid circulation.
Highest circulation of sports press titles France, ****, French paid circulation per issue Source: ****
L'Équipe dominates the ranking, far ahead of the other brand of the same group (***), France Football. This group ...
2.4 Sports press readers
To draw up a profile of the sports press reader, it's interesting to look at the details of L'Équipe's audience as reported by the ACPM. As the leading press medium in the sports segment, its customer panel is the most diversified and representative of the sports press target group.
The ...
2.5 Sports trends in France
The French and the practice of sport
The Institut National de la Jeunesse et de l'Éducation Populaire (***) plays a central role in drawing up annual barometers on youth and sport. It regularly publishes sports barometers in partnership with Crédoc, with a specific focus. In its Baromètre national des ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Focus on newspaper printing in France
Newspaper printing sales
The sports press represents only a tiny share (***).
newspaper printing sales trend France, ****-****, in millions of euros Source: ****
Since ****, the market has entered a phase of decline, with newspaper printing sales also undermined by the transition to digital. As a result, the upstream end of the sports ...
3.2 Sports press publishers in difficulty
Overview of the publishing sector in France
In the Insee nomenclature, sports press publishers can be registered under two distinct naf codes, depending on whether they are positioned as newspapers or magazines.
**.**Z: newspaper publishing ; **.**Z: magazine and periodical publishing.
The ACOSS database (***) provides information on changes in the number ...
3.3 Specialized distribution, physical and digital subscriptions: sports press distribution
Sports press circulation
The ACPM's **** observatory reports the breakdown of French paid circulation by distribution channel in ****.
Distribution of sports press DFP by distribution channel France, ****, in % of paid circulation Source: ****
Individual sales account for ** % of paid circulation. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that the sports press is dependent ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 A diverse offering to meet enthusiast demand
The range of sports newspapers and magazines is highly specialized: L'Équipe is the only newspaper to cover all sports news. The other titles focus on a specific sport, making the diverse offering all the more specialized. This means there's something for every reader profile. The market's offering is therefore characterized ...
4.2 Variable prices
Source: ****
On the consumer side, prices vary according to the type of distribution (***).
4.3 Competition from 100% online offerings
The market is suffering from competition from players already present online, while it is only just beginning its transition. The advantage is that, unlike news titles, its more passion-based format and publication rhythm should enable it to retain a certain value as a physical object. However, reader demand for digital formats ...
5 Regulations
5.1 General regulations
Regulation of press distributors
Press distribution is governed by law **-*** of April *, **** (***). This law gives press publishers considerable decision-making power. They alone decide on the creation of sales outlets and determine the quantities delivered, the dates on which unsold copies are recalled and the remuneration of distributors.
Since January *, ****, a ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
Market-leading titles :
L'Équipe(***) France Football(***) Midi Olympique SO Foot Vélo Magazine(***)
Segmentation reminder
- L’Equipe
- France Football (L'Equipe) 1
- Midi-Olympique
- So Foot
- Vélo Magazine (Amaury media)
- Le 10 Sport
- But !
- Eurosport
- Foot Mercato (Adversport regie)
- Sport Orange (Groupe Orange)
- Télégramme Groupe
List of charts
- Average daily press circulation by format
- Total press distribution sales
- Paid circulation trends for the sports press and sports news
- Press advertising revenues
- Readership trends
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Latest news
L'Equipe appoints former Prisma Media executive as CEO - 13/03/2024
- L'Equipe is a multimedia group with considerable development in various sectors.
- 90.000 digital subscribers.
- Circulation of the L'Equipe title increased by 2.3% in 2023, with an average of 220,000 copies.
- The L'Equipe group employs around 600 people, half of whom are journalists.
Laurent Prud'homme leaves the group, Aurore Amaury - 17/11/2023
- Laurent Prud'homme, General Manager of the L'Équipe group, is set to step down from his post
- Laurent Prud'homme spent three years at the helm of L'Équipe Aurore Amaury, President of Groupe L'Équipe, will take over as interim CEO; she is also co-CEO of Groupe Amaury
- The L'Équipe group comprises several L'Équipe brand media, including France Football, Vélo Magazine, and the organization of events such as the "Ballon d'or", the "Vélo d'or", and "Demain le Sport".
- Jean-Étienne Amaury, Aurore Amaury's brother, runs ASO, organizer of almost 90 sporting events
- In May 2020, Aurore and Jean-Étienne Amaury took over the reins of the family group founded by their grandfather Emilien Amaury in 1944.
- It was then run by their father, Philippe Amaury, until his death in 2006.
- They are the third generation to preside over the company's destiny.
Change at the head of the L'Equipe Group - 17/11/2023
- Laurent Prud'homme was head of L'Equipe for less than three years.
- Aurore Amaury becomes interim managing director of L'Equipe.
- Groupe Amaury is mainly divided into two divisions: media, of which L'Equipe is a part, and ASO, which organizes major sporting events.
- The Canal+ Sport offer used to bring L'Equipe 200,000 subscribers, which has drastically dwindled to around 150,000 with the end of the inclusion of L'Equipe's digital content.
- L'Equipe Group's strategy is based on four pillars: the newspaper, television, social networks and the digital platform.
- Diversification revenues account for around 13% of L'Equipe Group's sales.
- Groupe L'Equipe employs around 600 people, half of whom are journalists.
- By 2021, the group had operating income of 4.1 million euros, rising to 6.4 million euros by 2022.
L'Équipe becomes the new broadcaster of the Dakar Rally - 10/11/2023
- L'Équipe now broadcasts the Dakar Rally
- The Dakar Rally is a 5000-kilometre loop
- The Dakar Rally will be covered by a dozen people on the ground and around twenty from Paris
- This will be L'Équipe's biggest financial investment in 2024
- TV rights for the rally have been acquired for several years
- 850 participants
- More than three hours of live coverage per day will be devoted to the competition on the channel
- The L'Équipe channel's audience has grown by 43% in five years, from 1.2% to 1.7%
- L'Équipe lost 15 to 20 million euros a year for several years, but returned to the black in 2021
- By 2023, the channel hopes to break even
- l'Équipe broadcasts 15 of the 28 Olympic sports.
Midi Olympique benefits from the Rugby World Cup - 03/11/2023
- The "Midi Olympique" media outlet recorded a 14% and 22% increase in circulation for its respective publications between the beginning of September and the elimination of the French national team.
- The average number of broadcasts is 41,600 and 21,400 for the 2022-2023 season.
- The number of subscribers (mostly digital) has risen by 30% since the end of July, to over 20,000.
- The World Cup accounted for 1.7 million euros in advertising revenues between July and October.
- Commercial revenues rose by around 30% during the World Cup.
- The medium has been profitable in recent years, with the exception of 2020, a year marked by Covid.
The L'Equipe group, ready for an exceptional year - 01/09/2023
- Series of sporting events organized in France, the Rugby World Cup, the 2024 Paralympic Games, the Euro soccer tournament, the Tour de France and the Paris Olympics.
- 150.000 digital subscribers.
- By 2022, the L'Équipe group has achieved positive operating income of €6.4 million
- The group creates four content pillars:
- the newspaper
- television
- social networks and their digital platform.
- Newspaper sales remained stable in 2022, at around 215,000 copies, according to ACPM.
- The L'Équipe group has over a million subscribers on TikTok and almost a million on YouTube.
- The group's digital platform has around 200 million monthly visits
- The group's revenues are divided into three equivalent sources:
- television advertising (one third)
- newspaper sales and advertising (one third)
- subscriptions and diversification (one third).
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