Sports fans given 360° platform

Sports fans in the UAE will soon be able to indulge their passion for competitive action via Sport 360°. Launching in September, the new English-language daily newspaper will cater to all sports enthusiasts in the UAE and will be available in both print and digital formats. In addition to being given the opportunity to win fantastic prizes through various competitions, readers will enjoy the very latest international, regional and local coverage of all major sport events.

According to Michael Chalhoub, chief executive of Gulf Sports Media, 360°’s parent company, “Market research has shown there is a huge gap in the market for the sports enthusiast. People are looking to read about sports that the daily newspapers here do not cover well in terms of quantity and quality.”

Even before its launch, Sport 360° has already shown its commitment to UAE sports fans last month by offering one of the year’s hottest prizes – a paid trip for two to watch the FIFA 2010 World Cup final in South Africa.

To win, football lovers were asked to fill out a short questionnaire at a variety of venues across the UAE. A final draw took place in Dubai Media City on July 3, where Sport 360° awarded the highly sought-after prize to Steven Greenfield. However, a crestfallen Steven found himself unable to travel on the specified dates, but passed the prize on to two eager friends, who took his place. Philip Penrose and Scott Balsdon shared the diary of their adventures in South Africa with Sport 360° to thank the newspaper for realizing their sporting dreams.

“The opening ceremony was pretty awe-inspiring,” wrote Philip and Scott. “84,000 people looked on in amazement as jets from the South African air force performed a fly-pass with their afterburners on, while lasers lit-up the sky. The game itself was fiercely contested. We had great seats – only four rows from the front of the pitch – so our view was perfect.”

Taking into account all the various sporting developments happening locally, particularly in motor racing, equestrianism, cricket and football, Sport 360° will also report on many regional events around the UAE and GCC. “Research has also shown that a lot has been invested into sports businesses in the region, with Doha bidding for the 2022 World Cup and the UAE having its eye on the Olympics. And then, of course, there are the two Formula 1 events as well as more minor sports like the UAE football league which will benefit from this great communication tool,” Chalhoub added.

An interactive dimension to the daily paper will see a constantly updated web portal featuring, among other things, live results and statistics on all major sports events from around the world. Sports fans will also be able to share their views on everything from goals and penalties to F1 track talk and golf club brands via the site’s blogs, chat rooms and fan clubs. Some of which will even be published on to the daily newspaper, allowing the user to interact directly with the brand, and the enthusiasts to debate.

Sport 360°’s partnerships with leading sports media companies from around the world will enable it to provide readers with a depth of coverage that is unparalleled by any publication in the region. Sports enthusiasts in the UAE will at last have access to the kind of under-the-skin analysis and reportage they demand.