SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Seeking to engage football matchday audiences, Paddy Power marketing has revealed that it plans to launch ‘Pitch Invader’, the bookmaker’s free football magazine, ahead of this weekend’s start of English Premier League season ( Friday 9 August).
Working in collaboration with UK publishing group Reach Plc, Paddy Power is set to circulate 1.2 million free copies of Pitch Invader, across English football grounds.
The 48-page magazine, which will be further made available across Paddy Power betting shops this August, will feature a different football figurehead on its cover dependent on the location of distribution.
Pitch Invader cover stars include Wolves and Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, former Manchester United captain Paul Ince and former Arsenal and France World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit.
Paddy Power marketing has confirmed that at present the bookmaker only holds plans to launch one football magazine title this season which will support its ongoing high impact ‘Save our Shirt’ football club campaign which hit national headlines this summer.
Becoming ‘Principal Partner’ of Huddersfield FC, Paddy Power would forgo its spot at the front of the Championship football club’s shirt, launching its Save our Shirt’ campaign, urging football to drop betting as a sponsor.
Paddy Power has since added Motherwell, Newport County, Southend United and Macclesfield Town to its “unsponsoring” football mandate, with the bookmaker further launching new viral campaigns (see below) promoting its betting responsibility initiatives.
