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Football books to struggle

29.11.07 Anna Richardson

Publishers have abandoned plans for football tie-ins following the England team’s failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 Championship.

Boxtree is now unlikely to publish its Match! Euro 2008 annual, while HarperCollins Children’s Books is reviewing plans for its three tie-ins due in May: Companion, Football Fever and Road to Europe.

HarperSport’s Tom Whiting, meanwhile, said HC’s adult division will probably not go ahead with publications related to the tournament, “bearing in mind that it’s going to be a very quiet summer”. He added that HC’s estimated £5m deal for at least five titles from Wayne Rooney did not include a Euro 2008-timed instalment, but that HarperSport might consider another Rooney title at the end of summer, depending on Manchester United’s success this season.

Carlton Books, which publishes a general book on the Championship, said the news would change sales focus for the title from the UK to the international sales team, but it is “not a full stop, just a slight hiccup”.

Waterstone’s sports and entertainment buyer Sam Harrison predicted there would be far fewer football books published next year, but that would “not necessarily mean a poor year for sport”.

Media Anna Richardson Books

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