By John Considine
The weeks leading up to Christmas are critical for publishers and booksellers. More than 70% of book sales by volume take place in the last quarter of the year. It can be even more important for sports books with up to 85% of the
sales coming in the same period.
sales coming in the same period.
According to Fergal Tobin (Gill & Macmillan) the typical sales-cycle of a sports book involves publication from early September to about the third week of October. Any later than that and the sales window on the run in to Christmas begins to close. The launch is usually accompanied by press-releases and other promotional activity. These activities are compressed, if possible, into a period of a week or two following first publication for maximum media effect. This is important no so much in immediate sales terms as in establishing the book in the public consciousness. And you only get a week or so, for next week someone else’s book will be clamouring for attention.
This year Gill & Macmillan published a book on the economics of the GAA. GAAconomicsis not a traditional sports book but its sales-cycle can be expected to have a similar pattern. The book was launched on October 15th. The most up-to-date figures suggest the distribution of sales as in Figure 1. The importance of the last three weeks of sales are crucial (the last two weeks figures are estimates based on current sales).
Gill & Macmillan has a record of publishing sports books with an Irish interest. The company has published books on the Irish journey in Italia 90, the Irish winners of golf’s major tournaments, and on Ireland’s 2012 Olympic medal winner Katie Taylor. It has also publishes books on gaelic games. Hurling is covered in books by authors like Seamus King, Michael Moynihan and Gavin Mortimer. Mortimer has written an “ultimate guide” to hurling and a second book with a similar title on gaelic football. Other gaelic football books in the Gill & Macmillan stable include Deadlocked by Eoghan Corry and A Parish Far From Home by Philip O’Connor. These books can be accessed here.
This year Gill & Macmillan published a book on the economics of the GAA. GAAconomicsis not a traditional sports book but its sales-cycle can be expected to have a similar pattern. The book was launched on October 15th. The most up-to-date figures suggest the distribution of sales as in Figure 1. The importance of the last three weeks of sales are crucial (the last two weeks figures are estimates based on current sales).
Gill & Macmillan has a record of publishing sports books with an Irish interest. The company has published books on the Irish journey in Italia 90, the Irish winners of golf’s major tournaments, and on Ireland’s 2012 Olympic medal winner Katie Taylor. It has also publishes books on gaelic games. Hurling is covered in books by authors like Seamus King, Michael Moynihan and Gavin Mortimer. Mortimer has written an “ultimate guide” to hurling and a second book with a similar title on gaelic football. Other gaelic football books in the Gill & Macmillan stable include Deadlocked by Eoghan Corry and A Parish Far From Home by Philip O’Connor. These books can be accessed here.
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