Sports publisher scores hat-trick to treble workforce

A top sports publishing company has scored a hat trick to treble its workforce in the last six months.

Mulligan Dufrane also predict that they will double advertising sales and national distribution within a year.

The company, situated at Hoults Yard, Byker,produce a portfolio of magazines including the monthly publication Football Focus as well as Cricket Club and Rugby Club.

It has continued to invest heavily in new sales, digital and design recruits since moving to its new site in January in a bid to become the UK’s leading producer of grassroots football, cricket and rugby news.

Emma Jones, Legal & Finance director said: “It’s an extremely exciting time for our business and we’re delighted to welcome yet new additions to our staff.

“We’re also in talks with Newcastle City Council to run apprenticeship schemes so we can invest in all the fantastic young talent we have here in the city.

“The company has come a long way since the MD started it from his garage in 2006 armed only with his phone and a laptop.

“There was only eight members of staff working for Mulligan Dufrane in October, now there’s 26 of us and room for more as we continue to expand at Hoults Yard.”

Mullican Dufrane has also targeted the market in Australia and New Zealand as its next venture and will continue to expand operations and create new sports led publications over the next 12 months.

Ms Jones said: “There’s a huge demand for quality cricket and rugby reportage in Australia and New Zealand and that’s where we’d like to head to next.

“We also want to launch another sports magazine in the UK.

“Hoults is an extremely flexible site to house our business.

“We’ve recently expanded and opened another office for our editorial staff and design team and Hoults couldn’t have been more accommodating and supportive throughout this process.

“We have four sales teams here, consisting of 20 people in total, and we’d like this to continue.

“There’s also a rich and diverse cross-section of creative businesses on site, so if you need a new website built or need help with your marketing and communications, you don’t need to look any further.”

Mulligan Dufrane’s monthly publication Football Focus reports on over 45,000 clubs nationwide with a total UK readership of 1.2 million, with Cricket Club and Rugby Club enjoying a combined readership of almost 1.5 million.

The publishing firm currently sells its magazines online and has plans to stock them in major UK newsagents and supermarkets.

Ms Jones said: “We feature clubs for free and give their sponsors the chance to advertise with us.

“Everyone can pick up a magazine about major football clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal but there’s a big market for writing about smaller clubs too. Our magazines help the smaller clubs thrive and stay alive in their towns and communities.

“We’ve worked with some big sponsors over the last 12 months including Audi, Tesco, Asda, Tetley’s and Worthingtons.

“Our aim is to improve communications between the clubs we feature and the businesses and sponsors that support them, as well as anyone interested in football, rugby or cricket.

“Our next edition of Rugby Focus will feature Welsh rugby and Wales’ recent victory of England in the Six Nations Championship. I’m Welsh so I can’t wait for this one.”

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