UK free magazine Sport shrinks, giving up a main marketing boast

It seems that economic reality is requiring the British free weekly Sport to give up one of its main talking points, its unusual, large square format. Here's what it has been saying about itself until now:

Our format - larger than traditional magazines - gives designers extra room to show off great images, and our paper stock will enable us to really demonstrate them in all their glory. It’s a winning combination.

But at the end of the month, according to a story in UK Press Gazette, the magazine is shrinking back to a 242 x 300 mm, so-called "travel" size. (At 9.5 x 11.8 inches, it is actually slightly larger than the standard Canadian magazine). The magazine gives out about 317,000 free copies to commuters all over London every Friday. (See earlier post)