• by Val Brickates Kennedy , February 27, 2014

TheBoston Globe is homing on the Florida's New England snowbird population.

Just in time for Red Sox Spring Training, the Globe announced it is launching a Florida edition targeted at former and migratory New Englanders roosting on the Gulf Coast. The Florida edition will feature the same news and sports coverage as its Boston sibling, which was bought last year by Boston businessman John Henry.  

Ground Zero for the Florida edition will be Fort Meyers, which is also conveniently the winter home of the Boston Red Sox, which is also conveniently owned by Henry. So basically, the Florida edition is a twofer for the man.

Since buying the financially troubled Globe last August, Henry has said that he's committed to finding new ways to grow its business while preserving the newspaper's journalistic integrity. Last month, he brought in Boston ad guru Mike Sheehan, the former head of advertising juggernaut of Hill Holliday, as the Globe's new CEO to help formulate a plan to boost circulation and ad sales.

Regional editions of major newspapers tend to have short lifespans --The Wall Street Journal, for example, launched several in the boom '90s only to unceremoniously shutter them a few years later. But Henry and his crew could hit paydirt by targeting New England transplants and snowbirds, many of whom are die hard Boston sports fans or maintain other strong ties to the region.

The Florida edition went on sale February 24 at chain stores such as 7-11, Walgreens and CVS throughout Lee and Collier counties. Home delivery will be available seven days a week beginning on March 3.