The share price of recovery play JJB Sports hit a 52-week low Thursday morning after an autumn promotional drive failed to juice up sales.Excluding value added tax, like for like (LFL) sales for the period from 2 August 2010 to 7 November were up 11.5% on the corresponding period of last year. That's below the rate achieved in the year to date (YTD). Year to date LFL sales are up 13.4% compared to the equivalent period last year, a slight improvement on the 13% YTD rise the company reported at the end of September. Year to date gross margin is 40.6%, but in the period covered by the trading update it was 37.6%, reflecting significant promotional activity. Given the increased promotional spend the level of sales was seen as a disappointment by the City.The board conceded that the LFL gain was lower than anticipated, and said that current trading conditions are tough and are expected to have a negative impact on expectations for the full year, though the final outcome will largely be determined by how well Christmas trading goes.Freddie George, a retail analyst at broker Seymour Pierce, said the group's "Serious About Sport" strategy was a sensible initiative, but with its competitors, such as Sports Direct adopting similar strategies, the broker remained a seller of the stock.Net debt at 7 November 2010 was £16.6m. The statement offered a small ray of hope for the group's long suffering shareholders, with encouraging trading at a number of recently refurbished stores.