Sports Illustrated
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What is Sports Illustrated?
Sports Illustrated is an American sports magazine that was created in 1954 by Henry Luce, who also founded Time magazine. It was initially created to diversify Time Inc's publications. After 1959, Sports Illustrated shifted its focus to major sporting events and featured high-caliber photography and sports journalism, achieving cultural relevance under managing editor Andre Laguerre. The magazine has received a number of National Magazine Awards. Multiple offshoots of the magazine were created, including Sports Illustrated Kids and Sports Illustrated Almanac. In 2019, the magazine's intellectual property was sold to Authentic Brands Group. In 2024, The Arena Group had its licensing agreement terminated and laid off most of the magazineās staff. Two months later, Minute Media took over publishing rights to Sports Illustrated.
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When was Sports Illustrated first published?
Sports Illustrated was first published on August 16, 1954, by Henry Luce, who also created Time magazine. Luce aimed to diversify Time Inc.'s publications with this weekly sports magazine.
Initially, Sports Illustrated covered both popular spectator sports and elite activities, such as rugby, but faced struggles in its early years. After 1959, under managing editor Andre Laguerre, the magazine shifted its focus to premier sporting events, leading to increased readership and significant profits.
Over the years, Sports Illustrated has featured high-caliber photography and sports journalism, along with contributions from notable writers and its popular swimsuit issue. The magazine's ownership has changed hands several times, and it has also spawned several offshoot publications, including Sports Illustrated Kids.
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What kinds of sports does Sports Illustrated cover?
Sports Illustrated was created in 1954 by Henry Luce, also the creator of Time magazine. Early issues covered popular spectator sports as well as elite activities like rugby, which contributed to the magazineās early struggles. After 1959, Sports Illustrated began to focus on premier sporting events.
Under managing editor Andre Laguerre, Sports Illustrated began to feature high-caliber photography and outstanding sports journalism that established its cultural relevance. Sports Illustrated has won a number of National Magazine Awards over the years. Its swimsuit issue, first published in 1964, became its best-selling issue, featuring photos of fashion models, athletes, and other celebrities.
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Why is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue famous?
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue gained fame as its best-selling issue after its debut in 1964, featuring photos of fashion models, athletes, and celebrities. The magazine has also featured outstanding sports journalism and high-caliber photography, contributing to its cultural relevance.
Notably, Christie Brinkley appeared on the cover of the SI swimsuit edition for three consecutive years (1979ā81). Her "wholesome looks and athletic physique" made her a sought-after model, helping to catapult her to fame and making her a household name.
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How has Sports Illustrated influenced sports journalism?
Sports Illustrated (SI), founded in 1954 by Henry Luce, pioneered American sports journalism. Under AndrƩ Laguerre, the magazine gained cultural relevance through high-caliber photography and outstanding journalism. SI featured articles by athletes like Bill Russell and writers such as William Saroyan and Hunter S. Thompson. The magazine won multiple National Magazine Awards, and its swimsuit issue, first published in 1964, became its best-selling issue. Sports Illustrated also led to the creation of Sports Illustrated Kids, Sports Illustrated Almanac, Sports Illustrated Women, and Sports Illustrated on Campus.
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Who are some notable writers or editors associated with Sports Illustrated?
Sports Illustrated was founded in 1954 by Henry Luce, also the creator of Time magazine. After 1959, under managing editor Andre Laguerre, the magazine began to focus on major sporting events.
Notably, Bill Russell, the player-coach for the Boston Celtics, contributed to the magazine in 1967 with a piece about Muhammad Ali. Sports Illustrated also occasionally featured works by prominent writers such as William Saroyan, Robert Frost, and William Faulkner.
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Sports Illustrated was founded as a weekly sports magazine in 1954 by Henry Luce, the creator of Time magazine. It became a pioneer in American sports journalism, though its influence waned in the 21st century as it passed through multiple owners.
Founding and early years
Luce started Sports Illustrated as an attempt to diversify the publications owned by Time Inc. The first issue was released on August 16, 1954. Its early issues covered both popular spectator sports and elite activities such as rugby, which contributed to the magazineās struggles in its early years.
After 1959, when Andre Laguerre took over as managing editor, Sports Illustrated focused on premier sporting events, allowing people to read more about what they had seen on television or read about in newspapers. Laguerre was thus able to gain millions of new readers and generate billions of dollars in profit.
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1960s and beyond
With Laguerre at the helm, Sports Illustrated began to feature high-caliber photography and outstanding sports journalism that established its cultural relevance. In 1967 Bill Russell, who was player-coach of the Boston Celtics, wrote about Muhammad Ali. The magazine published occasional pieces by notable contemporary writers, including William Saroyan, Robert Frost, and William Faulkner. While on assignment for Sports Illustrated, Hunter S. Thompson wrote a piece that the magazine never published but that became Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1971).
Sports Illustrated won a number of National Magazine Awards over the years. Its swimsuit issue, which was first published in 1964, became its best-selling issue, featuring photos of fashion models, athletes, and other celebrities. Several offshoots of the magazine were created, including Sports Illustrated Kids, Sports Illustrated Almanac, Sports Illustrated Women, and Sports Illustrated on Campus.
Ownership
In 1990 Sports Illustrated became part of Time Warner, which was formed by the merger of Warner Communications and Time Inc. When the latter was spun off in 2014, it retained Sports Illustrated.
In 2018 Meredith Corporation gained control of the magazine through its acquisition of Time Inc., and that year Sports Illustrated, which faced declining subscriptions, began publishing its regular weekly edition once every two weeks. In 2019 the magazineās intellectual property was sold to Authentic Brands Group for $110 million. As part of the deal, Meredith would continue to publish Sports Illustrated through a licensing agreement.
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Later in 2019, the digital media company TheMaven, Inc. acquired the magazineās publishing rights for at least 10 years. Sports Illustrated became a monthly publication in 2020, though it continued to release special issues.
In January 2024 TheMaven, now renamed The Arena Group, had its licensing agreement terminated after it failed to make a payment; it also laid off most of the magazineās staff. Two months later, Authentic Brands Group said it had reached an agreement for the publisher Minute Media to take over publishing rights to Sports Illustrated.