Deadspin
If you haven't read Sports Illustrated lately, well, never fear: Slate's Josh Levin has taken care of that for you. And it didn't take him very long. Those of us who remember curling up with an SI for a good hour-plus of intelligent reading probably don't even recognize the magazine anymore; instead, they're more concerned with informing us whether Jason Isringhausen believe the kids should be with Britney or K-Fed. What happened?
Levin blames the influence of ESPN: The Magazine, which is probably true, which is depressing, if you've ever tried to make it through an issue of ESPN: The Magazine. (Mostly.)
Sports Illustrated is allowing market research to masquerade as editorial judgment. Perhaps it's effective from a business standpoint—the mag has maintained its huge circulation lead over ESPN the Magazine, and a recent industry survey showed an increase of 14 percent in readers between ages 18 and 24 the last two years—but it's making the magazine an inferior product.
We can't think of a more damning critique of SI in recent years than to say that it saw ESPN: The Magazine and thought, "Jeez ... look at those guys! We have to get hip like those guys!"
Comments
I stopped reading ESPN the Magazine when they took out Goofus and Galant.
I'm sure Dan Patrick will increase SI's quality exponetially.
Faces in the Crowd - Corey Feldman
I prefer Highlights for all my pop culture and sports needs.
You and ESPN happened.
And knowing is half the battle.
I just renewed my SI subscription. I've subscribed since 1990 when I was 11 years old. It definitely has gone down in quality, but still an enjoyable read on a saturday afternoon during a crappy game.
If only they could get Peter King to write a weekly column on coffee.
Maybe SI could morph their mag into a weekly choose your own sports adventure?!? Has anyone called Bindi Irwin?
I'll start reading SI again when Leitch starts that back page gig.
Now that Rick Reilly's left, really is there anything left reading? Scratch that... is there anything left reading?
bring back SPORT magazine. anyone else here remember it ?
I miss the '70s issues of SI, where they had articles on horse racing, fishing, hunting, and ads for cigarettes. Those were the days. (Not that I was alive then.)
I subscribed to SI shortly before Rushin left. At least I got a free size-XL Pats fleece out of it. Yeah!!!
To hit their target demographic, SI is going to give out American Apparel t-shirts instead of the fleece jackets.
this week's sign that the apocalypse is upon us:
espn the magazine is being credited with having influence
Print is dead.
/Egon Spangler
How cute...the Slate article thinks Rick Reilly has a personality.
This week's sign of the apocalypse: people actually reading ESPN the magazine
@lieutenant winslow: Gah!
I blame the internets. Why buy a swimsuit issue when I've got all this free porn?
Texas.
I cancelled my subscription the week after I got my sneaker phone.
I'm still holding out for The Best Damn Sports Show, Period: The Magazine.
A similar incident occurred when Alsace-Lorraine tried to be more like France than Germany. The implications were MASSIVE.
Thanks for reminiding me to cancel my ESPN Insider subscription. I haven't found a use for the "free" ESPN the Mag they auto renew me for every year since I stopped pooping on the floor.
Anything that's the "The" automatically blows.
@dismalScientist: or Neil Postman.
So it's OK to rag on a magazine Will doesn't write for now?
if you go to the newsstand on a regular basis, it is painfully obvious what markets are doing well. there are 57 fashion / gossip mags and about 5 sports mags (minus fantasy). Looks like Women still buy print and guys don't. I really don't want to read about how hot OSU is after FL already won the title.
/bitter ad guy
@The Fan's Attic: crappy game as in, any Pac-10 game?
[please, take the bait]
@dave_leitao_is_my_hero: You're not part of the Rushin revolution?
@Upstate Underdog: Yup. SI with less pictures.
Actually ESPN The Magazine is quite an accomplishment. The fact that they can build an entire issue of a magazine on about 75 words of copy is pretty amazing.
Slate's always writing these "What's wrong with X" columns.... When are they going to write a "What's wrong with Slate" article?
They carried over SI For Kids content into the regular SI so gradually it's like I didn't even notice until it had taken over completely.
@crazyjoedavola: the good SI, not the shiity SI of the last few years.
@preciousroy: Stephen A Smith writes in CAPS so that takes up quite a bit of space.
An old issue of SI could last you an entire week's trips to the shitter. The new one, only a couple. Still, I can get through ESPN the magazine in one good piss.
@LingeringBursitis: Could be...could also be a crappy Big-11, Big-12, SEC game as well.
Just announce the new book for the DBC and SI will be forgotten.
ESPN the Mag is Man-tastic. They have more "artistic" pics of sweaty shirtless guys in there than Turkish Bath Monthly.
Or so I've heard.
@The Teufel Shuffle:
And eight-page articles on lobo wolves.
@Weed Against Speed: I'm personally hoping for "Versus Monthly" to start publication. It'll focus on Hockey, The Stihl Timbersport Series, and Sled Dog Racing. Dennis Miller will occupy a Reilly-esque backpage full of obscure references to Carthagenian generals and early European literature..
What's ESPN the Magazine?
Oh, you mean that thing that plugs up my mailbox because I have to pay $50 a year to read Gammons?
Couldn't they have just made everyone happier by keeping the magazine the same, but adding a Buzz Beamer cartoon on the back page for the kiddies? I miss Buzz Beamer.
Will's right, we should all just read the New York Times for sports. They've got some quality talent writing up in there.
1010 radio rumor
Mets made an offer: 11 years 33 mil/yr for A Rod.
Oh, you mean that thing that plugs up my mailbox because I have to pay $50 a year to read Gammons?
I refuse to subscribe to ESPN Insider because I can't bring myself to kill a tree for The Rag. This kills me- I miss Neyer a lot.
Steve Rushin must die.
@LesMilesIsAMouthyDouche: Is Buzz Beamer taking over for Reilly?
@DiceKAirHump: was that before or after traffic on the ones.
The cover is what's wrong with SI. No more "Celtic Pride" covers. The Texas Rose Bowl cover should've been just Vince Young and the word "Superman." Instead, there were 100 words including a by-line (seriously, who cares?) and teasers for four other stories, including one about teen suicide. Who wants to put that mismash of junk on a wall?
Neither Stanford nor Texas is "Now".
@Weed Against Speed: I always thought "Cold Pizza: The Magazine" would be great.
Can you blame SI for trying to be more "now"?
all SI is good for is the fantasy football section...and we can get that shit free anywhere on the net. it's too bad, I've been getting that rag by mail since I was a kid...