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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 magazine’s 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.
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 magazine’s 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.
Later in 2019, the digital media company TheMaven, Inc. acquired the magazine’s 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 magazine’s 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.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by J.E. Luebering.