July/August 1998 Issue

Grand Slam:

Sports mags go for the gold

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Why do sports magazines appeal to publishers? Well, they inevitably touch on cultural hot points like race, gender, and celebrity, and dramatic photo opportunities abound. Perhaps most importantly, a never-ending supply of statistics means there’s always fodder for the definitive form of late ’90s magazine expression—the chart. While sports have always snagged adult male consumers, new players in the genre are reaching futher out. Herwith, a scouting report.

—G. Beato

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ESPN CONDÉ NAST SPORTS FOR WOMEN HECKLER SLAM
Spiritual mascot Dan Marino Tiger Woods “Most glamorous sportswoman in the country,” Gabrielle Reece 18-year-old snowboarding phenom you’ve never heard of Li’l Penny
Show me the money 3.15 million readers Anytime you’re starting a new magazine, it helps to have a worldwide cable empire to promote it. Best closer in the league: Condé Nast’s ad department. Anti-consumerist editorial stance lends maximum credibility to advertisers. Cool-hunting advertisers eager to target voracious sports-shoe consumer demographic
Knockout punch Easy-to-read old-school graphic design Editorial staff includes mix of seasoned vets and future All-Stars. Workout tips from supermodel athletes, rather than just supermodels Skaters and snowboarders discuss their adventures without slick magazine-writer intervention Nothing but net
Bum knee Frequent unnecessary psychoanalysis: “He may be a bit anal, but he can putt.” Unrestrained insider tone means you have to watch at least 15 hours of sports a week to know what they’re talking about. Editor writes like a summer intern at a second-rate PR agency. See above Should come with glossary insert for those over 30
Intangibles If mysteriously well-regarded columnist Rick Reilly ever decides to jump to ESPN, it’ll be SI‘s gain. Has the rarest commodity in the genre; funny sports-writing that’s actually funny Low-fat cheesecake like “The Breast News Ever!” likely to attract crossover audience Lots of music coverage, in case you’re not really into sports, even extreme ones Surprisingly entertaining vertical-leap-
enhancement ads
State of the chart Used mostly as uninspired page-filling devices Detailed statistical breakdown of the Alamodome Detailed statistical breakdown of Wheat Thins Nutrition Facts label Stats and charts are for fat-asses. Rankings of up-and-coming sneaker brands

WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

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And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

payment methods

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