si.com

October 26, 2025

What is Sports Illustrated / SI.com

  • Sports Illustrated (SI) began in 1954 as a weekly sports magazine in the United States. (Wikipedia)

  • Over time, the magazine built a reputation for in-depth reporting, strong photography, and broad sports coverage — from mainstream professional leagues to amateur/college sports. (Wikipedia)

  • SI.com is basically the digital arm of that magazine: a website that publishes news, analysis, feature stories, scores, stats, and multimedia content for a wide range of sports. (SI)

In short: SI = the legacy magazine brand; SI.com = their primary digital presence nowadays.

What SI.com Offers

On SI.com you’ll find:

  • Coverage of major U.S. leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc.), college sports, worldwide soccer, and more niche sports. (SI)

  • Live news, game recaps, schedules, standings, player & team analysis. (SI)

  • Opinion pieces, long-form storytelling, feature articles, athlete interviews, sometimes deep dives into cultural or broader-impact sports stories. (SI)

  • Multimedia content: photos, videos, galleries. The site once redesigned its homepage to emphasize big photos and video content. (SI)

  • Other content verticals — in some periods — including betting/odds, fantasy-sports advice, and special-interest editions (historically). (SI)

So for many sports fans especially in the U.S., SI.com serves as an all-in-one hub for news, analysis, statistics, and commentary.

Historical Evolution & Recent Changes

The journey from a print-only weekly magazine to a mostly digital presence has been bumpy:

  • After decades as a weekly print magazine, SI switched cadence: biweekly around 2018–2020, then monthly starting 2020. (Wikipedia)

  • Ownership changed. Once part of Time Inc. (under Time Warner), SI was sold to a company called Authentic Brands Group (ABG) in 2019. (Wikipedia)

  • Editorial license passed on to digital-media operators, first to a company called Arena Group (formerly Maven), then — after financial issues — to Minute Media in 2024 under a 10-year licensing deal. (Wikipedia)

These changes have had real consequences: in 2024 the publication reportedly failed to deliver its May print issue — the first missed issue in over 70 years of history. (Wikipedia)

So while SI.com remains active as a digital outlet, the legacy print edition has faced major disruption, reflecting broader changes in media consumption and business models.

What Still Works & What’s Changed

What still works:

  • The digital platform remains a major source for sports news and analysis across many sports — not just U.S. leagues, but global sports too.

  • Multimedia content: video, photos, frequent updates make it relevant in a fast-moving sports world.

  • Brand recognition: SI still draws on decades of legacy, history, and a name many associate with major sports journalism.

What changed:

  • The print magazine is no longer weekly; frequency has dropped, and delivery of print issues has become irregular under corporate upheaval.

  • The website’s editorial control has shifted among owners/licensees — which may affect tone, staffing, and content quality depending on how well the transition is managed.

  • The business model leans more heavily on digital, which may sacrifice some of the long-form storytelling that made the magazine's reputation (though SI.com still tries to provide that).

Why It Still Matters

Even with the turbulence:

  • For many fans — especially outside the U.S. — SI.com remains an accessible, English-language portal to high-level sports coverage, across different sports.

  • Its history and archive give context: the brand has covered decades of major sports events, shifts in games, legends and controversies — useful for research or nostalgia.

  • As media shifts digital, SI.com represents a legacy outlet adapting to new realities: balancing reporting, multimedia, and commercial pressures.

Key Takeaways

  • SI started as a print-only magazine in 1954; SI.com is its digital descendant, still active today.

  • On SI.com you'll find scores, breaking news, expert analysis, feature stories, multimedia — across a wide array of sports.

  • Over time the print frequency dropped; ownership and editorial control changed hands (Time Inc → ABG → regional digital publishers).

  • That transition has created instability (e.g. missed print issues) but the digital site persists.

  • For many readers, SI.com remains a useful, long-standing resource for sports journalism.


FAQ about SI / SI.com

Q: Is SI.com free to access?
A: Yes — many articles and content on SI.com are available publicly online. However some content might be behind paywalls or require subscription, depending on their business model (this can change over time).

Q: Does SI still produce a print magazine?
A: As of the last few years, yes — but the frequency has dropped (from weekly to monthly), and there have been disruptions (e.g. missing issues). (Wikipedia)

Q: Who owns Sports Illustrated now?
A: The brand owner is Authentic Brands Group (ABG). The editorial rights (print + digital) are currently licensed to Minute Media under a long-term deal. (Wikipedia)

Q: What kind of sports does SI.com cover?
A: A wide range: major U.S. pro leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL), college sports, global soccer, and other sports as well. (SI)

Q: Has SI.com changed over the years?
A: Yes. As media consumption shifted, SI.com moved heavily into digital — combining real-time news, multimedia, and interactive features. The magazine’s print frequency dropped, and ownership/management changed. (Wikipedia)