# Sports Illustrated on the verge of oblivion **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 19, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343 "2024-01-19T17:53:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/21 "2024-01-20T01:22:16Z")
I once had a 12-month gift subscription from Columbia House or some shit like that. I remember finding it a bit _too_ “illustrated.” There was almost no actual content to it, I could read one cover to cover in like 20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/22 "2024-01-20T01:53:55Z")
For those of us who were young sports loving adults in the seventies and eighties, getting the weekly gems from Dan Jenkins, Curry Kirkpatrick and even Frank Deford were big days. It was the sports magazine for people who liked really good writing. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/23 "2024-01-20T02:43:54Z")
Note that, in the beginning, SI was a money loser for Time Inc. It was years before it made a profit. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/24 "2024-01-20T03:01:00Z")
I subscribed back in the day, but only to get that handsome football phone. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/25 "2024-01-20T04:29:56Z")
It’s seems pretty fitting that Sports Illustrated would name Deion Sanders as their Sportsperson of the Year and then completely fall to pieces soon thereafter. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/26 "2024-01-20T12:41:06Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Maybe they could turn it into just a swimsuit magazine? It might be profitable then Probably not. I imagine even the skin mags are suffering mightily. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/27 "2024-01-20T18:40:37Z")
Not to take anything away from the pulchritude of remarkably preserved 80 year old Martha Stewart, nor any other non-traditional models. Was this the right move, considering all perspectives? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/28 "2024-01-20T18:55:43Z")
Yup, that was when they truly jumped the shark. Even up til a decade ago, SI was still producing quality articles, with great depth and detail. Crap now. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/29 "2024-01-20T20:07:23Z")
I wonder if this will effect the price of my copy of the first issue. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/30 "2024-01-20T20:10:07Z")
Yeah, this might be a good time to hoard up every physical copy as collectibles, potentially worth more in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343/31 "2024-01-21T00:27:54Z")
Dad had the first issue mailed to him. Has his original address on the dust cover. Not mint but in very good condition. ETA that’s not my copy but a good example with the mailing cover. > **[Sports Illustrated, Vol.1, No. 1 First Issue with 6 Pages of Baseball Cards...](https://www.alcuinbooks.com/pages/books/028791/sports-illustrated-vol-1-no-1-first-issue-with-6-pages-of-baseball-cards-and-original-mailing)** > > Chicago: Time Inc., 1954. First Edition. Quarto. Item #028791 First issue. A fine copy in every respect not only with all the marvelous Topps six baseball card foldout but in the original mailing envelope which is worn though in the process of... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-illustrated-on-the-verge-of-oblivion/996343.md?page=1)