What Sports Illustrated does

Sports Illustrated is a 72-year-old American sports media brand founded in 1954, currently structured as ABG-SI LLC, a licensee entity under Authentic Brands Group (ABG), with Minute Media serving as the operating partner since a 2022 acquisition. The brand operates a diversified multi-platform business spanning digital and print sports journalism (SI.com and SI Magazine), the SI Swimsuit lifestyle franchise, SI TV (a FAST streaming channel launched May 2026 across Amazon Fire TV, DirecTV, Sling, Plex, and Roku), SI Tickets (a sports event ticketing platform projected at $500M in revenue), and SI Resorts (branded hotel properties in Tuscaloosa, Nashville, Chicago, and under-development in Baton Rouge). The company reaches 52 million monthly web users and 21 million social media followers, with international editions in Germany, China, and Mexico and planned expansion into France and the UK. Sub-brands include SI Kids, SI Collects, SI Lifestyle, and SI Features, and the company operates Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ as an official FIFA World Cup 2026 fan destination.

Name

Sports Illustrated

Legal name

ABG-SI LLC

Website

https://SI.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Sports Illustrated is a 72-year-old American sports media brand operating across digital journalism, FAST streaming, ticketing, branded resorts, and lifestyle franchises, reaching 52M monthly web users and 21M social followers under ABG ownership with Minute Media as operator.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Media and Entertainment

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sporting Goods Retailers (459110), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Streaming Distribution & App Platforms (CTV, Mobile, Web) (MPAKAOAL), Sports Collectibles, Fan Gear & Licensed Merchandise Retail (CRAMABAO)

Keywords

• Sports media
• Sports journalism
• Sports streaming
• Sports ticketing
• Branded hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Media (Advertising & Subscriptions): Traditional media revenue including advertising and digital/print subscriptions, now representing less than half of total revenue as the brand diversifies.
2. SI Tickets: Ticket sales platform expecting to generate $500 million in revenue this year.
3. SI TV Streaming: Free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel generating revenue through advertising across multiple streaming platforms.
4. Sports Illustrated Resorts: Branded hotel and resort properties including locations in Tuscaloosa, Nashville, Chicago, and Baton Rouge (near LSU campus), combining vacation ownership, hotel, and whole ownership units.
5. Events & Activations: Branded events including SI The Party during Super Bowl weekend, Tight End University partnership, and Swim Week activations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sports Illustrated produces and distributes sports journalism, photography, and lifestyle content across its flagship si.com website, print magazine, and SI TV FAST streaming channel. The brand also monetizes its audience through the SI Tickets ticketing platform, branded resort properties, SI Swimsuit lifestyle content and commerce, and licensed merchandise. Content spans NFL, NBA, MLB, college sports, soccer, golf, tennis, Olympics, fantasy, and betting coverage for sports enthusiasts.

Product overview

Sports Illustrated is a diversified sports media brand operating across multiple platforms and verticals. The core offering is its flagship sports journalism publication (print and digital), supplemented by the SI Swimsuit sub-brand, SI TV streaming channel, SI Tickets ticketing platform, SI Resorts branded hospitality properties, SI Kids children's content, and SI Collects merchandise. The brand reaches 52 million monthly web users and 21 million social media followers, with international editions in Germany, China, and Mexico. Revenue has shifted away from traditional media advertising, with less than half coming from media business, supported by diversified streams including tickets, streaming, resorts, and licensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SI Tickets: Ticket sales platform for sports events expecting $500M in revenue.
• SI TV
• Sports Illustrated Resorts
• SI Kids
• SI Collects
• SI Features
• SI Lifestyle

Quantifiable outcome

• 52 million monthly web users
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Gist (ProRata)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026Five major publishing companies including Sports Illustrated partnered with Gist to deploy new advertising formats called Gist Answers and the Question Bar, designed to monetize consumer question-asking behavior as AI chatbots replace traditional keyword searches.
• Sofwave MedicalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026Sofwave Medical became the first aesthetic device brand to partner with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, spanning pop-up activations at Launch Week in New York City and Swim Week in Miami, along with social content, editorial coverage, and talent partnerships. The milestone positions Sofwave Medical as the inaugural aesthetic device integration within the SI Swimsuit ecosystem.
• Authentic Brands GroupcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 20 May 2026Sports Illustrated is owned by Authentic Brands Group, which licenses the brand for various commercial ventures including resorts, ticketing, streaming, and events.
• Tight End University (Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Greg Olsen)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 May 2026Tight End University concert event produced in partnership with Sports Illustrated and Authentic Brands Group. Second annual installment scheduled for June 23 at The Pinnacle in Nashville.
• LTKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launched shoppable content experiences through partnership with influencer shopping platform LTK, enabling readers to purchase apparel and accessories directly from editorial and social content. Initiative includes tagged products, shoppable galleries, and integrated shopping links within the LTK app and on-site content.
• Hawaiian Tropic (Edgewell)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 May 2026Hawaiian Tropic partnered with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit as official suncare partner, with activations planned around 2026 Swimsuit Issue and runway show during Swim Week.
• Travel + Leisure Co.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 15 April 2026Travel + Leisure Co. developing Sports Illustrated Resorts destinations, including new location in downtown Baton Rouge near LSU campus involving conversion of existing 11-story hotel. Investment partners include Kituwah LLC and Shaquille O'Neal. Renovations beginning early 2027 with completion expected late 2027.
• Datavault AIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Exploratory collaboration to develop a proprietary digital asset exchange platform focused on athlete Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) trading, powered by Datavault AI's proprietary technology. Target commercial launch in second half of 2026. The partnership aims to expand into a definitive brand license leveraging U.S. collegiate NIL market projected to reach $2.55 billion by 2026.
• The SpunminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 7 June 2021Maven, publisher of Sports Illustrated, acquired The Spun to expand sports media offerings and leverage its growing audience, integrating the site into the Sports Illustrated ecosystem while continuing its independent operations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ESPN: Disney-owned dominant U.S. sports media brand spanning TV, digital, streaming (ESPN+), and fantasy sports. Directly comparable to SI as the legacy sports media leader now also expanding into streaming and betting content, with much broader scale but similar audience and editorial positioning.
• Fox Sports: Fox Corporation's sports media division operating broadcast, digital, and streaming properties including FS1 and sports betting integrations. Comparable to SI's broadcast-legacy roots and broad sports portfolio spanning NFL, MLB, college sports, and soccer.
• CBS Sports: Paramount-owned sports media division operating digital, broadcast, and streaming properties including CBSSports.com and 247Sports. Comparable as a legacy broadcaster expanding into digital sports media, betting content, and fantasy sports.

Direct peers

• The Athletic: Subscription-based digital sports journalism outlet owned by The New York Times. Directly comparable to SI's core digital subscription business, competing for the same deep-read sports audience with team-specific beat writers and high-quality long-form coverage.
• Bleacher Report: Warner Bros. Discovery-owned digital sports media brand focused on highlights, social-native content, and team-specific verticals. Comparable to SI's digital/FAST content strategy and younger-audience sports coverage, including House of Highlights as a CTV-friendly property.
• The Ringer: Spotify-owned digital sports and pop culture media brand. Comparable as a digital-first sports media competitor targeting younger sports audiences with editorial coverage, podcasts, and video content across similar distribution channels.
• Vivid Seats: Public secondary ticketing marketplace for live sports, concerts, and theater. Comparable to SI Tickets as a direct competitor in the sports ticketing space, with similar revenue model (transaction fees) and overlapping customer base of sports event attendees.
• StubHub: Global secondary ticketing marketplace for live events. Comparable to SI Tickets as a primary competitor in the sports ticketing vertical, with deeper inventory and established brand recognition in live event ticketing.

Emerging players

• Barstool Sports: Penn Entertainment-affiliated digital sports and pop culture media brand with strong social following and personality-driven content. Comparable to SI's pursuit of younger sports audiences through social-native, founder-driven coverage and gambling-adjacent content.
• DAZN: Global sports streaming subscription platform offering live and on-demand sports content. Comparable to SI's SI TV FAST channel strategy as a sports-only streaming distribution competitor, though DAZN is paid SVOD rather than ad-supported.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SInow
• Facebookfacebook.com/SportsIllustrated
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sports-illustrated

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sports Illustrated