Sports Afield
Sports Afield is a privately held hunting adventure magazine founded in 1887 and owned by Safari Press, publishing bimonthly print and digital content for serious big-game hunters across North America and international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1887
- HeadquartersHuntington Beach, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Sports Afield does
Sports Afield is a privately held American hunting adventure magazine and the oldest outdoor publication in North America, founded in 1887 by Claude King. The company is owned by Safari Press, a Huntington Beach, California-based publisher that acquired Sports Afield in 2002 after a brief publication hiatus, and relaunched it in April 2003 as a high-end publication focused exclusively on big-game hunting adventure. The publication is bimonthly (six issues per year) and is available in print, digital (via the Calameo platform), and combined print-plus-digital subscription tiers, with the print-only tier priced at $34.97 for 6 issues.
The company's core business revolves around editorial content covering high-end big-game hunting destinations, gear, conservation, and adventure stories, contributed by notable writers including Diana Rupp, Craig Boddington, and Shane Mahoney. Beyond subscriptions, Sports Afield generates revenue from advertising sales (handled by a Director of Sales and a Sales & Licensing Executive), branded merchandise (shotshells, drinkware, gun safe dehumidifiers), a brand licensing program, and a trophy property real estate listing platform acquired from Cabela's in 2016. The company's audience is primarily serious big-game hunters and outdoor industry advertisers in North America, with international subscription distribution.
The underlying technology stack is a modest digital publishing platform — a website with a content management system, digital edition hosting via Calameo, and basic e-commerce for back issues and merchandise. The company maintains a multi-channel marketing presence through its website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, an email newsletter (Notes From Afield), and a flagship event partnership as title sponsor of the Dallas Safari Club's annual convention. The company is headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, with editorial offices in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Sports Afield firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sports Afield
- Legal name
- Sports Afield Inc.
- Website
- https://sportsafield.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1887
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Sports Afield is a privately held hunting adventure magazine founded in 1887 and owned by Safari Press, publishing bimonthly print and digital content for serious big-game hunters across North America and international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sports Afield industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hunting & Outdoor Magazines
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH), Sports Collectibles, Fan Gear & Licensed Merchandise Retail (CRAMABAO)
Keywords
Where Sports Afield is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Huntington Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sports Afield business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions sold to individual consumers. The magazine offers print-only, digital-only, and combined print+digital subscription options at various durations (1, 2, or 3 year terms).
- Advertising: The magazine sells advertising space to outdoor industry brands. Contact information for advertising is provided for James Reed (Director of Sales) and Kim Gattone (Sales & Licensing Executive).
- Merchandise Products: Sale of branded products including shotshells, coffee cups, water bottles, and gun safe dehumidifiers through the Sports Afield brand.
- Licensing: Sports Afield brand licensing program allows third parties to use the brand for approved products and services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Print Only Subscription - 6 issues per year |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Only Subscription - Online and mobile access |
| Subscription | Annual | Print + Digital Bundle |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Back Issues - April 2003 to present |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Sports Afield product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sports Afield is the oldest continuously published outdoor magazine in North America (since 1887), producing a bimonthly print and digital magazine covering big-game hunting adventures, destinations, gear reviews, and conservation. Beyond the magazine core, the company sells branded merchandise (apparel, shotshells, gun-safe accessories), maintains a Trophy Properties real estate listing platform, archives back issues dating back to 1888, and licenses its brand for third-party products.
Product overview
Sports Afield is a print and digital magazine publishing company offering bimonthly hunting adventure content since 1887. The core product is the Sports Afield Magazine available in print and digital editions. Supplementary offerings include hunting merchandise (shotshells, branded drinkware, gun safe dehumidifiers), back issue sales, a real estate listing platform for trophy hunting properties, and downloadable article archives. The portfolio spans print subscriptions, digital access via Calameo, physical products, and property services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sports Afield Print Magazine Subscription Bimonthly print magazine subscription delivering big-game hunting adventure stories, destination coverage, gear reviews, and conservation content to individual hunting enthusiasts across North America. Available in 1-year and 2-year terms.
- Sports Afield Digital Edition Subscription Digital access to each bimonthly issue via the Calameo online reader and mobile applications, providing the same big-game hunting content as print in a portable, searchable format. Targets individual subscribers preferring digital reading.
- Sports Afield Back Issues Sales of past magazine issues dating back to 1888, enabling collectors and researchers to acquire specific historical hunting content. Available per-issue or in discounted bundles, ordered by email request.
- Sports Afield Article Archive (PDF Downloads) Online archive of individual feature articles delivered as PDF downloads, allowing subscribers to access specific hunting adventures, gear reviews, and conservation pieces without retrieving the full magazine issue.
- Sports Afield Branded Apparel and Headwear Sports Afield-branded clothing items including caps, hats, T-shirts, and outdoor apparel sold direct-to-consumer via the online store, targeting brand-loyal hunting enthusiasts and readers.
- Sports Afield Shotshells and Ammunition Accessories Sports Afield-branded shotgun shells and related shooting accessories sold through the online store, extending the heritage hunting brand into functional shooting products.
- Sports Afield Gun-Safe Dehumidifiers and Storage Accessories Sports Afield-branded gun-safe accessories and dehumidifier products, sold direct-to-consumer to firearms-owning hunters and collectors who need controlled-storage environments for their firearms and gear.
- Sports Afield Cookware, Coffee Cups, and Water Bottles Sports Afield-branded cookware, coffee cups, and water bottles sold through the online store, providing lifestyle merchandise to brand-affiliated outdoor enthusiasts.
- Sports Afield Trophy Properties Listing Platform Real-estate listing platform within Sports Afield dedicated to marketing premier hunting and trophy properties, connecting landowners, agents, and buyers seeking premium hunting real estate.
- Sports Afield Brand Licensing Program Licensing program allowing third-party manufacturers to produce and sell products under the Sports Afield brand name, managed by the company's licensing executive team.
- Sports Afield Print and Digital Advertising Advertising placements in the print magazine and on digital properties, sold by the in-house sales team to outdoor-industry brands seeking access to the Sports Afield readership.
Companies that use Sports Afield
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sports Afield technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sports Afield partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Dallas Safari Club (DSC)flagshipSports Afield and Dallas Safari Club have an ongoing partnership where Sports Afield serves as title sponsor of DSC's annual convention. The partnership was extended for another five years, demonstrating a long-term commitment between the two organizations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sports Afield competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Hunter: Official journal of the National Rifle Association, covering hunting, firearms, and conservation; competes with Sports Afield for hunting enthusiasts and has a large, established subscriber base.
- Gray's Sporting Journal: Premium, high-end hunting and sporting lifestyle magazine; directly comparable to Sports Afield in positioning toward affluent, trophy-hunting subscribers and luxury outdoor advertisers.
- Outdoor Life: Long-running outdoor recreation magazine covering hunting, fishing, and gear; the most direct substitute for Sports Afield's content and audience among general outdoor enthusiasts.
- North American Hunter: Membership-based hunting club and media brand offering a magazine plus digital content; comparable subscription/membership GTM motion and big-game hunting audience.
- Game & Fish: Multi-title outdoor sporting magazine group covering hunting and fishing across U.S. regions; competes for the same hunting advertiser base as Sports Afield, with stronger regional depth.
- Bowhunter: Long-established hunting magazine focused on bowhunting; overlapping but more specialized audience than Sports Afield, and a meaningful competitor for hunting print advertising dollars.
- Deer & Deer Hunting: Whitetail-focused hunting magazine and media brand; shares Sports Afield's hunting-content focus but targets the larger (and more accessible) whitetail segment rather than international big game.
- Petersen's Hunting: Hunting-focused magazine (originally tied to the same Petersen publishing family that once owned Sports Afield); a near-identical niche competitor for big-game hunter subscribers and advertisers.
- Field & Stream: One of the oldest and best-known American outdoor/hunting magazines; competes directly with Sports Afield for the same hunting and outdoor sportsman audience through both print and digital channels.
Others
- Safari Press: Parent company of Sports Afield and a leading publisher of high-end hunting, firearms, and African safari books; comparable in editorial niche and customer profile, and a natural adjacency for Sports Afield's licensing and merchandising strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sports Afield social profiles
Digital presenceSports Afield financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sports Afield leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Sports Afield funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sports Afield M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sports Afield
What does Sports Afield do?
Sports Afield is the oldest continuously published outdoor magazine in North America (since 1887), producing a bimonthly print and digital magazine covering big-game hunting adventures, destinations, gear reviews, and conservation. Beyond the magazine core, the company sells branded merchandise (apparel, shotshells, gun-safe accessories), maintains a Trophy Properties real estate listing platform, archives back issues dating back to 1888, and licenses its brand for third-party products.
Is Sports Afield a public or private company?
Sports Afield is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sports Afield founded?
Sports Afield was founded in 1887.
Where is Sports Afield based?
Sports Afield is headquartered in Huntington Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sports Afield make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are advertising, merchandise Products and licensing.
Who are Sports Afield's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Hunter, Gray's Sporting Journal, Outdoor Life, North American Hunter, Game & Fish, Bowhunter, Deer & Deer Hunting, Petersen's Hunting and Field & Stream. Safari Press is listed as an others.
Does Sports Afield have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sports Afield.
What industry is Sports Afield in?
Sports Afield's product category is Hunting & Outdoor Magazines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAJ, Sports & Recreation Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAEAH, Travel & Outdoors Magazines. Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 2721.