2024 SI Swimsuit - (how big will the shitshow be this year?)

[effyja2012]

supposedly they are going to continue to publish, at least for now 

 

https://awfulannouncing.com/si/sports-illustrated-owner-authentic-publication-not-go-dark.html

 

How this affects Swimsuit, I'm not sure

 

 

[Memento Mori]

Guys it has nothing to do with "politics," something sports writing has always had, or the swimsuit issue's editorial decisions. I know it isn't the focus of this forum, but SI is a sports magazine that employs (for now) writers who cost actual money to write about sports for the vast majority of their output. It's not a case of investors adding or withdrawing funds based on what body types are featured in the swimsuit issue, but wanting to milk all the value out of a legacy brand.

 

Which meant, among other things, Authentic Brands charging a licensing fee to Arena to publish SI. They've been rent-seeking off the brand in other ways, and were accused of already replacing writers with AI, and trying to make a buck off slapping the Sports Illustrated label on supplements and sponsorships.

 

It's not dissimilar to what's happening to a lot of newspapers and magazines that don't have swimsuit issues at all. It's a trend in the entire profession, regardless of editorial perspective. If you picture a landlord who stops doing maintenance while raising rents until the tenants can't afford to pay anymore, you're actually pretty close to what's happened to SI.

[peroxideblonde]

the issue will be trash but at least i'll have this total babe, damn Penny 😍 she got watts too yay

 

On 1/10/2024 at 10:25 PM, zoroaster said:

SI 2024

On 1/16/2024 at 1:45 AM, zoroaster said:

On 1/10/2024 at 10:28 PM, zoroaster said:

[lostdiadem]

In a normal SI issue, she would be both the cover girl and she would also be LESS covered. 
If they want to save this year’s issue they should put Penny as a cover girl, but I’m gonna sit here waiting for them to fudge up again.

[Cult Icon]

They gave penny some of the wrong swimsuits, she looks better in her other photoshoots imho

[Prettyphile]

Inside the demise of Sports Illustrated: How the legendary magazine that was the 'pinnacle of modelling success' is facing the axe - after controversial Kim Kardashian cover, an AI scandal and a mixed reaction to its woke makeover.

 

It's the magazine that launched the modelling careers of Kate Upton, Ashley Graham and Elle Macpherson.

But after almost 70 years in circulation, Sports Illustrated - which used to sell 3.2m copies a week in its heyday - is now facing the chopping board following a series of scandals and failed 'woke' rebrand.

Following a dip in sales, the magazine put Kim Kardashian on the cover of their May 2022 issue - just months after they insisted they wanted to highlight real 'role models' going forward.

The move was deemed 'hypocritical' and 'pathetic' by furious readers, who had previously praised the publication for using plus-size and older models in their photoshoots.

On top of this, the magazine was hit with another scandal last year when they were faced with allegations that some of their online articles had been produced using artificial intelligence.

 

 

Earlier this month, The Arena Group informed their employees that a 'significant number, possibly all, of the Guild-represented workers at SI' will lose their jobs - just months before the magazine celebrates its 70th anniversary.

But how did Sports Illustrated go from being one of the most widely read publications in the world to facing imminent closure?

 

Early Days of Sports Illustrated

The first issue of Sports Illustrated hit newsstands in the US in August 1954 and featured a photo of baseball player Eddie Mathews batting for the Braves at Milwaukee's County Stadium.

Although the contents of the magazine didn't include an interview with the popular sportsman, former editor Walter Bingham told Sports Illustrated's Vault that they selected this picture because of the huge number of fans in the crowds.

He said: 'I imagine it was chosen because there was a good crowd - [to tell readers], "you see, everyone loves sports".'

Sports Illustrated was a hit with readers and reportedly boasted 350,000 subscribers by the end of the 1950s.

 

However, the magazine appears to have really hit its stride when it introduced its annual swimwear issue 10 years later.

The five-page spread was editor Andre Laguerre's idea to boost sales during the winter months, where sales would typically slump due to the lack of events in the sporting calendar.

 

 

Accidental success of swimwear shoot

The editor sent Julie Campbell - who would later become their first swimwear editor - to Barbados to shoot model Babette Beatty frolicking in the ocean in a white two-piece.

According to the Sports Illustrated Vault, the editor called the fashion reporter into his New York office and asked: 'How would you like to go to some beautiful place and put a pretty girl on the cover?'

Wearing a high-waisted white bikini, Babette Beatty was the first model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated in a swimming costume.

 

 

 

The first issue of Sports Illustrated Swimwear edition made magazine history and a mint condition copy can sell for upwards of $10,000, according to Tompkins Weekly.  

Following the success of the issue, Andre decided to make the Swimwear Issue an annual edition of the magazine.

Speaking to ABC News in 2014, Babette explained: 'It was 1963 and it was a photo shoot like any other, like a locations shoot. It wasn’t anything planned and I did not know I was going to be on the cover.'

Looking back on the first swimwear issues, Julie said: 'The crews were very spare in the early days. It was the photographer and me, and five cameras around my neck.'

Julie is often credited for creating the supermodel in how she insisted that their names start appearing in the shoots.

On top of this, the editor was also instrumental in breaking away from using skinny editorial models which were the norm in the 1960s.

Speaking to Michael MacCambridge for this book The Franchise: A History of Sports Illustrated Magazine, Julie said in 1997: 'I wanted them to look like real people that were beautiful, and I think our audience related to that.'

 

Supermodel Era

 

In the decades that followed, supermodels Christie Brinkley, Tyra Branks and Elle Macpherson all went on to grace the cover of the hotly-anticipated swimwear issue.

Former model Kathy Ireland told Sports Illustrated Vault: 'Jule and Sports Illustrated humanised models.

'With other magazines, our job description was to shut up and pose. What Jule did was give us a voice and an opportunity to speak.'

According to Business Insider, the Swimwear Edition would sell 1m copies each year, which was up to 15 times more than other issues.

Capitalising on this success, the magazine launched their first swimwear calendar. CNN Money reported that the calendar and spin-off TV shows earned them an extra $10m in revenue.

 

In 1989, the publication released a documentary to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first swimwear issue as well as a commemorative issue starring Katy Ireland on the cover.

Elle Macpherson - who is the only model to appear on five covers - is quoted as saying: 'For a while I was on the cover of every Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, which was regarded as the pinnacle of success in America.'

The Australian supermodel appeared on the cover for three consecutive years in a row in the 1980s before also being asked back in 1994 and 2006.

In October 2013, Tyra Banks - who was the first woman of colour to appear on the cover - said: 'Sports Illustrated is athletes and football 11 months of the year. Then the one issue that they dedicate to models is their most popular!'

In 2005, the publication made $35m in advertising for the Swimwear Edition alone.

According to CNBC, the editors were sent 25,000 swimsuits to chose from for the magazine every year in the hopes that the designs would appeal to their millions of female readers.

 

After the jewellery business Bhati Beads appeared in the 2007 issue, owner Margaret Maggard reported a 66 increase in her sales.

The cover star became so hotly anticipated that Sports Illustrated partnered up with late night TV hosts to reveal their chosen model in a live television interview.

In 2011, model Kate Upton became an overnight success when she made her debut in the swimwear edition.

She told Yahoo Life: 'My life has changed completely since the first year in the Philippines.

'It’s amazing what Sports Illustrated is able to do for your career and how it can launch you to the next level.'

Speaking to CNN's Money in 2005, Colombia University's journalism professor Sandy Padwe predicted: 'When they start to see a downside, they'll pull back, but they'll never stop selling sex.'

 

Soft porn' cover

 

However in 2015, the magazine caused outrage when cover model Hannah Davis appeared on the cover suggestively pulling down her bikini bottoms.

According to Forbes, shocked readers dubbed the image 'soft-core pornography' and joked the issue should be renamed 'Sports Illustrated Playboy edition'.

A UsWeeky poll found that 68 per cent of readers thought the cover was inappropriate.  

However, Sports Illustrated refused to take the criticism on board - instead issuing a statement reading: 'After 50 years of swimsuit, what everyone knows is that one person's risqué is another's sexy.'

Appearing on the Today Show, Hannah Davis said: 'I think SI always tries to do something a little different every year, and I think this year, it's the year of the torso.

'I think you're making it look a lot naughtier than it really is, to be honest.'

 

Woke Editorial Decisions

 

Following this, Sports Illustrated's sales continued to steadily decline and they reportedly lost half a million subscribers in recent years.

After the Hannah Davis cover scandal, Sports Illustrated opted for a different approach the following year - opting to put plus-size model Ashley Graham on the cover.

Although the progressive cover was widely praised, it was also met with criticism.

Speaking to E! Online, former Sports Illustrated model Cheryl Tiegs said: 'I don't think it's healthy. Her face is beautiful.

'Beautiful. But I don't think it's healthy in the long run.'

 

Hitting back at these, Ashley told Ellen Degeneres: 'There's a double 0 now. It's a little scary on both spectrums of weight. I'm not a promoter of anorexia.

'I'm not a promoter of obesity. I think we have to promote women to be healthy at every size as long as they're getting off the couch and moving their body.'

In 2018, the monthly magazine announced it would only produce two issues a month - and this reduced to just one the following year.

In the years that followed, the magazine tried to overhaul its image by selecting models of different ethnicities, ages and sizes in a bid to appeal to a younger audience.

In 2020, Valentina Sampaio became the first transgender model to pose for the magazine, and she returned again in 2021. That year, she was also joined by fellow trans model Lenya Bloom.

2021 was also year of firsts, and included the first Filipino model in the magazine, the first Asian-American model, and a 57-year-old woman who was the oldest Rookie ever at the time.

In 2022, Sports Illustrated announced it will only include ads from brands that show a commitment to supporting gender equality and women's empowerment.

The Pay With Change initiative stated that companies will have to have 'demonstrated programs to advance gender equality and drive progress for women’s empowerment' to buy ads in both the print issue and online outlets.

In a campaign for their new initiative, Sports Illustrated described itself as 'more than a swimsuit magazine'.

Following the news that the publication is facing closure, one former read wrote on X: 'Go woke go broke. Sports Illustrated has been trash for the last ten years.'

 

Kim Kardashian Controversy

 

In May 2022, Sports Illustrated landed itself in hot water with fans when it announced that Kim Kardashian was the cover star for their swimwear issue.

Critics blasted the 'feminist' magazine for not showcasing someone 'more deserving.'

After Si Swim shared a sneak peek of Kardashian's cover shoot to Instagram, and the post was quickly flooded with angry comments from readers who called the outlet 'embarrassing,' 'disappointing,' and 'pathetic.'

The image of Kim in a bikini also featured the tagline: 'Be the Change You Want to See.'

'But why?' asked one commenter. 'Plenty of other available people with sports connections that could use the exposure.'

Another added: 'This is embarrassing. After all you've been working towards to show regular day to day women who are incredible... This is what you do? Yikes.'

 

 

'Super disappointing cover,' said someone else. 'You were doing so well, SI.'

'This is not a good move for you guys,' read a fourth comment. 'I really enjoyed the separation of real people from people like her.'

'First time I won't buy the magazine,' another person wrote. A different user agreed, 'I won't be buying one this year. Thanks to Kim for saving me $10.'

'Kim K is the exact opposite of a naturally beautiful woman,' added someone else. 'She encourages disordered eating and photoshop because she hates herself. Boo.'

Earlier that month, Kim had spoken to Vogue about taking extreme measures to fit into Marilyn Monroe's 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' dress for the Met Gala - revealing she lost 16 pounds after not eating any carbs or sugar for three weeks.

'It was such a challenge. It was like a [movie] role. I was determined to fit [into] it,' she said.

 

Martha Stewart's Cover

 

In May 2023, Sports Illustrated was widely praised when they selected 81-year-old Martha Stewart to be their swimwear issue cover star.

The businesswoman - who called posing for the magazine at her age 'historic' - showed off her physique throughout the shoot, donning 10 different swimsuits.

One photo in the magazine showed her standing in red one-piece with a plunging neckline, while another featured the 81-year-old smiling towards the camera in a white bathing suit and an orange shawl.

While reflecting on the experience, Martha explained that she 'doesn't think about age very much,' but admitted that being a part of the magazine at 81 was definitely a big deal to her.

'When I heard that I was going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, I thought, "Oh, that’s pretty good, I’m going to be the oldest person I think ever on a cover of Sports Illustrated,"' she said.

'And I don’t think about age very much, but I thought that this is kind of historic.'

'Age is not the determining factor in terms of friendship or in terms of success, but what people do, how people think, how people act, that’s what’s important and not your age,' she added.

After sharing the cover shoot on Instagram, Martha was inundated with support from fans.

One wrote: 'Absolute legend! Such a great example for all women.'

Another gushed: 'Goddess !! Breaking down the ageism barriers. So proud.'

However, one critic replied: 'Gorgeous but would be more gorgeous, empowering and honest to see the unedited version that shows actual age - like neck wrinkles, etc that are visible in the video clips!'

 

AI scandal and potential closure

Last year, Sports Illustrated's reputation was damaged by allegations that the publisher was using artificial intelligence to create its online content.

The once-powerful publication fired a company that produced articles for its website written under the byline of authors who apparently don't exist. But it denied a published report that stories themselves were written by an artificial intelligence tool.

The Futurism website reported that Sports Illustrated used stories for product reviews that had authors it could not identify. Futurism found a picture of one author listed, Drew Ortiz, on a website that sells AI-generated portraits.

The magazine's author profile said that 'Drew has spent much of his life outdoors, and is excited to guide you through his never-ending list of the best products to keep you from falling to the perils of nature.'

 

 

After Sports Illustrated, Futurism said all of the authors with AI-generated portraits disappeared from the magazine's website. No explanation was offered.

Futurism quoted an unnamed person at the magazine who said artificial intelligence was used in the creation of some content as well - 'no matter how much they say that it's not.'

Sports Illustrated said the articles in question were created by a third-party company, AdVon Commerce, which assured the magazine that they were written and edited by humans. AdVon had its writers use a pen name, 'actions we don't condone,' Sports Illustrated said.

'We are removing the content while our internal investigation continues and have since ended the partnership,' the magazine said. A message to AdVon wasn't immediately returned on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Sports Illustrated Union said it was horrified by the Futurism story.

'We demand answers and transparency from Arena group management about what exactly has been published under the SI name,' the union said. 'We demand the company commit to adhering to basic journalistic standards, including not publishing computer-written stories by fake people.'

Earlier this month, Sports Illustrated staff were warned that mass lay-offs were almost certainly being rolled out.

An email from Arena sent to staff on Friday, and reported by Front Office Sports, read: 'We were notified by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) that the license under which the Arena Group operates the Sports Illustrated (SI) brand and SI related properties has been officially revoked by ABG.

'As a result of this license revocation, we will be laying off staff that work on the SI brand.

'Some employees will be terminated immediately, and paid in lieu of the applicable notice period under the [the union contract]. Employees with a last working day of today will be contacted by the People team soon.

'Other employees will be expected to work through the end of the notice period, and will receive additional information shortly.'

It comes as a result of Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the group that purchased Sports Illustrated for $110million in 2019, ending its agreement with Arena to publish in both print and digital.

Arena missed a $2.8m payment as part of the licensing agreement three weeks ago.

[PinkCouture]

ICYMI: Lori Harvey (Steve Harvey's daughter) is a Rookie

[TheDude2k]

A good trip down memory lane...

 

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: Hannah Ferguson Wore a Bikini Made of Shells in Turks and Caicos

The model made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2014, and most recently posed for the brand in ’17.

[PinkCouture]

Thought it was Tish Cyrus before I read the caption and realized it's Brittany Mahomes Not sure did they photoshop the same face onto different bodies b/c her facial expression looks the same in all these photos

 

 

 

[TheDude2k]

Butter face IMHO.  If she wasn't Patrick's wife, I doubt she would have been in the issue.

[victoriassecret_aut]

Only her gives me hope rn

 

[Warhol]

Can’t wait to see the rookies 😍

[tommydp8]

Penny is a bombshell!

Christen is crazy cute with a super sexy body!

Livvy is a beauty and flexible!

 

I hope for some other additions that I would like!

 

Please

sexy bikinis

less covered

better photo angles

and of course to not waste each model's best features, just make them the main focus!

I know I ask a lot but... I'm part of the audience anyway lol

[jelansis]

I hope Christen gets a cover 😍

[TheDude2k]

More effective than getting into freezing cold water... #shrinkage

[Prettyphile]

It's a look....

 

 

[Prettyphile]

I'm not uploading Swift's BFF out of principle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite ^^ being a little older, she's actually very pretty and has a decent body, I might be a tad excited to see her.

 

[Ramsfan]

More Olivia Dunne please. 

[Swimsuitologist]

Seems like there's some kind of 60th Anniversary "legends" event/shoot brewing, per rumblings on Instagram.

[oldschoolsifan]

13 hours ago, Swimsuitologist said:

Seems like there's some kind of 60th Anniversary "legends" event/shoot brewing, per rumblings on Instagram.

Have a feeling the current idea of "legends" is much different than mine.  Christie Brinkley, Kate Upton and Molly Sims, sure.   Martha Stewart and Maye Musk not so much.  And I get Winnie Harlow has been an incredibly successful model, but one issue of SI does not an SI legend make.