We need to hear from you because we need your stories. For what? Well, for our anniversary issue that will hit this December. A few months ago, we told you that we are planning a special issue devoted to 20 years of sports business -- more specifically, a celebration of 20 years of publishing for SportsBusiness Daily and 15 years for SportsBusiness Journal. In a stand-alone issue that you will receive on Monday, Dec. 9, we will chronicle the history of the publications, as well as other major milestones and stories that have had an impact on the sports industry over this time. I’m sure there are some of you out there, the diehards, who recall when SportsBusiness Daily would jam up your fax machine around noon when we first began to publish -- our first issue was Sept. 12, 1994. Others remember when the first issue of SportsBusiness Journal came across your desk during the week of April 27, 1998.
As SBD prepares to turn the page on its 20th year of publishing in '14, and SBJ moves into its 16th year, we are making a request to readers of both publications. We’re asking you to delve deep into your memory bank and share your stories with us -- your first recollections of the publications, specific ways that you would use the products or the information and what role the publications have played in your professional lives. As we plan out our special issue, we’ll be looking back through the years at the people who have made key contributions to the products, the publishing process and the role SBD and SBJ have had in helping inform executives in sports. So a call out to both longtime diehards and new subscribers: If you’re interested in sharing your stories, your thoughts and recollections on these publications, let me know. I’ll be working closely with SBJ Managing Editor Ross Nethery (rnethery@sportsbusinessjournal.com) and we would love to have you be a part of our special issue.
