The launch of ESPN Magazine was examined by CNN's
Donald Van de Mark on "Moneyline." In her introduction,
CNN's Jan Hopkins called ESPN's bi-weekly "a direct attack
on Sports Illustrated, pitting two of the best brand names
of sports journalism against each other." Van de Mark said
SI "still dominates the business of sports journalism,"
pulling in $500M a year "in ad revenue alone," but starting
Wednesday when ESPN Magazine debuts, SI "faces its greatest
challenge yet." Newsday publishing columnist Paul Colford
said that by advertising ESPN Magazine on ESPN "they've
already entered the launch faze with something in the
neighborhood of 300,000 subscribers." ESPN Magazine "is
targeting younger customers," and ESPN Magazine Publisher
Michael Rooney said, "Sports has changed. And it's not that
the 18-34-year-old reader wants us to be irreverent, but he
wants us to be a little more with it. He wants us to have a
little more fun. It's just sports" ("Moneyline," CNN, 3/9).
AD DETAILS: ESPN Magazine's debut issue will carry 107
ad pages, which industry observer/Univ. of MS professor
Samir Husni said ranks sixth in all-time magazine launches
and first among sports title launches. Among advertisers:
Pontiac, Nike, Polo/Ralph Lauren, Nautica, adidas, AT&T,
Columbia Sportswear, Ford and Nintendo (ESPN Magazine).
