ESPN vs. SI

The magazine peeks out from under competitor’s shadow.

By Jason Fell
04/07/2008 -16:52 PM

This year, the editors here at FOLIO: selected ESPN senior vice president of content development and enterprises Keith Clinkscales to our annual FOLIO: 40 list—and for good reason. The brand, and the magazine, have undoubtedly stepped out of the shadow of competitor Sports Illustrated.

Clinkscales has steered ESPN's business strategy and is responsible for operations associated with the magazine and the company's publishing-related business initiatives. The magazine has hired top talent, and saw a nearly 20-percent spike in ad revenues last year. In February, the magazine finally launched its own Web site, ESPNthemag.com, separate from ESPN.com.

But, already, it seems like SI might have a leg up for 2009. Late last month, SI.com launched the SI Vault, a digital archive of more than 150,000 stories, 2,600 covers and a half-million photos spanning 54 years.

In a little more than two weeks since its launch, the Vault has already racked up 17.36 million page views and 1.17 million unique visitors.

I'd say that's a home run.