Sports Illustrated, the once-great magazine which ran some of the most important and breathtaking sports journalism ever printed, hit its nadir this week when marketing images were released for new, SI-branded nutritional supplements. The supplements are also listed for purchase on Amazon.
Sports Illustrated was acquired by Authentic Brands Group in 2019, with the day-to-day operation of the journalistic arm handed off to another company, Maven. While Maven has done plenty to degrade the journalistic quality of SI in its time operating the journalism side, this would make sense that it was a move from the Authentic Brands Group, which spoke about utilizing the brand for money-making opportunities back when they bought it.
That strategy apparently has now led to SI-branded supplements such as INTESI-T and BRAIN POWER, and for people who grew up venerating the magazine, it has led to a deep, dark sadness to see what has become of a once-great magazine.
When the images broke, the internet went wild roasting them:
