Earlier today, I checked the mail and received my new issue of Sports Illustrated. Like many issues, this one was encased in a colorful wrap. Typically these wraps are for advertisements or for the chance to preview a book, win a golf club or something of a similar nature.

This issue was wrapped in an announcement that if I did not call a nine-digit phone number – yes I know that is a number short I guess it got cut off – phone number in the next two weeks, I would automatically renew my subscription for the next two years.  The rate was not the best I have ever seen and SI has begun to disappoint me, so I did not want an auto-renew.

So I went to the Web site to get a number where I could get human contact.

The guy on the other end of the line was outsourced to another country. After going back and forth to where I could find my account number we were in business and we agreed to cancel my subscription at the end of my current contract no questions asked.

With the state of the dwindling hard-copy media industry, I expected a question or a couple of them and was ready for a 5-10 minute cancellation conversation.

What I got was kind of interesting – no questions, concerns or follow-ups as to why I was cancelling my subscription. (more…)

Image SICovers.com

There was a time not so long ago that Sports Illustrated was known for putting curses on its cover boys, Life of Riley and a swimsuit issue. However after Riley jumped ship, there was no reason to read the back page and the cover jinx seemed to fade away (here and here).

While the magazine did add Dan Patrick, yes the former ESPN stalwart, that wasn’t the real story — Sports Illustrated turned into a first-class marketer for their authors’ books, even gracing the most recent cover.

First it was Tom Verducci and Joe Torre telling all about his Yankee years. The book excerpt shed some light into the behind the scenes drama. First there was the fallout with the GM and then the hoopla with Alex Rodriguez being a Jeter-junkie and A-Fraud. Then in the most recent issue, the aforementioned A-Rod graces the cover. However, its not for any heroic deed, but rather being exposed as yet another dirty player of the steroid era.

In the case of Verducci, the plug propelled his book to the top of the NY Times Best Seller list, prompting a book tour that would be more fitting for J.K. Rowling. (more…)