One of the highlights of the winter occurs each February when approximately two weeks after the publication of Sports Illustrated’s insanely profitable Swimsuit Issue, the magazine publishes the inevitable pile of mail from readers vowing to cancel their subscriptions. Perhaps anticipating the outcry of this vocal minority, SI has run the following item on the Letters page of their year-end double issue.
The annual SI Swimsuit Issue will be published in February. If you’re a subscriber and would prefer not to receive it, call our customer service center toll-free at 1-866-228-1175 and let us know. If you choose to not receive the SI Swimsuit issue, we will extend your subscription by one issue.
(this young man swears he was just looking for Bill Sheft’s column)
No word yet if SI will set up a hotline where other subscribers can order emergency replacement copies. It also seems like this would be a fine opportunity for Time, Inc. to send the rejected Swimsuit Issues to elementary & junior high school libraries around the country. It’s never too early to get kids hooked on the magic of reading, the photography of Bob Rosato, the pithy commentary of Rick Riley, etc.
i cancelled my subscription to si this summer, this will be the first time i’m not getting a swimsuit issue addressed to me since i was 12. my dad had a subscription before that, the 1979 issue will forever be burned into my brain. never before has one man (or boy as the case may have been) got so much out of so little.