New Sports Magazine is Launched

No, I don't own stock, promise, but I'm thinking I won't be the first sports blogger to mention SE7EN magazine. It is marketing itself as an upscale magazine that will cover sports, gambling, and style. Check it out at http://www.sevenmagonline.com/. Two issues are out so far.



Thinking as a business man, I like the idea. ESPN the Magazine is the downscale everyman magazine: lots of content, but cheap to buy and cheap-looking. Sports Illustrated has unfortunately started to chase ESPN the Magazine a little bit in hopes of making up ground. Therefore, the upscale sports magazine spot is open. The magazine is well-designed and printed on quality stock (they charge $6 an issue). And the coverage is broad. They're getting some decent names to write for them and be interviewed, as well. You're not going to see an Alex Rodriguez interview(yet), but they look like they can handle non-"Big Three" coverage pretty well.

However, I did note that the writing is decent but somewhat flavorless. It might take them a while to find their voice. Perhaps that's also because they didn't cover the NBA in the issue I read, which is my favorite sport. And frankly, "SE7EN" is too cute of a name for me. Sounds like more of a perfume than a magazine. Finally, I didn't care for the lady-love section: it felt a little too much like SE7EN was reaching for FHM/Maxim territory.

Quibbles aside, in a time where much of the focus is on sportsblogs, I like SE7EN's moxie in trying to go the exact opposite direction. The more sports options out there for us fans, the better. When there is a monopoly on sports reporting, it results in lower quality, in my opinion. So good luck to them, from a Mr. Nobody they've never heard of.