ESPN The Magazine is in its final quarter.
After more than two decades on newsstands, the sports network will cancel the publication after its September issue.
“Consumer habits are evolving rapidly, and this requires ESPN to evolve as well,” the network said in a statement. “The only change here is that we are moving away from printing it on paper and sending it in the mail. … Our data shows the vast majority of readers already consume our print journalism on digital platforms, and this approach will maximize our reach and impact.”
The final print issue of the magazine will be its annual “Body” issue, traditionally it’s best selling version each year. In its statement, Disney-owned ESPN said it “will explore releasing tentpole collections such as Body in special, differentiated print formats,” indicating it wasn’t withdrawing entirely from the print business.
ESPN The Magazine first came out in 1998, aiming to challenge the long-standing Sports Illustrated.
SI, a former corporate cousin of Fortune, is currently owned by Meredith, but is on the market. Licensing company Authentic Brands is reportedly in talks to buy the publication for roughly $110 million.
