Sports Illustrated Logo

Sports Illustrated Logo PNG

The Sports Illustrated logo is crisp and compact. The emblem demonstrates that the publication has compiled comprehensive information on various sports. The reader doesn’t need to spend a lot of time searching for the latest news – the magazine is an ideal source.

Meaning and History

Actually, this is the third magazine with such a name. The two previous ones were published monthly and catered to athletes. For the third, the name was initially chosen as the logo, in which the color scheme gradually changed to better reflect the themes of movement, competition, and leadership. Changes were introduced with each new editor-in-chief and owner.

What is Sports Illustrated?

Before the advent of the internet era, it was one of America’s most popular sports publications. The magazine is read by an audience of 23 million people every week. By the 2000s, a digital version was launched on the SI.com website and YouTube channel. Still, in 2017, they announced a return to a focus on the print version: 12 monthly issues, four special editions, and a separate annual swimsuit issue.

1954 – 1961

The first logo – is an orange inscription, Sports, in large capital letters. Each symbol seems to be made from a sports ribbon. Below, on an orange oval base, the word Illustrated is also written in capital letters.

The uppercase is a hint at the coverage of major events and the national scale of the publication. The orange motifs represent the engagement with the audience and consideration of their interests. A large part of the issue was devoted to entertainment for a wealthy audience that subscribed to this magazine. A red version of the emblem was also used when it came to hot news and competitions.

White letters symbolize novelty, news, and updates to topics and photos in each issue.

1961 – 1975

In the 1960s, Andre Laguerre took over the management of the magazine, which hadn’t been profitable in its first ten years of existence. He introduced color reports about the events of the week, which doubled the circulation.

The logo of that time was simple and dynamic – the title was in two levels of black font. The lower word was offset forward relative to the upper one. It gave the impression that the emblem was moving. At the same time, associations with skiing, golf, football, and swimming arose. The approach pointed to:

• Active sports that the pages were dedicated to.
• Coverage of sports events as they occur.
• Bonus detailed articles at the end of each issue.
• Interesting magazine content from beginning to end.

The offset of the words seemed to urge “keep up with the news with us.”

The first word in the title is written in a larger font to show that sport is the main topic, and the illustrations change from issue to issue. The black color symbolizes the hard work of athletes.

1975 – 1987

Gil Rogin becomes the chief editor. During this time, SI is published weekly and in color as offset printing has become available. The new logo reflects the capabilities of the printing press. These are very clear blue letters with a white outline. The title is written in one line, and both words are of the same size. The technique shows that the illustrations in the magazine have become of excellent quality and are as important as the articles about sports.

Blue is the color of achievements and hard work. The white outline hints at the news. The smooth lines of the letters indicate interesting texts. The articles that Frank Deford wrote at that time were the most quoted publications about famous athletes and coaches.

1987 – 1995

In 1987, a video version of the magazine, released by HBO/ Cannon Video on tapes, appeared. Mark Mulvoy is the chief editor of the print magazine.

The emblem of the period becomes two-level again. It turns red and is placed in a rectangle with a white border. The shape of the background hints at a cassette. Red letters speak of leadership. The new editor has done a redesign. Thanks to him, the magazine received the national magazine award for general excellence two years in a row.

Placing the word Sports in the center above Illustrated makes the logo more compact and harmonious.

1995 – 2001

Time Warner took over the magazine. After a while, the new owners updated the format of the magazine. The logo becomes a red inscription on two levels with a black shadow. The title seems to be raised above the surface, which indicates the leading position of the tabloid and many readers. At that time, the magazine is the most authoritative publication about sports in the US.

The title has an unusual depiction of the letters Ill in the word Illustrated, which look like a pedestal for the first, second, and third places. The crossbar of the letter t is present only on the right side, which demonstrates the theme of moving forward. Elongated slender letters emphasize the toned figures and high growth of athletes.

2001 – today

Time Warner merged with AOL Inc. Another rebranding was held for the magazine. The letters of the title received a dark blue color and white outlines. The symbols have become more grounded and even more closely connected with each other. There is a black shadow under the letters, which highlights the inscription.

The blue color embodies computer technologies. After the 2000s, the newspaper actively started developing its website and YouTube channel to match the spirit of the time. The white outline is a hint of news. No matter what topic the article touches upon, it always contains fresh facts that have not been mentioned before.

Font and Colors

Red, blue, and black are the most common colors of the emblem.

• Black – effort, will of athletes. The absence of competitors for the magazine – it is unique in its kind.
• Red – competition, movement, energy. The magazine covers the hottest confrontations, controversial issues, biographies of bright personalities, and the latest sports events.
• Dark blue – the solidity of the publication, accurate data, and computerization.

The full-bodied font, reminiscent of the Hulk, indicates the voluminous and vibrant reporting. Dark shadows lend the emblem a three-dimensional feel and the sensation that it hovers above the paper, a technique that symbolizes the evolution of printing technologies and the emergence of computer programs allowing high precision.

Sports Illustrated color codes