SPORT Slowly Emerges from a Decades-Long Slumber
Plus: A new SLAM record, a truckload of Ring mags, a very early Shaq publication, and two must-have new releases
More than a quarter-century after publishing their last regular printed magazine, SPORT appears to be inching toward something of a comeback.
The brand’s primary social channel, @sportthemagazine on Instagram, has been making great use of their classic photo archive in recent months, even jumping on the “What were you like in the ’90s?” trend a few weeks ago, merging Griffey and the Goo Goo Dolls for possibly the first time.
The SPORT website has published six “features” in the last two months, an official photo shoot took place for the first time in 25 years, and they keep showing up at major events, including Fanatics Fest and Super Bowl LX. These are not the actions of a company planning to recycle brand heritage in perpetuity.
This won’t matter much to magazine collectors if the content remains digital. But a recent development gives me hope for a physical future for SPORT.
In partnership with Netflix, SPORT released a limited “Collector’s Edition” commemorative issue for MLB’s Opening Night game between the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees on March 26. The 44-page magazine was available only for fans to “pick up” around Oracle Park, meaning it was not an official “first X fans through the gate” promotion with the Giants, but rather an informal one with an unknown print run.
Make no mistake, this was not some slapdash brochure project. The cover art was created by Neil Jamieson, the artist behind some of the most memorable sports magazine cover artwork of the last few years. The inside has several robust articles — presumably written by real people — that either nod to the history of the game or look forward to what the 2026 version has to offer.
There are four full-page ads — all for Netflix properties — and a six-page Q&A with the Netflix broadcast team. For fans lucky enough to snag one, that’s a fair trade for a free magazine keepsake with beautiful vintage photography inside.
SPORT’s cagey “comeback” language leaves the door open for all possibilities, from a full return to regular print to nothing at all. Hopefully this event-exclusive commemorative (along with the surprise Willie Mays tribute issue in 2024) was a test run for the former — or at least an indication that more special edition issues are on the way. Given the current landscape of print magazines, I’m willing to stomach some flagrant corporate sponsorship if it means we get more access to new sports mags.
Notable Sales
$6,741 CGC 9.9 SLAM Gold Metal Aug./Sept. 2025 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with JSA Authenticated Autograph (Goldin)
Despite the indecipherable autograph, this Shai-signed Gold Metal Edition broke the record for a graded SLAM sale, topping the CGC 9.9 Caitlin Clark 1st cover by nearly $2,000.
$5,102 Sports Illustrated June 18, 1956 Mickey Mantle 1st cover (eBay)
Minor condition issues kept this beautiful copy from approaching the five-figure sale price of another Mantle newsstand to hit eBay auction recently.
$2,013 CGC 8.5 Sports Illustrated Oct. 12, 1981 Wayne Gretzky 1st cover (Goldin)
$1,627 Sports Illustrated Sep. 26, 1960 Jim Brown 1st cover with JSA Authenticated Autograph (eBay)
$994 PSA 8.0 Sports Illustrated Oct. 28, 1996 Tiger Woods 1st cover (Goldin)
$844 PSA 8.0 Sports Illustrated Oct. 28, 1996 Tiger Woods 1st cover (eBay)
Whatever your feelings about the PSA vs. CGC on the secondary market, I think we can all agree the $1,739 price tag for a PSA 8.0 first Tiger SI back in January was a little overzealous. Even with the $150 price descrepancy, these two sales are more in line with a mid-grade copy of this issue.
$763 CGC 8.0 Boxing Beat June 1987 Mike Tyson cover with JSA Authenticated Autograph (Goldin)
$695 Sports Illustrated Oct. 28, 1996 Tiger Woods 1st cover (eBay)
The front cover shows a handful of spine ticks, and the back cover has some color-breaking wear. Would this issue grade higher than an 8.0, which sold for only $150 more on eBay?
$628 PSA 7.5 Weekly Baseball Nov. 12, 2012 Shohei Ohtani (Goldin)
$625 Sports Illustrated Oct. 25, 1965 Bill Russell 1st cover with JSA Authenticated Autograph (eBay)
$397 CGC 9.0 Sports Illustrated May 4, 1992 Barry Bonds 1st cover (Goldin)
Barry’s Netflix commentary debut was well-received. If he remains in the public eye throughout the season, he has a chance to re-frame his legacy a player and reverse his (overwhelmingly negative) public perception. I’m not holding my breath (mostly because I don’t think he cares what people think), but if that happens, be prepared to pay a little more for his rookie cards and covers.
$380 Hochi High School Mar. 15, 2012 Shohei Ohtani 1st Cover (eBay)
A PSA 9.0 copy of this issue sold for $16,470 a few weeks ago on Goldin. This one looks closer to 0.9 than 9.0, yet someone was willing to pay nearly $400 for it. I sense there is an Ohtani wave coming, and subscribers to this newsletter would be wise to prepare for it. (Sale price confirmed via eBay Product Research.)
$372 PSA 8.5 Edmonton Oilers Program Jan. 23, 1983 Wayne Gretzky (Goldin)
$306 PSA 9.6 Beckett Baseball Card Monthly June 1990 Bo Jackson (Goldin)
$285 PSA 7.0 Sports Illustrated June 25, 1962 Jack Nicklaus (eBay)
Full disclosure: I was the seller of this slab, and I already miss it.
$189 CGC 9.6 Sports Illustrated May 28, 2001 Ichiro Suzuki 1st cover (Goldin)
$154 PSA 6.5 Hoop NBA Yearbook ’89 Michael Jordan (Goldin)
$116 CGC 6.0 Goal March 1980 Wayne Gretzky 1st cover (Goldin)
$94 PSA 9.0 The Ring Oct. 1995 Mike Tyson, Peter McNeeley (Goldin)
$81 CGC 9.0 TIME Aug. 19, 1985 Pete Rose 1st cover (Goldin)
Auctions Ending This Week
eBay
Ends Fri. 4/3 at 11:27pm ET: SLAM #15 Feb. 1997 NBA Rookies/Kobe Bryant 1st cover
Even though it looks like someone used this copy as a drink coaster at some point over the last 30 years, there are still 20 watchers and several bids already on this iconic SLAM cover.
Ends Fri. 4/3 at 6:17pm ET: WWF Magazine April/May 1984 Hulk Hogan 1st cover
Ends Sat. 4/4 at 6:00pm ET: Sports Illustrated June 21, 1993 Michael Jordan “Head to Head”
Ends Sat. 4/4 at 8:00pm ET: Sports Illustrated Oct. 18, 1993 Michael Jordan “Why?”
Ends Sun. 4/5 at 2:21pm ET: “Over 15,000 copies” of The Ring
Thousands of copies of the same four magazines listed by a seller with zero feedback. Seems like these may have fallen off the back of the truck, if you know what I mean. Bidding starts at $2,500.
Ends Sun. 4/5 at 5:28pm ET: CGC 9.2 Sports Illustrated Nov. 19, 2018 Patrick Mahomes 1st cover
Ends Sun. 4/5 at 10:20pm ET: CGC 6.5 Sports Illustrated Oct. 12, 1981 Wayne Gretzky 1st cover (Label removed)
Ends Sun. 4/5 at 10:28pm ET: Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 1960 1st edition
If Friday Night Lights is any indication, there’s a former quarterback-turner-Chevy dealer ready top drop a few grand on this puppy.
Ends Sun. 4/5 at 11:00pm ET: Sports Illustrated 1955 lot of 50 newsstand issues, including Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Ben Hogan 1st covers
Ends Mon. 4/6 at 8:12pm ET: Sports Illustrated Dec. 17, 1990 Michael Jordan “Another Bull Run”
Ends Tue. 4/7 at 2:41pm ET: Tiger Rag Magazine 1990-1991 LSU Basketball Guide Shaquille O’Neal
The early Photoshop work on this cover proved prescient, as Shaq would go on to destroy a dozen hoops in his career, including a full shatter during an NBA Inside Stuff shoot with Ahmad Rashad.
Goldin
Forty graded magazines are available in Goldin’s Weekly Auction ending Thursday, April 2 at 10pm ET. Here are a few highlights:
CGC 8.5 Sports Illustrated Feb. 8, 1965 Jerry West 1st cover
At first glance, this looks like a beautiful example of a tough-to-find newsstand of the Logo. But the artwork is supposed to be royal purple, and this ink seems to have faded into a dark fuschia. The fading is so consistent, in fact, the CGC grader notes don’t even mention it, likely because the entire cover is affected. (The grader notes for a copy with fading only along the top call it out specifically.)
Combine the color degredation with a half-dozen noticeable spine ticks, and I don’t think we should expect the final price to come close to the $3,355 fetched by the top pop a few years ago.
CGC 9.4 Sports Illustrated Mar. 6, 1972 Bill Walton 1st cover *Top Pop*
Last week, we mentioned Bill Walton covers don’t seem to draw a ton of bidding action. This first cover might be a different story: It’s the top pop newsstand by far of just 7 total graded by CGC.
CGC 5.5 Sports Illustrated Mar. 4, 1968 Pete Maravich 1st cover
CGC 8.5 SPORT Aug. 1949 Jackie Robinson 1st cover
I think frequent sales of the best SPORT issues — such as this Jackie and Mickey Mantle’s first cover from 1953 — will pique interest among collectors who are are laser-focused on (or perhaps priced out of) high-grade vintage Sports Illustrated first covers.
In September, a CGC 8.0 copy of this issue sold for just $622 on Goldin. Five weeks ago, a different CGC 8.0 sold for $2,013, also on Goldin.
PSA 8.5 Weekly Baseball Mar. 26, 2012 Shohei Ohtani cover *Top Pop*
Two weeks ago, a PSA 9.0 Weekly Baseball from Sept. 24, 2012 sold for $4,819 on Goldin. This cover predates that one by six months.
CGC 8.5 Jet Oct. 16, 1975 Muhammad Ali *Top Pop*
This is a great photo of a late-career Ali, one I’d never seen before. It’s a shame the small-sized Jet issues look so awkward in graded slabs sized for comic books, because this is a clean cover in really sharp condition.
CGC 9.6 Beckett Basketball Monthly Feb. 1996 Michael Jordan
As far as I’m concerned, every Beckett price guide from the ’80s and ’90s has an awesome cover. There’s a lot to love about this one — the black-and-red pinstripe Bulls jersey, the Concord XI’s, the foil Flair in the lower corner. I just hope the buyer doesn’t go too crazy. Becketts are widely available in good condition, and this CGC 9.6 is in an old slab — there’s a same-grade new slab listed on eBay for $299.
The Golf Auction
Masters week approaches, and The Golf Auction is ready. More than 900 lots close next Sunday night, a few hours after the new champion dons his green jacket. Thirteen lots include magazines, while a few dozen programs and Masters journals are also available. I’ve linked two standout pieces below.
Ends Sun. 4/5 at 10:00pm ET: Golf World Aug. 7, 1992 Tiger Woods 1st cover (Subscription)
A copy of this issue with fewer spine ticks sold in January for $135 via eBay Best Offer.
Ends Sun. 4/5 at 10:30pm ET: CGC 9.2 Sports Illustrated Aug. 28, 2000 w/ 2001 Upper Deck PSA 10 Tiger Woods (Framed Display)
Not that you needed (or wanted) it, but here’s a reminder of the vast value gulf between cards and magazines: With PSA 10 a population of nearly 15,000, Tiger’s Upper Deck “rookie” card routinely sells for $350-$400. There are just 59 total graded newsstand copies of the Sports Illustrated issue featuring the same photo, with a CGC 9.4 selling for $116 on Goldin last summer. I know which one I’d rather have.
Heritage
Nothing of note for now, but there are a couple very interesting pieces on the horizon. We’ll detail the best of the bunch in the next newsletter.
Release Radar: SLAM #261 Kon Knueppel
SLAM is on a nice run lately, with this cover arriving just as Kon Knueppel became the odds-on favorite to win Rookie of the Year, ahead of first overall pick Cooper Flagg and Sixers sensation V.J. Edgecombe.
Worthless trivia: This is the first SLAM cover since the Larry Johnson Premier Issue to feature a Charlotte Hornet wearing a teal jersey.
Release Radar: GOLF Magazine March-April Rory McIlroy
GOLF covers are designed to be eternally pleasing on coffee tables in pro shops rather than urgently popping on newsstands. Exceptions are made, it seems, for Masters previews, which occasionally feature an indelible image from the prior year’s event. (See this illustration of Hideki Matsuyama’s caddie Shota Hayafujiand for the 2023 preview and the 2020 issue featuring Tiger’s triumphant moment in 2019).
It took nearly a year, but this Rory cover featuring an iconic photo from his win at Augusta is likely the only one of the sort we’ll see from a major sports publication. For that reason alone, I think it’s worth picking up.
(If you prefer a little more tilt and a lot less saturation, you can opt for the April issue of Augusta Magazine.)
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