Sports Illustrated Kids


Sports Illustrated Kids is a monthly spin-off of the weekly American sports magazine Sports Illustrated. SI Kids was launched in January 1989 and includes sports coverage with less vocabulary and more emphasis on humor. The magazine's secondary purpose is to market sports to children.
The first issue featured Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member and former Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan on the cover.

''Sports Illustrated Teen''

Sports Illustrated Teen was a bound multiple-page insert within regular monthly issues of SI Kids, written for the older readers of the children's magazine. Its contents featured more statistics, predictions, and in-depth looks at both team-based and extreme sports. Sports Illustrated Teen first appeared in the January 2004 issue, being published until it was cancelled in the March 2010 issue and was replaced with a selected article from Sports Illustrated.

Partnership with Topps

In March 2006, the Topps company and Sports Illustrated Kids announced a marketing alliance to increase the overall awareness of trading card collecting among kids. The magazine advertises the inclusion of sports cards within every issue.

Magazine contents

Monthly features include comics, humorous captions of athletics photos, child reporters, and player interviews.
The magazine's recurring mascot is Buzz Beamer, a buzz-cut blond-haired Caucasian boy always in dark glasses. He stars in most of the comics in which he plays a variety of sports and also appears in several flash cartoons on the official website. Buzz is created and drawn by award-winning cartoonist Bill Hinds.
Other works have been published under the magazine title including video games, a television show, and books.
The December edition of the magazine features the SportsKid of the Year.
Each issue features a poster that can be torn out of the issue.

Cover history

Most covers by athlete, 1989–2011
AthleteNumber of covers
Michael Jordan4
Shaquille O'Neal5

Spot Preview Editions 1989–2011
Issue TitleYearMonthSpecial notes
2007 NFL Preview!2007SeptemberScouting Reports, Breakout Stars and Predictions
College Football Preview2007AugustThe Top 10 We Rank the Best of Everything: Teams, Mascots, Sleepers Heisman Candidates, and More!
2007 Baseball Preview2007May
NBA Preview2006November
Baseball Preview2006AprilTeam Scouting Reports, Players to Watch, and Post-season Predictions
Winter Olympic Preview2006February
NBA Preview2005NovemberScouting Reports, Predictions, and Players to Watch.
Pro Football Preview2003SeptemberFearless Super Bowl Predictions and Breakdowns of all 32 NFL teams.

Special Editions 1989–2011
Issue TitleYearMonthSpecial notes
Athletes Give Back2011OctoberAthletes support Breast Cancer
The Video Game Issue2009OctoberTop 10 Games of the Year and Sneek Peek at the Future of Gaming.
Special Bonus Issue2007WinterIt's all about Football. 52 Pages on America's Sport.
Special Mega Issue2006/2007December/JanuaryBonus: Gotta Get it Guide
Best of the Best2003JuneWe pick Who is Number 1 in Sports.
Best of the Best2002MayWho rules in almost everything in sports.
Olympic Double Issue2000OctoberFeaturing guide to 12 days of Olympic action
Winter Olympic Issue1998February
Olympic Double Issue1996July
Kids Take Over This Issue!1995MarchThe entire issue is written by kids.
Summer 1992 Olympic Preview1992July
Winter Olympics1992FebruaryFeaturing highlights from the
In Dad's Duds1991JuneFeaturing kids of sports stars
Special Extremely Silly Issue1995November

Awards and recognition