5 Coolest Sports Illustrated Covers From 2018

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Looking back on a full year of Sports Illustrated issues to find the five coolest and most visibly pleasing Sports Illustrated covers.

This year was a monumental one for Sports Illustrated, with changes all over the place. Some worked out well: SI let some notable veterans walk but they got younger, fresher, and less likely to close their doors in the process. At the same time, some changed were disappointing: SI reduced their magazine count from 38 in 2017 to 27 in 2018, a number that’s nearly half of their 51 issues in 2015. Lastly, some changes are still up in the air or incomplete: SI had a great idea with their SI TV launch but it’s too inconsistent so far and in need of more internal attention. With the right sherpa and a bigger budget, SI TV can be special, in my opinion.

What hasn’t changed at Sports Illustrated is the quality of their work, both online and in print. The magazine, though printing less, has made a better product; they’ve tested new waters with content– like their compelling SI True Crime series — and started making heavier issues. Hell, I even think they’re using better paper these days for their covers, though no one else has mentioned it.

And it’s the covers where SI still has major pull in the sports world. To this day, major programs, players, and diehards get super pumped when they make a new SI cover. It used to be everything to make Sports Illustrated because they were the only show in town; nowadays, there are plenty of other shows but an SI cover is still tangible validation that few athletes will ever get to feel. LeBron or Tiger may not care about another cover at this point but they definitely remember their first. And the offshoots who only had one, well, they cherish it forever because no one can ever take it away.

Since 2018 is nearly through and the “Sportsperson of the Year” issue has been delivered, it’s time to look back on all 27 issues that subscribers received in 2018 to find the coolest and most visibly pleasing covers. Your list may be different than ours but I’ll try to provide an argument for each cover that made the cut.

5 Coolest Sports Illustrated Covers From 2018

Honorable Mention: Alex Ovechkin w/Stanley Cup Trophy (6/18/18) — Call me a homer, but this one had to get a spot on the list somewhere. Sure, it’s generic but Ovechkin and the rest of the drought-busting Caps created a special moment in Washington, D.C. history. Ovi’s SI cover was one of three championship covers for the June 18th issue.

#5: Both Sides of Luke Heimlich (5/21/18) — It’s not normal for a college baseball player to get an SI cover. It’s also not a regular practice for the National Pitcher of the Year to go undrafted. Yet, Heimlich accomplished both because his criminal record (he plead guilty to sexually assaulting his six-year-old niece when he was 15) put MLB execs in a crummy spot. S.L. Price’s cover story is must-read stuff and the cover photo/layout only adds to the darkness and intrigue.

#4: “Rethink Drew Brees” (12/3/18) — This issue was released just days after the Saints fell to the Cowboys in primetime but that wasn’t enough to douse the flames this baby brought to the table. The cover is beautiful, majestic even, with a gang of content inside that makes a case for the best issue of the year. For Saints’ fans, this would look great inside a matted frame on the wall of your man cave.

Photo Credit: Casey Pazzalia, creator of Slackie Brown

#3: Penn State Football “It’s Lit” (9/10/18) — This cover came after Penn State’s near-loss to Appalachian State to kick off the season. Besides the game being one of the best I watched all year, the photo captured by Simon Bruty is beyond perfect and beautifully simple. Of all the action shots featured on covers in 2018, this one (along with the UMBC special digital cover) is at the top of the list. It’s also cool when the designer matches the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED color to the photo. 

Photo Credit: Casey Pazzalia, creator of Slackie Brown

#2: “LeBron + LA” (7/16/18) — There’s nothing cheesy or cheap about this cover, and it doesn’t try to do too much. It’s purely top-shelf scotch and cigar room status. But while this straight-to-the-point design is dignified, it’s also blessed with the right touch of creativity: the group of Lakers’ legends is unique and the perfect amount of spice needed. Down the road, this cover will continue its importance from fancy gallery walls up and down both coasts.

Photo Credit: Casey Pazzalia, creator of Slackie Brown

#1: “14 Back” (9/24/18) — This “14 Back” cover (and magazine feature) was a direct companion to SI TV’s most ambitious project to date, a documentary of the same name that covers the Red Sox-Yankees pennant race of 1978. Rather than something traditional, though, SI swung for the fences with an incredibly unique design.

Playing off the 1978 New York City newspaper strike — which is a major plot point in “14 Back” — Sports Illustrated dressed their cover up like a newspaper! In particular, it reminded me of an old-school New York Post. 

It was smart of them to utilize a reliable asset like the magazine for the good of a new asset in need of eyeballs. It could have come off desperate had the execution been poor, but it was the opposite. The cover was well-thought, extremely detailed, and the most unique idea they’ve had in a long time. 

Photo Credit: Casey Pazzalia, creator of Slackie Brown

You can browse (or purchase) all SI covers here.

CATEGORY: MLB