The Body Issue

The Body Issue was an annual edition of ESPN The Magazine that featured dozens of athletes in nude and semi-nude photographs, which was intended to rival the annual Swimsuit Issue from Sports Illustrated. The first issue debuted on October 19, 2009.[1]

The Body Issue
Best-selling of six alternative covers of ESPN The Magazine's original Body Issue in 2009 featuring Serena Williams
FrequencyYearly
First issueOctober 19, 2009
Final issueSeptember 6, 2019
CompanyESPN
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
WebsiteESPN The Magazine

The 2009 edition had six alternative covers featuring Serena Williams (tennis), Carl Edwards (NASCAR), Adrian Peterson (NFL), Dwight Howard (NBA), Gina Carano (mixed martial arts) and Sarah Reinertsen (triathlons).[2] The Serena Williams edition sold the most copies.[3] The 2009 issue was a financial success, achieving double the normal edition sales, greater sales than any bi-weekly issue in over two years and 35 percent more ad sales than comparable issues, which led to plans for extended marketing of the 2010 edition.[3]

The edition included the regular sports coverage. In the bodies section athletes were featured on and off the field. Even a picture during a knee surgery was included. The "Bodies We Want" section was a feature of the best bodies in the world of sports all posed nude but with strategic coverage of private parts.[4] Another section showed the damage done to the human body in athletics such as Laird Hamilton's cracked heel and Torry Holt's crooked middle finger.[5] One action photo captured six members of Major League Soccer's D.C. United simulating a free kick defensive wall while covering their genitalia.[6]

The 2019 issue was announced as also being the final print edition of the magazine.[7] It was said it would continue in a digital form but this did not materialize.

2009

Some of the 2009 covers were revealed on shows such Monday Night Football and Good Morning America. The 2009 edition included the following:[4]

2010

The 2010 edition included the following:

2011

The 2011 edition included the following:

2012

The 2012 issue featured the following athletes:[10]

2013

The 2013 issue featured the following athletes:

2014

The 2014 issue featured the following athletes:[11]

2015

The 2015 issue featured the following athletes:[12]

2016

The 2016 issue featured the following athletes:[13]

2017

The 2017 issue featured the following athletes:[14]

2018

The 2018 issue featured the following athletes:[15]

Bird and Rapinoe, who were photographed together, became the first same-sex couple to appear on the cover of the magazine.[16]

2019

The 2019 issue released on September 4, 2019 and was the final printed issue of the ESPN Magazine. It featured the following athletes:[17]

Notes
  1. Thomson, Katherine (2009-10-06). "ESPN's 'Body Issue' Of Naked Athletes (PHOTOS): Serena Williams, Dwight Howard, Adrian Peterson, More Pose Nude (PICTURES)". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  2. La Monica, Mark (2009-10-09). "ESPN 'The Body Issue' magazine covers". Newsday. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  3. Rovell, Darren (2009-11-30). "ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue: A Financial Success". CNBC. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  4. McCarthy, Michael (2009-09-30). "First look: In ESPN's magazine, showing skin is no issue". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  5. Clifford, Stephanie (2009-10-12). "Special Issues a Bright Spot for Magazines". The New York Times. p. B1. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
  6. Steinberg, Dan (2009-10-08). "United's Nude Awakening". The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
  7. Morris, Chris (2019-04-30). "ESPN Is Shutting Down Its Magazine". Fortune.com. Retrieved 2019-08-07.
  8. Matz, Eddie (6 October 2009). "No shirts, no shorts ... lots of service!". ESPN. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  9. "Galleries / The Body Issue / October 17, 2011 Hope Solo". ESPN the Magazine. 2011-10-17. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
  10. "ESPN The Magazine Body Issue – ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  11. Chiari, Mike (8 July 2014). "ESPN Body Issue 2014: Official Photos Revealed for Featured Athletes". Bleacher Report.
  12. Chiari, Mike (6 July 2015). "ESPN Body Issue 2015: Official Photos Revealed for Featured Athletes". Bleacher Report.
  13. Chiari, Mike (June 21, 2016). "ESPN Body Issue 2016: Release Date and List of Athletes Revealed". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  14. "Ezekiel Elliott, Julian Edelman among 23 athletes featured in Body Issue". ESPN. June 25, 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  15. Goldberg, Rob (25 June 2018). "ESPN Body Issue 2018: Official Photos Revealed for Featured Athletes". Bleacher Report.
  16. Flynn, Meagan (26 June 2018). "Seattle sports stars Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe are first same-sex couple on cover of ESPN's Body Issue". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  17. Chiari, Mike (4 September 2019). "ESPN Body Issue 2019: Official Photos Revealed for Featured Athletes". Bleacher Report.
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