The Body Issue
 Best-selling of six alternative covers of ESPN The Magazine's original Body Issue in 2009 featuring Serena Williams |
|
| Frequency | Yearly |
|---|---|
| First issue | October 9, 2009 |
| Company | ESPN |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Website | ESPN The Magazine |
The Body Issue is an edition of ESPN The Magazine that featured over 30 athletes in nude and semi-nude photographs. It reached newsstands on October 9, 2009. It attempts to rival Sports Illustrated′s Swimsuit Issue.[1] The issue was a response to the decline in advertising spending resulting from the financial crisis of 2007–2010 and late-2000s recession that saw a 24% decline in ad revenues for the first six months of 2009 compared to the same six-month period in 2008.[2]
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).[3] The Serena Williams edition sold the most copies.[4] 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% more ad sales than comparable issues, which led to plans for extended marketing of the 2010 edition.[4]
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.[5] 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.[2] 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]
2009
Some of the 2009 covers were revealed on shows such Monday Night Football and Good Morning America. The 2009 edition included the following:[5]
- Tennis: Williams, James Blake
- NFL: Peterson, Casey Hampton, Torry Holt
- NBA/WNBA: Howard, Cappie Pondexter
- Major League Baseball: Nelson Cruz, Joba Chamberlain and Ivan Rodriguez
- NHL: Zdeno Chara, Christopher Higgins, Sheldon Souray, Bill Guerin, Mike Komisarek
- NASCAR: Edwards, Mark Martin
- Olympics: Jessica Mendoza, Susan Francia, Shawn Johnson, Allison Baver, Johnny Weir, Cheryl Haworth
- Boxing: Manny Pacquiao
- LPGA: Christina Kim, Sandra Gal, Anna Grzebien
- Mixed martial arts: Carano, Randy Couture
- Surfing: Claire Bevilacqua; Laird Hamilton
- Soccer: Natasha Kai, Chris Pontius, Bryan Namoff, Clyde Simms
- Skiing: Kristi Leskinen, Julia Mancuso
- Track and field: Lolo Jones, Michelle Carter
- Horse racing: Alexis Solis.
2010
WNBA star Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury was one of the athletes featured on the various covers.[7] Other athletes that appeared on different covers included Amare Stoudamire, the USA Women's Water Polo team, Esther Vergeer and Camilo Villegas. The 2010 edition included the following:
- Alpine skiing: Julia Mancuso
- Basketball: Amare Stoudamire
- Billiards: Jeanette Lee
- Figure skating: Evan Lysacek
- Golf: Camilo Villegas
- USA Women's Water Polo Team
- Wheelchair tennis: Esther Vergeer
2011
2011 alternate covers featured Hope Solo, Blake Griffin, Jose Reyes[disambiguation needed], Gretchen Bleiler and Tim Howard.[8] The 2011 edition included the following:[5]
- Basketball: Blake Griffin, Sylvia Fowles
- Bowling: Kelly Kulick
- Golf: Belen Mozo
- Gymnastics: Alicia Sacramone
- Ice hockey: Julie Chu, Ryan Kesler
- Roller derby: Suzy Hotrod
- Snowboarding: Gretchen Bleiler
- Surfing: Stephanie Gilmore
- Tennis: Vera Zvonareva
- Track and field: Natasha Hastings
2012
The 2012 issue featured the following athletes:[9]
- Mixed martial arts: Ronda Rousey
- Rowing: Oksana Masters
- Tennis: Daniela Hantuchová
Notes
- ^ Thomson, Katherine (2009-10-06 (updated 2009-10-20)). "ESPN's 'Body Issue' Of Naked Athletes (PHOTOS): Serena Williams, Dwight Howard, Adrian Peterson, More Pose Nude (PICTURES)". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ a b Clifford, Stephanie (2009-10-12). "Special Issues a Bright Spot for Magazines". The New York Times. p. B1. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ^ La Monica, Mark (2009-10-09). "ESPN 'The Body Issue' magazine covers". Newsday. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ a b Rovell, Darren (2009-11-30). "ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue: A Financial Success". CNBC. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ a b c McCarthy, Michael (2009-09-30). "First look: In ESPN's magazine, showing skin is no issue". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Steinberg, Dan (2009-10-08). "United's Nude Awakening". The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ^ Snyder, Whitney (2010-10-07). "ESPN 'Body Issue' PHOTOS: Naked Athletes Amare Stoudemire, Diana Taurasi & More". Huffington Post.
- ^ "Galleries / The Body Issue / October 17, 2011 Hope Solo". ESPN the Magazine. 2011-010-17. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
- ^ "ESPN The Magazine Body Issue - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
