Say what you will about the world of print—the alt magazine is thriving. Idiosyncratic stories about everything sport and sport adjacent are in vogue, and with all the major sports leagues around the world cancelled for the foreseeable future and major publications trying to keep up, independent sports magazines are more in demand than ever.
We’ve compiled a list of great sports magazines with niche coverage that not only look amazing, but capture the interest of even a non-sports junkie.
I mean, just imagine flipping those glossy pages—blue light-killing screens not included.
Franchise
Basketball is more than just the NCAA and the NBA. It’s a growing global and cultural game. A magazine that seeks to look beyond that stats and analysis quagmire that has overtaken basketball writing, Franchise looks to put the NBA in a global context. With no real web presence, you’ll need to pick up a physical copy if you want to read it.
Racquet
Racquet is a quarterly magazine about all things tennis: culture, fashion, and style. It is a publication that has respect for the 80s tennis boom and aims to “restore some of that swagger” to the game. And, if you’re not much of a reader—not sure why you’re here if you aren’t—they now also have a podcast.
Monster Children
Skating and surfing purists may scoff at a magazine dedicated to their culture on a sports magazine list, but Monster Children is a great one. Sharp, striking photography is a staple of this quarterly. With words on the action sports culture, and a little travel and fashion mixed in, Monster Children is mandatory reading for anyone fascinated by the skating and surfing culture.
Huck
Bike, skate, surf, snow, travel, art, and politics, Huck has it all, and shows how each intertwines with radical culture. This bi-monthly magazine isn’t just about sports, it’s about an intrepid spirit and an unapologetic attitude. This is your go-to for subculture reads.
The Surfer’s Journal
This reader-supported magazine looks like it belongs on a coffee table. That is, if it ever leaves your hands. Thick, book-like (the page count is almost always the same), and published bimonthly out of the surf Mecca of San Clemente, its beautiful photos and riveting stories have developed a large following ranging from shop rat surf bum to white-collar weekend warrior.
Victory Journal
There isn’t a journal covering a wider range of sports. From Kosovo gymnastics to the drag queen wrestling and Colombian bullfighting, the long form pieces and interviews will satisfy readers searching for writing about mainstream sports, and those impossibly niche stories. Like others on this list, Victory Journal disengages from “statistical analysis or partisan squabbling.” This bi-annual publishes in large format, so there might not be any room for another title on your coffee table.
No Place Like Home
The beautiful game. No Place Like Home truly paints it like that. A collection of artists and writers have created a magazine with striking visuals. Stunning photography and unique illustrations are a staple of this fan-focused magazine. Expect amazing photos of ultras from all over the globe from photographers brave enough to get the shot.
These Football Times
These Football Times focuses on footballing heritage. Each issue is a deep dive into a specific theme—club, country, competition—looking at the past, present, and future of the sport and its followers. From Arsenal to Boca Juniors, this publication will dedicate entire issues to a single club and everything that makes it tick. Now available on The Athletic, this magazine features a plethora of talented illustrators to help tell their tales.
Athleta
Athleta—published in Italian and English—explores perseverance in sports, and tells its stories through photos. “Athleta is our idea of sport,” their site reads. Their idea is exploring the mentality it takes to play at the competitive amateur level: the commitment, dedication, resilience, and ephemeral glory. All that visceral energy laid out in experimental and truly unique photography helps make Athleta a unique addition to your magazine rack.
