SHM magazine to launch in Q3

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"This title is intended not only to fill and grow the space left by the exit of Sports Illustrated, but also to bring nutrition, health and wellness and the growing interest in the physiology and psychology of sport at all levels into the conversation of a broader male audience, rather than its current constriction within the narcissistic metro male crowd. We are targeting key sports writers from all the major codes as contributors, and opening up a couple of interesting alternative distribution channels too," says Chapel Lane publisher, Charl du Plessis.

"Chapel Lane has paid big school fees with the publishing of Playboy the past two years and can bring a lot from that experience to the publishing in the area of yet another passion, namely sport (men's second biggest passion). Among other, we have learnt how sensitive advertisers and audiences are to nudity and semi-nudity, so we will not publish any of the old Sports Illustrated semi-naked bikini or see-through girls and calendars. That stuff has become somewhat stale anyway and does not grow long-term readership as it attracts the wrong crowd only once-off per year. Fathers want to share information from their sports magazines with their 14 or 15-year-old-sons. And for the soccer-mums who mostly carry the responsibility for the planning and management of the nutrition and schedules of the younger sporting crowd, SHM will sit comfortably in the shopping trolley."

Breaking the broad trend

Du Plessis explains why SHM will break the broad trend of sports and health magazines typically not accepting alcohol advertising. "Here's the thing. If Playboy has taught us anything about this country, it is that there is a disconnect between the real world versus how people in the marketing game would want to see the world work. Nothing wrong with that - we are all romantics of sorts. But, let's get real - the typical South African sports spectator is a very sociable person who likes to have a few drinks with friends. We all know it and have joined in, and it is part of the fun and excitement of following sport.

"Yes, if you prefer looking at yourself in the mirror in the gym and know more supplement names than female names you should not look at alcohol ads because your body might erupt in some chemical explosion. But as for the rest of the real South African sports crazy males and females, most of us can handle a few drinks with friends responsibly."