What's happened
Sports Illustrated has announced SI Beyond the Pitch, a concert and VIP fan series in Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and New York around the World Cup. The events will feature acts like Nelly, The Chainsmokers, 50 Cent and Diplo, beginning June 12 in LA and concluding July 18 in New York. The venture marks a major push into live sports entertainment after the success of SI The Party.
What's behind the headline?
writing style
- This section provides a concise, fact-driven view of the new events and their place in Sports Illustrated's strategy. It notes the lead organizer and the schedule, with direct quotes from company executives.
brief:
- The rollout signals a broader push into experiential sports entertainment, leveraging a major global event to attract fans beyond traditional coverage. The choice of cities and artists suggests a mix of mainstream appeal and cross-media sponsorship opportunities.
forecast:
- Expect additional announcements of partnerships and potential broadcast or streaming elements to broaden reach. Revenue will likely come from ticketing, VIP experiences and sponsorships, with future events expanding to other markets or sports moments.
How we got here
SI has expanded its live entertainment strategy following the success of SI The Party during the Super Bowl weekend. The new series is led by Medium Rare, with events planned across four major U.S. cities to coincide with the global soccer tournament.
Our analysis
AP News and The Independent report on SI Beyond the Pitch, citing executives from Medium Rare and recapping the events schedule. The NY Post covers a related entertainment venture in music retail openings by Snoop Dogg, providing context for celebrity-driven launches in this space.
Go deeper
- Will SI expand the series to more cities next year?
- What artists are lined up for the later dates?
- How will attendance be managed given capacity constraints?
More on these topics
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Sports Illustrated - Corporation
Sports Illustrated is an American sports magazine owned by Authentic Brands Group, and was first published in August 1954. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twice.
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50 Cent - American rapper
Curtis James Jackson III, better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, television producer, and entrepreneur.
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The Chainsmokers - Electronic duo
The Chainsmokers is an American electronic DJ and production duo consisting of Alexander "Alex" Pall and Andrew "Drew" Taggart. They started out by releasing remixes of songs by indie artists. The EDM-pop duo achieved a breakthrough with their 2014 song "