Sports Illustrated, BYU cancel deal

PROVO — Brigham Young University's campus newspaper has canceled its agreement to run inserts of Sports Illustrated on Campus.

A contract between NewsNet, BYU's student news organization, and Sports Illustrated was canceled this week after two of the first four editions of Sports Illustrated On Campus were not inserted in The Daily Universe because of content.

The approximately 28-page magazine was launched this fall and is being inserted into 72 college newspapers nationwide.

NewsNet did not insert the Sept. 18 edition due to an advertisement for a video related to Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition, said Jim Kelly, NewsNet general manager. A photograph of streakers kept the Sept. 25 edition out of The Daily Universe.

"It's a wonderful service for our readers to be exposed to the best sports writing and photography in the nation, yet we are unapologetic about our standards for publication," Kelly said. "We would love to carry the publication as long as it aligns with levels of acceptability."

Allison Keane, communications director for Sports Illustrated On Campus, said the decision to stop placing the magazine at BYU came through mutual agreement.

"Because they did have some apprehension to what was being published, we mutually agreed that it was probably not the best fit," Keane said.

Kelly said NewsNet negotiated with Sports Illustrated for six to seven months before the new magazine began its distribution.

"Along with the usual business negotiations, we were also very upfront about what our publishing standards are, and that was new to them in that they really haven't faced this problem with any of the other . . . schools that they're inserting in," Kelly said.

Keane confirmed that the magazine had not encountered similar problems with any other college newspaper.

"We entirely respect their decision," she said. "There are no hard feelings involved."