Rachel Nichols will host "The Story," a daily show from Sports Illustrated

Rachel Nichols has worked for some of the biggest sports media outlets. Now he is increasing his presence in one of them. Nichols, a regular on Fox Sports and Monumental, will host a new weekly program for Sports Illustrated. "Story with Rachel Nichols" weekdays at 9 am on […]

Rachel Nichols has worked for some of the biggest sports media outlets. Now he is increasing his presence in one of them.

The sports journalist hopes to infuse perspective and expertise into a fast-paced program that aims to give fans a broader view. "We see the scores, we see the highlights. They're in our faces more than ever. You can access them literally 24/7 in your pocket. And what we're missing a little bit is what does it all mean? What's it really about? Why does it matter?" Nichols says in a recent interview. "When I cover sports, it hasn't just been X's and O's. There's a lot of social issues and a lot of general stuff. And even within a game, there's heroes and villains, and there's conflict. It's not just about a basket. What I'm really looking forward to on this show is being able to tell some sports stories quickly." Popular in Variety

The new show adds to the growing lineup of original programming from Sports Illustrated, now part of the Legacy Brands Group, with its publishing operations overseen by Minute Media. Sports Illustrated editor-in-chief Stephen Cannella says the goal isn't to "try to become what Sports Hub was" at ESPN, but to provide "a broader perspective on sports, to discuss what it means." The company also hopes to use the new program to generate interest in endorsements and sponsorships, the executive says, and potential ad mergers.

SI TV, which launched in January, is available on a range of streaming locations including Xumo Play, Amazon Fire TV, The Roku Channel, DIRECTV and more. The outlet offers an array of live events including college football and table tennis games and primetime programming. Nichols' new series will also air on Sports Illustrated's YouTube channel.

"I feel like I've been in a lot of different situations, whether it's football, I've been a baseball reporter, I've been in Stanley Cup hockey," Nichols said. I have covered 9 Olympics. "There are various things I can bring."

According to Canella, executives believe that SI TV can reach many different sports fans by offering live telecasts, original programming and even content from the Sports Illustrated archives to review events and developments.

This isn't the first time Sports Illustrated has experimented with television. Longtime fans of the magazine may remember the cable network as a joint product of CNN and SI when both were part of the Time Warner Entertainment Group.CNN/SI launched in 1996 and ran until 2002, when it was shut down after it failed to break through with cable systems while competing with ESPN and other sports networks.

In 2026, a Sports Illustrated video product doesn't necessarily have to reach everyone—just the right niche. As the media grows, sports audiences are growing.

"People are interested in more sports, different kinds of sports. Even people who weren't into sports, you know?" Nichols says. "I think that sports is kind of the big tent that we're all left with."