From the magazine that has provided a weekly look at sports for some 60 years in print, not to mention showcase the hottest models in revealing swimsuits for many, many years, Sports Illustrated has announced quite a partnership with NBC Sports Network to produce a brand new monthly TV show.

NBC Sports Group & SI's parent company Time Inc. Sports Group have announced plans to start up "Sports Illustrated: The TV Show" in an announcement made by NBC Sports Group President of Programming Jon Miller & Time Inc. Sports Group President Mark Ford today in New York.

The hour-long video version of "Sports Illustrated", complete with Lexus as the show's presenting sponsor, features award-winning SI journalists bringing their long-form storytelling to TV. Feature segments, commentary & original reporting will be featured in the new "Sports Illustrated" TV show. The plan is also to tap into SI's vast archives to update viewers on what happened to the athletes & events that made it possible back then.

The first episode is scheduled to air on Tuesday, September 24th at 8p (CT) on NBC Sports Network, DIRECTV 603, three days before the 24/7 sports network as well as other NBC Universal-owned properties present exclusive coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Episode #2 is scheduled to air on NBCSN as well, Tuesday, September 12th to be exact. NBC themselves will then air Episode #3 Saturday, October 13th & Episode #4 on Saturday, November 3rd. Episode #5 will then be seen on NBCSN on Thursday, December 13th.

At least one of the featured stories on the new show will be chronicled in the next issue of SI itself with additional editorial content on either SI.com and/or NBCSports.com. They'll surround & amplify each new episode.

"The Smoking Lounge" with Dan Jenkins?
"Living with the Robots" segment with Telander?

That's E1 if you are scoring. "Sports Illustrated: The TV Show" makes its debut Tuesday, July 24th, not September 24th, as listed in my original post, on NBC Sports Network. That's my fault, folks.

Because we needed another sports show?

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