Though the longstanding sports brand has launched a few specific apps for its Kids and Swimsuit products, today SI rolled out its first comprehensive mobile app that houses all of its offerings under one roof.

Sports Illustrated joins an increasingly crowded marketplace for athletic news apps that includes ESPN, Yahoo Sports and several league-run platforms. Even Facebook is getting in the game with its new Stadium feature. To help Sports Illustrated stand out, Patty Hirsh, SI's digital general manager, is banking on readers' affinity for the publication's celebrated roster of reporters including Peter King, Lee Jenkins and Tom Verducci.

Hirsch noted that many of the other sports apps are "either involved in TV rights or very much a commodity play, getting users the baseline information that they need.