Silly Brad, Tricks are for Magazines

I was reading Sports Illustrated this weekend. This used to be one of my favorite pastimes, but now it leaves me with a sour aftertaste. They basically held me for ransom last year. As one subscription ran out I didn’t want to re-subscribe at that time. I had class and a lot of other things going on and the issues were just piling up on the table. Why pay for it if I don’t have time to enjoy it? Instead of just ending, they sent me one of those sneaky, we’ll-sign-you-up-again-no-hassle-if-you-just-don’t-do-anything notices. BMG music used to do this to me in college and I ended up with Yo-Yo Ma CDs.

I didn’t even open the letters that came from SI because I knew I didn’t want to re-subscribe. I don't have to tell them, they just know when they send the last paid-for issue! That's it, transaction terminated! Then three months later I start getting notices from a collection agency on behalf of Sports Illustrated. What? I called them and SI said yeah, that’s the way it is done now. What? Is that even legal? Apparently it is. The worst part is that somehow I felt that they were above this. I felt let down. A quality publication shouldn’t be hoodwinking its faithful. I have blanket and a sweatshirt and T-shirt, for crying out loud!

Now I have SI again. Now I open all the mail that comes for me right away, especially mail from magazines. Don’t trust the Press.