• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, January 25, 2024

Field & Stream magazine is back. 

The iconic brand, which dates back to 1871, has been acquired by a group consisting of country artists Eric Church and Morgan Wallen and other brand builders. 

The buyers acquired the retail side of the trademark from Dick’s Sporting Goods and the media platform from Recurrent. This unifies the Field & Stream brand under the same ownership for the first time in its history, the new owners say. 

Moreover, the group will today launch the Field & Stream 1871 club, a membership community that will include a large-format print magazine that will be published twice per year. 

There will also be a limited-edition apparel collection inspired by Church and Wallen. And they plan to launch an outdoor music festival this fall, co-produced by Southern Entertainment.

“I can remember my grandfather kept a few of his favorite Field & Stream magazines on the dash of his truck,” Church says. “That truck took us on hundreds of outdoor adventures and I all but memorized every story and every picture on every page. They were my Bible."

"There’s nothin’ I love more than being with friends around a campfire, on a boat or in a deer stand -- and Field & Stream represents all of those to me,” Wallen adds.

The old Field & Stream was chock full of direct response advertising, which in those days came with a 15% discount for ad buyers. 

Field & Stream plans to form strategic partnerships and is planning an online marketplace to spotlight craft makers and artisans in the outdoor lifestyle space, it says. 

And it will contribute 10% of the net profits from the 1871 Club to non-profit organizations that support outdoor causes. 

The Field & Stream brand will be led by Doug McNamee, former president of Magnolia. Colin Kearns will remain as editor in chief, and his editorial team will remain in place. 

“We are committed to reinforcing Field and Stream’s legendary status as the authoritative voice of the American outdoors. McNamee says. “We look forward to unifying our passionate enthusiasts under a single canopy as we steward this trusted brand toward a thoughtful and expansive revival.”