• by Sara Guaglione , August 15, 2017

The October issue of luxury lifestyle magazine Cigar Aficionado will be its first dedicated to football. The issue will hit newsstands August 29, before the first game of the new football season on September 7.

Marvin R. Shanken, Cigar Aficionado editor and publisher, told Publishers Daily the issue targets the magazine’s “very active male audience. At Cigar Aficionado, we enjoy covering all facets of men’s life, including sports. We’ve highlighted many football athletes over the years, so this isn’t a new area for us.”

Shanken said athletes such as Ray Lewis, Michael Strahan, Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Wayne Gretzky and Ernie Els have been featured on the cover of Cigar Aficionado in the past.

He added: “American men love their football and, for them, cigar smoking is also a major pastime.” Shanken wrote in the editor’s note of the issue: “There’s nothing like sitting down for the big game, firing up a fat cigar and watching your favorite team take on its archrival."

Sections from the football issue include a preview of the upcoming NFL season, where Danny Sheridan predicts the winners, including who will win the Super Bowl. (There is also a bettors’ guide to the NFL.)

“Pay attention to what this man foretells. Last year, he boldly—and correctly—chose the New England Patriots to go all the way and win the Super Bowl, despite knowing that star quarterback Tom Brady would be missing the first four games of the season,” Shanken and executive editor David Savona wrote in the editor's note.

The "Insiders" section features NFL analysts Jay Glazer and Dean Blandino of Fox discussing the game over cigars and wine. Subjects range from concussions to Deflategate, collective bargaining to the Raiders’ upcoming move to Vegas. They even address the future role of virtual reality for fans.

The "America’s Game" section features interviews with three cigar fans: Dolphins’ defensive end Jason Taylor, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and linebacker Dick Butkus.

Cigar Aficionado parent company M. Shanken Communications also publishes Wine Spectator, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact newsletter.