First-ever Sports Illustrated Clubhouse restaurant opens at UBC

by Mike Usinger on August 14th, 2023 at 12:00 PM

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American powerhouse publication Sports Illustrated continues to expand its global empire, with the newest venture being a restaurant on the University of British Columbia campus.

SI has announced today’s opening of the Sports Illustrated Clubhouse at UBC. The magazine’s first-ever foray into the ever-competitive hospitality industry includes a dining room, wrap-around bar, lounge, outdoor patio and courtyard, and available-for-bookings private room.

Included in the 4,600-space are—as one might expect—27 LED screens, presumably making it easy for patrons to watch sports ranging from hockey, baseball, football, and basketball, to Mongolian yak racing, Irish pikey fighting, and Turkish oil wrestling.

The first Sports Illustrated Clubhouse has SI partnering with Canada’s Define Group. Executive chef Cameron McGowan is overseeing a menu focussed on elevated West Coast cuisine. More than 30 ciders and beers are on tap, with the venture also including a curated wine list and craft cocktails.

In a release announcing the opening of the first Sports Illustrated Clubhouse, the Define Group said it’s thrilled to be part of the expansion of an iconic brand. Which, despite popular perception, evidently has more to offer than its yearly Swimsuit Issue.

“We chose UBC’s Vancouver campus as home for the first Sports Illustrated Clubhouse because of its tight-knit and active community,” the release reads. “Sports Illustrated has always had the power to bring people together through compelling storytelling, and the SI Clubhouse, located in the heart of Wesbrook Village, aims to embody that spirit for years to come. Whether it’s a cozy weekend dinner for families, or friends catching-up over a couple of pints in our bar, everyone is welcome inside.”

Including, presumable hard-core fans who won’t shut up until at least three of the screens are tuned into the latest matches from the competative worlds of Finnish wife carrying, Yemen camel jumping, and New Zealand naked rugby.