offer me a chance to let you in on a little secret about ESPN, SI that I have come to be enlightened about.
They only care about money and marketability.
I have dealt extensively with ESPN mostly (I imagine SI is similar) with my other labor of love, Paintball. Simply the only way to get coverage is to prove that the audience will take to it. Unfortunately, that means that they will only risk making a move when they see that other media outlets (like Rick and Mary) have succeeded in finding a niche in the market.
So keep it up guys