Two Country Music Icons Breathe New Life Into Historic Field & Stream, Restoring 150-Year Outdoor Legacy

When Eric Church was a kid riding in his grandfather’s truck, a stack of Field & Stream magazines sat on the dash. Those worn pages became his outdoor encyclopedia—stories, photos, and adventures that shaped his early years. Now, Church and fellow country artist Morgan Wallen are ensuring that same magic doesn’t disappear into history.

The pair, alongside a collective of seasoned brand operators, have completed the acquisition of Field & Stream, reuniting the storied outdoor publication under singular ownership for the first time since its founding in 1871. The deal involved purchasing the retail operations from DICK’S Sporting Goods and acquiring the media assets from Recurrent, marking a watershed moment for an American institution that has been fragmented across multiple entities.

Why These Two Musicians Are Invested in Outdoor Heritage

Both Church and Wallen aren’t just celebrity endorsers—they’re genuine conservationists and outdoorsmen with deep ties to hunting, fishing, and camping culture. For Wallen, the brand represents more than nostalgia: “There’s nothin’ I love more than being with friends around a campfire, on a boat or in a deer stand. Field & Stream captures that spirit perfectly.”

Church’s connection runs even deeper. “That magazine was my Bible,” he reflected, emphasizing the responsibility he feels to honor not just a brand, but generations of readers who found inspiration in its pages. The new stewardship aims to preserve authenticity while propelling the brand into fresh territory.

The 1871 Club: Reviving Print in the Digital Age

In a counterintuitive move, the new leadership is doubling down on print. The Field & Stream 1871 Club—named after the brand’s founding year—is a membership initiative that brings back the biannual print magazine as its centerpiece. It’s a deliberate pivot away from the digital-only trend.

Members gain access to:

• Large-format print publications issued twice yearly
• Priority access to the Field & Stream Music Festival
• Exclusive gear and limited-edition merchandise
• Members-only Honor Badge pins (a revived tradition)
• VIP outdoor experiences
• Premium digital content
• Meaningful savings on partner products

The profit model carries social responsibility: 10 percent of net proceeds from the 1871 Club flow directly to non-profit organizations supporting wildlife conservation and outdoor access initiatives.

Leadership and Strategic Vision

Doug McNamee, who previously helmed Magnolia (the media venture co-founded by Chip and Joanna Gaines), now leads Field & Stream’s revival. Colin Kearns continues as editor-in-chief, maintaining editorial continuity while the brand infrastructure transforms around him.

“Our mission is straightforward,” McNamee stated. “We’re restoring Field & Stream as America’s definitive outdoor authority while uniting a scattered community of enthusiasts under one coherent vision.”

Beyond Print: An Expanding Ecosystem

The relaunch extends well beyond magazine pages. A refreshed digital platform connects members and enthusiasts year-round. A curated apparel collection inspired by Church and Wallen blends heritage aesthetics with contemporary design. Fall 2024 will see the debut of the Field & Stream Music Festival, co-produced with Southern Entertainment, combining live performances with outdoor culture.

Perhaps most intriguingly, the brand is developing an online marketplace designed to amplify independent craftspeople and artisans within the outdoor lifestyle sphere—a strategic move that positions Field & Stream as a curator and connector, not merely a publisher.

A 150-Year Brand Finds Its Next Chapter

What makes this acquisition significant transcends commerce. Field & Stream has educated American hunters and anglers, shaped outdoor ethics, and documented conservation struggles since the Gilded Age. Fragmentation across retail and media entities diluted its voice. Now, reunified and led by individuals genuinely invested in outdoor culture, the brand can operate with strategic coherence.

The partnership between Church, Wallen, and the operational team signals that heritage brands need passionate stewardship, not just financial backing. For a readership that still cherishes tangible magazines and community connection, Field & Stream’s resurrection offers something increasingly rare: intentional, curated storytelling in service of a lifestyle and a cause.

The 150-year-old brand isn’t retreating into nostalgia—it’s architecturing a modern membership model that honors its past while building for the future.