This is a magazine stand or store front advertising display sign used at the Point of Purchase for retailers which sold Sport magazine. There were displayed on outdoor vendors newsstands or at drug stores, bookstores, or anywhere else that sold newspapers and magazines.
I have seen examples which have been pasted over with several months worth of advertising.
These were very popular with newsstands that sold magazines, comics, and pulp magazines.
This example is unique in one regard, which most likely was a practice exclusive to Sport magazine.
For comics, pulp, and many magazines, a "Proof Cover" was produced and supplied by the distributor. These "Proof Covers" were mounted on a board which may have a tag line such as "Brand New Stories" from the Street & Smith Nick Carter Pulp Series.
The pulp proof covers and most magazines I have examined are unique in the respect that the advertisement is printed with the exact same paper stock and design as the actual item's front cover.
Proof covers are unique with the fact they they are one sided, with the backside being blank. Again these are factory printed and differeniated than just being a torn or removed front cover. My guess is your example is blank backed. The major difference of this Sport cover is that it doesn't have the standard front cover graphics (title, price, date, tagline) as found on pulp, comic and other magazine advertising pieces I have seen.
The fact your cover is mounted on the board supports it as being an authentic advertising sign. I have provided some exemplars from my research library for comparison. Any questions may be directed to Troy R Kinunen at
troy@mearsonline.com