Help Identifying Regional Cover – Athlon Sports Baseball 2004 (Bonds & Hudson)

[Nikkibons]

Hi!
I'm new to net54, so if this is the wrong forum, I apologize...My father passed away last year, and I inherited his large collection of various sports memorabilia. In with all of his sports magazines, I found an issue of Athlon Sportsman Baseball 2004 MLB Preview (Vol. 17) that features Barry Bonds and Tim Hudson on the cover. The headline reads “Octoberfest: Giants, A’s Serious About the Series.”

After a lot of digging (eBay, Google, Reddit, etc.), I’ve only seen other covers for this same issue—but never this one with Bonds and Hudson. I suspect it’s a regional variant from the Bay Area?

Has anyone seen this version before? I’d love to confirm if it’s a regional release, and whether it’s considered collectible.i

Thank you in advance for your help!
Kindly,
Nikki

[ooo-ribay]

I think your theory of it being a “regional” cover is correct. Unfortunately, I doubt it could be considered “collectible.” Possibly to a diehard Bonds or Hudson collector but, even then, I kinda doubt it.

[roarfrom34]

I agree with the above....Street & Smith Baseball used regional covers for years.

Sorry to hear about your dad.