The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, in its 46th year, proved its worth as the most valuable franchise within the portfolio.

Photo: Oliver Quillia for CNBC.com Brooklyn Decker, cover model for the Sports Illustrated 2010 Swimsuit issue on CNBC

SI said that more than seven million video streams were viewed on SI.com during yesterday's Swimsuit launch.

The record number of streams represented 185 percent growth versus last year and helped the magazine's Web site to its second highest traffic in its history.

Swimsuit fans also viewed more than 42 million pages of photos, as time spent on the site was up 162 percent over last year's totals.

"We are thrilled with the results," said Paul Fichtenbaum, SI.com's managing editor in a statement.

"With 1,500 photos and more than 100 original videos the site was a great showcase for SI content, and it's clear that fans can't get enough of the swimsuit franchise."

The Swimsuit edition has made more than $1 billion for its parent company Time Inc. It currently represents 7 percent of Sports Illustrated's revenue.

• My Documentary: "Business Model: Inside the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue"
• QUIZ: Test Your Swimsuit Issue IQ
• SLIDESHOW: The Business Behind the SI Swimsuit Issue
• WATCH: How Tough is it to Take a Photo?

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