[1] The Blizzard took its name from an eclectic Victorian Sunderland-based newspaper set up by Sidney Duncan, which ran for 12 issues and was established in 1893.

The Editor's Note,[3] which began Issue Zero, set out the magazine's ethos as an alternative to that which was currently available in football media.

Jonathan Wilson wrote: The Blizzard accommodates longer articles than a typical football magazine, with pieces up to 8000 words long.

[2] Topics are often more obscure and esoteric than other magazines, aiming to either cover little-explored components of football culture, or to take new perspectives on previously well-explored issues.

[3][4] While the initial issue was published virtually, a limited print run was released.