Sports Illustrated lays off most of its staff

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/01/19/sports-illustrated-layoffs/

"Much of the staff of Sports Illustrated, and possibly all remaining writers and editors, received layoff notices Friday, which essentially could spell the end of a publication that for decades was the gold standard of sports journalism.

The union of the staff tweeted Friday that it would continue to fight for the publication of the magazine but that its future is now in the hands of the magazine’s owner, Authentic Brands Group.


“This is another difficult day in what has been a difficult four years for Sports Illustrated under Arena Group (previously The Maven) stewardship," the union said in a statement. "We are calling on ABG to ensure the continued publication of SI and allow it to serve our audience in the way it has for nearly 70 years.”


ABG has owned the magazine since 2019 and sold the publishing rights to a company called the Arena Group. The Arena Group missed a recent payment for those publishing rights, prompting ABG to pull the publishing license and putting the future of Sports Illustrated in jeopardy.

Friday’s announcement is the latest turmoil at the fabled sports magazine, following several rounds of layoffs over the past decade. When ABG bought Sports Illustrated from its previous owner, Meredith Corporation, more than 30 percent of the staff was laid off.

Sports Illustrated still has between 30 and 50 employees."

 

Profoundly sad. Never thought I'd see the day. Praying.

 

Day-ummm ...

 

heartbreaking

 

Stunning. Maybe Coach Prime can buy it.

 

I don't trust ABG to know what to do with it.

 

What happened to Sports Illustrated today marks a really sad day for the coverage of sports

 

Another nail in the coffin of journalism.

Never thought I'd say it, but I'm feeling very Fredrick-like today.

 

This sucks so much.

 

Made the national news. Sports Illustrated lays off most, possibly all, of its staff | CNN Business

 

So SI The Cologne didn’t work out?

Sucks for all involved.

 

Fisst they came for Sports Illustrated.

If a magazine that was as successful on so many levels as SI is going belly up you in a good economy you ahve to wonder how many other periodicals are going to soon walk the plank. Time? Fortune? The Conde Nast publications?