In a move that could spell the end of an iconic brand, Sports Illustrateds corporate owner informed employees Friday that its laying off a significant number, possibly all of the magazines unionized staff, the union said .
The magazines future is in the hands of Authentic Brands Group, its owner since 2019. Shortly after acquiring the magazine, ABG sold SIs publishing rights to a company called the Arena Group, which missed a recent payment for those rights, according to the union. ABG responded by pulling the Arena Groups publishing license, leading to Fridays mass layoffs.
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, which has about 80 members, 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.
Some employees were immediately terminated, while others will work through a 90-day notice period, the notice to staff obtained by
The Washington Post said.
When reached for comment about SIs future, ABG did not address the layoffs but said it plans to maintain SIs editorial presence.
Authentic is here to ensure that the brand of Sports Illustrated, which includes its editorial arm, continues to thrive as it has for the past nearly 70 years, the company said in a statement. We are confident that going forward the brand will continue to evolve and grow in a way that serves sports news readers, sports fans, and consumers.
The SI union also vowed to put pressure on its owner.
We have fought together as a union to maintain the standard of this storied publication that we love, and to make sure out workers are treated fairly for the value they bring to this company, NFL editor and union chair Mitch Goldich said in a statement. It is a fight we will continue.
SI launched in 1954 under Time Inc. and has long been seen as the gold standard of sports journalism, featuring in-depth, long-form articles and distinctive photo spreads. But the magazine has floundered in its attempts to serve online readers, and has been passed around to different owners in recent years.
SI isnt the only media brand facing turmoil this week. On Friday, The Los Angeles Times union planned a walkout to protest looming widespread layoffs. Management is fighting to gut seniority protections in its contract with the union in an attempt to widen the pool of workers to lay off. Its the newsrooms first union work stoppage in the papers 143-year history.
Earlier this week, Cond Nast announced it was folding legacy music outlet Pitchfork into the mens magazine GQ. At least eight staffers were laid off as a result of the merger.
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