(Article by Kaley republished from WLTReport.com)
On Friday, the entire staff of the famous sports magazine was informed that their jobs were being cut. According to the letter that staff were sent “a significant number, possibly all” of workers will be laid off.
At this time, the future of Sports Illustrated is uncertain.
Here’s the letter SI sent out to their staff:
Our statement on today’s mass layoffs at Sports Illustrated pic.twitter.com/tQjJdoHP4p
— Sports Illustrated Union (@si_union) January 19, 2024
In recent years, Sports Illustrated has pandered to the left, featuring ‘transwomen’ and ‘plus-size’ models on its magazine covers.
Is this yet another case of go woke, go broke?
NEW: Sports Illustrated has reportedly laid off most, if not all of their staff.
Gee, I wonder what happened (This is a dude).
The Arena Group reportedly made the announcement in an email to SI staff.
"We were notified by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) that the license under… pic.twitter.com/WOfDRnmRnP
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 19, 2024
Jordan Peterson gave his opinion:
Mass layoffs hit Sports Illustrated: https://t.co/G0Nbzi7dug
I can't imagine why. pic.twitter.com/ubqxDLnZEd
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) January 20, 2024
Some social media users also chimed in:
No sympathy for Sports Illustrated @SInow going out of business. They worked hard the past few years to destroy women's sport.
They & @espn falsely painted women who object to male athletes in their sports as bigots & refused women any voice in the debate over their own sports. pic.twitter.com/tBH7TGcqWA
— ??Jennifer Gingrich ?? (@fem_mb) January 20, 2024
2022: Sports Illustrated puts an obese woman on the cover.
2023: Sports Illustrated puts a trans woman on the cover.
2024: Sports Illustrated fires their entire staff.
Go woke, go broke? pic.twitter.com/Y3ymdMP4ss
— OutKick (@Outkick) January 19, 2024
Other social media users reminisced about old-school Sports Illustrated:
Horrible to hear about all the layoffs/firings that are happening today at Sports Illustrated. It was THE standard forever when it came to sports journalism.
I’ll always remember this cover…super grateful to everyone who produced it. #MIZpic.twitter.com/dhJug8hw9w
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) January 19, 2024
CNN has more details on the layoffs:
The future of Sports Illustrated was uncertain Friday after the publisher of the iconic magazine and website laid off most or “probably all” of its guild-represented staff, its union said.
In a memo sent to staff viewed by CNN, the magazine’s publisher said it is “laying off staff that work on the SI brand.”
Authentic Brands Group has owned the magazine and website since 2019. It sold the publishing rights to Arena Group, but the company missed a recent payment for those publishing rights and ABG revoked them, the publisher said in its memo.
“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 on X. “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 in a statement did affirm that Sports Illustrated will continue, but did not provide details on how.
ABG said it terminated Arena’s license because it did not pay the quarterly fee “despite being given a notice of breach and an opportunity to cure the breach.”
“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 statement said. It continued, “We are committed to ensuring that the traditional ad-supported Sports Illustrated media pillar has best in class stewardship to preserve the complete integrity of the brand’s legacy.”
USA Today Sports added:
Sports Illustrated, once considered the standard of sports journalism through its writing and photography, will lay off staff after a licensing deal fell through, the magazine’s publisher said on Friday.
The publication’s union said the layoff could involve “possibly all” of the NewsGuild workers represented. But SI senior writer Pat Forde disputed earlier reports that the entire staff was laid off, saying on social media, “There still is a website and a magazine. That said: Ugly, brutal day with many layoffs.”
In an email sent to staff Friday morning, the Arena Group, which operates the Sports Illustrated brand and SI related properties, said that Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has revoked its marketing license.
“As a result of this license revocation, we will be laying off staff that work on the SI brand,” an email sent to staff said.
“Some employees will be terminated immediately, and paid in lieu of the applicable notice period under the [union contract]. Employees with a last working day of today will be contacted by the People team soon. Other employees will be expected to work through the end of the notice period, and will receive additional information shortly.”
Read more at: WLTReport.com
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