Sports Illustrated planning significant layoffs after license to use its brand name was revoked

Sports Illustrated planning significant layoffs after license to use its brand name was revoked

Author of the post:

The Associated Press

Joe Reedy

Released Jan 19, 2024Last upgraded 1 hour ago2 minute read

FILE – A George Mason University fan holds up the cover of Sports Illustrated publication at a send for the group, Wednesday, March 29, 2006, in Fairfax, Va. The publisher of Sports Illustrated has actually informed staff members it is preparing to lay off a considerable part– potentially all– of the outlet’s personnel after its license to utilize the renowned brand name’s name in print and digital was withdrawed. In an e-mail to workers Friday early morning, Jan. 19, 2024, the Arena Group, which runs Sports Illustrated and associated residential or commercial properties, stated that Authentic Brands Group has actually withdrawed its marketing license. Picture by Lawrence Jackson /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The publisher of Sports Illustrated has actually informed workers it is preparing to lay off a substantial part– perhaps all– of the outlet’s personnel after its license to utilize the renowned brand name’s name in print and digital was withdrawed.

In an e-mail to workers Friday early morning, the Arena Group, which runs Sports Illustrated and associated homes, stated that Authentic Brands Group has actually withdrawed its marketing license.

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“As an outcome of this license cancellation, we will be laying off personnel that deal with the SI brand name,” the e-mail stated.

Genuine stated in a declaration it means to keep the Sports Illustrated brand name going, however it’s uncertain if existing personnel will become part of whatever is next.

Sports Illustrated’s staff member union stated in a declaration that the layoffs would be a substantial number and potentially all, of the NewsGuild employees represented.

“We have actually battled together as a union to keep the requirement of this storied publication that we enjoy, and to make certain our employees are dealt with relatively for the worth they give this business. It is a battle we will continue,” Mitch Goldich, NFL editor and system chair, stated in a declaration.

The guild’s declaration likewise required Authentic Brands Group to “make sure the ongoing publication of SI and permit it to serve our audience in the method it has for almost 70 years.”

Genuine stated in a declaration it is “here to guarantee that the brand name of Sports Illustrated, that includes its editorial arm, continues to prosper as it has for the previous almost 70 years. We are positive that moving forward the brand name will continue to develop and grow in a manner that serves sports news readers, sports fans and customers. We are devoted to guaranteeing that the standard ad-supported Sports Illustrated media pillar has best in class stewardship to maintain the total stability of the brand name’s tradition.”

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In a declaration on Friday, the Arena Group stated it was working out with Authentic about the license, “with strategies to sustain our dedication to providing quality material throughout the continuous conversations.”

Arena confessed that it had actually stopped working to make a quarterly payment of $3.75 million and Authentic had actually put it on notification that it meant to end the licensing arrangement. As an outcome, Arena revealed Thursday it would make a “considerable decrease” in its labor force of more than 100 individuals.

The Arena Group obtained publishing rights from Authentic in 2019 for a minimum of 10 years. The group’s stewardship of Sports Illustrated has actually had numerous difficulties ever since. In December, it fired president Ross Levinsohn when the publication’s declared usage of AI-generated stories drew public reaction.

Sports Illustrated has actually had a rough 6 years. It was obtained by Meredith Publishing in 2018 as part of the purchase of Time Inc., which began the publication in 1954.

Less than a year later on, Meredith offered the publication’s copyright to Authentic for $110 million. Genuine owns the copyright of lots of brand names and stars, consisting of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali and Reebok.

When a weekly publication, Sports Illustrated was minimized to biweekly publishing in 2018 and ended up being a month-to-month in 2020.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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