new york –
Sports Illustrated’s future became uncertain Friday after the publisher of the iconic magazine and website laid off most or “possibly all” staff representing the guild, the union said. Ta.
In a memo to staff seen by CNN, the magazine’s publisher said it was “terminating staff working on the SI brand.”
Authentic Brands Group has owned the magazine and website since 2019. The company sold the publishing rights to Arena Group, which recently defaulted on payments and ABG canceled those rights, the publisher said in a memo.
“It’s been a difficult four years for Sports Illustrated under the management of Arena Group (formerly The Maven), and today is another difficult day,” the union said in a statement regarding X. . “We are calling on ABG to ensure the continued publication of SI magazine,” allowing it to continue serving its audience in the way it has for nearly 70 years. ”
Spokespeople for Arena Group and Manoj Bhargava, founder of 5 Hour Energy, which owns a majority stake in Arena Group, did not respond to requests for comment.
The union said it expects ABG to abide by the union contract and that all employees are treated fairly.
“As a union, we have fought together to maintain the standards of the story publishing we love and to ensure that our employees are treated fairly and commensurate with the value they bring to this company. is a fight we will continue to fight,” NFL Editor-in-Chief and Unit Chairman Mitch Goldich said in a union statement.
The past few months have been difficult for one of sports journalism’s most recognizable brands. And the brand’s entire future is uncertain.
After the embarrassing debacle in which Sports Illustrated published an article using a fake author name and profile photo generated by artificial intelligence, Arena Group announced in December that Sports Illustrated CEO Ross Levinson He was fired. Effective immediately, Mr. Levinson will be succeeded by interim chief executive Manoj Bhargava, founder of Five Hour Energy, which owns a majority stake in Arena Group, Bhargava spokesman Vince Bodiford said. will take office.
CNN’s Oliver Darcy and Liam Riley contributed to this report.
