The writer of Sports Illustrated has notified workers it’s planning to put off a good portion — probably all — of the outlet’s workers after its license to make use of the long-lasting model’s identify in print and digital was revoked.
In an electronic mail to workers Friday morning, the Arena Group, which operates Sports Illustrated and associated properties, mentioned that Authentic Brands Group has revoked its advertising license.
“As a result of this license revocation, we will be laying off staff that work on the SI brand,” the e-mail mentioned.
Sports Illustrated’s worker union mentioned in an announcement that the layoffs can be a big quantity and probably all, of the NewsGuild employees represented.
“We have fought together as a union to maintain the standard of this storied publication that we love, and to make sure our workers are treated fairly for the value they bring to this company. It is a fight we will continue,” Mitch Goldich, NFL editor and unit chair, mentioned in an announcement.
The guild’s assertion additionally known as for Authentic Brands Group to “ensure the continued publication of SI and allow it to serve our audience in the way it has for nearly 70 years.”
The Arena Group acquired publishing rights from ABG in 2019 for no less than 10 years. The group’s stewardship of SI has had many hurdles since then. In December, it fired chief govt officer Ross Levinsohn when the journal’s alleged use of AI-generated tales drew public backlash.
The iconic sports activities model has had a tough six years. It was acquired by Meredith Publishing in 2018 as a part of the acquisition of Time Inc., which began the journal in 1954.
Less than a 12 months later, Meredith offered the journal’s mental property to Authentic Brands Group for $110 million. ABG owns the mental property of many manufacturers and stars, together with Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali and Reebok.
Once a weekly publication, SI was diminished to biweekly publishing in 2018 and have become a month-to-month in 2020.
Source: calgary.citynews.ca