On Friday, the entire Sports Illustrated staff is grappling with mass layoffs, marking the end of an era for the iconic sports magazine.
Background: Licensing woes and fallout
Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the licensing group that acquired Sports Illustrated for $110 million from Meredith five years ago, has terminated its agreement with The Arena Group for publishing SI in print and digital formats.
The move comes after Arena failed to make a $3.75 million payment, breaching the licensing deal that started in 2019.
Authentic’s termination triggered a hefty $45 million fee immediately.
Employees at SI were notified of the license revocation via an email from Arena, resulting in staff layoffs.
Severed guild members will be given a 90-day notice, while non-guild employees will be laid off immediately unless the licensing issue is resolved within this period.
Layoff details and confusion
There is considerable confusion regarding the extent of the layoffs. Some employees will be terminated immediately, while others are expected to work through a notice period. Arena’s email to staffers mentioned that those with a last working day of today will be contacted soon, and additional information will be provided.
Richard Deitsch, a former Sports Illustrated contributor who is now a writer at The Athletic, posted a screenshot on Twitter showing the message sent to current Sports Illustrated staff members.
Sports Illustrated staffers received this today. pic.twitter.com/Q0WdVRzuRb
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) January 19, 2024
The Sports Illustrated Guild expressed their commitment to fighting for fair treatment and maintaining the publication’s standards.
Our statement on today’s mass layoffs at Sports Illustrated pic.twitter.com/tQjJdoHP4p
— Sports Illustrated Union (@si_union) January 19, 2024
Historical Context: Sports Illustrated’s legacy and notable covers
Founded in 1954, Sports Illustrated has been a pioneer in sports journalism, winning the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twice.
Sports Illustrated has featured numerous iconic athletes on its covers over the years.
From 1954 to 2016, NBA legend Michael Jordan led with an impressive 50 covers, followed by boxing icon Muhammad Ali with 40, and basketball star LeBron James with 25.
Here’s a summary providing an overview of the covers, featuring athletes, teams, sports, celebrities, fathers and sons, presidents, and tribute covers over several decades in Sports Illustrated.
Most covers by athlete (1954–2016):
- Michael Jordan (Basketball): 50 covers
- Muhammad Ali (Boxing): 40 covers
- LeBron James (Basketball): 25 covers
- Tiger Woods (Golf): 24 covers
- Magic Johnson (Basketball): 23 covers
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Basketball): 22 covers
- Tom Brady (American Football): 20 covers
Most covers by team (1954–May 2008):
- Los Angeles Lakers (Basketball): 67 covers
- New York Yankees (Baseball): 65 covers
- St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball): 49 covers
- Dallas Cowboys (Football): 48 covers
- Boston Red Sox (Baseball): 46 covers
- Chicago Bulls (Basketball): 45 covers
- Boston Celtics (Basketball): 44 covers
- Los Angeles Dodgers (Baseball): 40 covers
- Cincinnati Reds (Baseball): 37 covers
- San Francisco 49ers (American Football): 33 covers
Most covers by sport (1954–2009):
- Baseball-MLB: 628 covers
- Pro Football-NFL: 550 covers
- Pro Basketball-NBA: 325 covers
- College Football: 202 covers
- College Basketball: 181 covers
- Golf: 155 covers
- Boxing: 134 covers
- Ice Hockey: 100 covers
- Track and Field: 99 covers
- Tennis: 78 covers
Celebrities on the cover (1954–2010):
Includes celebrities like Gary Cooper, Bob Hope, Shirley MacLaine, Steve McQueen, Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Big Bird, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert, Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, among others.
Fathers and sons featured on the cover:
Includes notable pairs like Archie Manning and Peyton & Eli Manning, Calvin Hill and Grant Hill, Bobby Hull, and Brett Hull, among others.
Presidents featured on the cover:
Includes John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton, with special notes on each cover appearance.
Tribute covers (In Memoriam):
Recognizes athletes and individuals such as Len Bias, Arthur Ashe, Reggie Lewis, Mickey Mantle, Walter Payton, Dale Earnhardt, Brittanie Cecil, Ted Williams, Johnny Unitas, Pat Tillman, Ed Thomas, John Wooden, Junior Seau, with details about their deaths and contributions.
