Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated in jeopardy amid mass staff layoffs

The iconic magazine first debuted in 1954

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Sports Illustrated
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The future of Sports Illustrated is in jeopardy amid mass layoffs.

The future of Sports Illustrated is in jeopardy after mass layoffs on Friday.

Staff of the iconic magazine was notified that a "significant number, possibly all" of its workers will be laid off.

The union of the staff posted on social media that it will continue to fight for its workers and the publication of Sports Illustrated.

"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, the NFL editor and unit chair, said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. 

Sports Illustrated -- which first debuted on Aug. 16, 1954 -- has undergone multiple rounds of layoffs in recent years. 

Authentic Brands Group bought the iconic magazine in 2019 and sold its print and digital publishing rights to the Arena Group. The publishing rights were revoked by Authentic Brands Group after Arena Group missed a recent payment, according to The Washington Post

“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. "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.”

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