Sports Illustrated Finds New Life After Big Shake‑Ups

Sports Illustrated, once a sports magazine staple, is showing signs of life again after a tough period. Two years ago, many writers were told their jobs were ending. Now the magazine is hosting big events at places like the Cow Palace and Quince, where fans can meet celebrities. The owner of Sports Illustrated is Authentic Brands Group. They bought the magazine for $110 million in 2019 and are trying to make it profitable by cutting advertising costs. Authentic says Sports Illustrated earns most of its money from things other than selling copies, like online content and special events. The magazine’s print sales have fallen from 3 million a year to about 400, 000. Yet its website gets 52 million visitors each month and it has millions of social media followers. Authentic is also using the brand in other ways. They sell replica covers, opened hotel branches in Chicago and Nashville, and plan new editions in France and the U. K. In January, Sports Illustrated launched a free streaming channel called SITV. It shows live shows and old documentaries. The viewership grew 60 percent since it started.The company has also turned the Sports Illustrated name into a ticketing service, working with 13 venues worldwide. They expect this side of the business to bring in $500 million next year. When Authentic first bought Sports Illustrated, they hired Arena Group to run it. That partnership fell apart because of fake product reviews and a conflict of interest with Arena’s owner, who tried to push his own energy drink. Arena stopped paying Authentic and shut down the print version of Sports Illustrated in March 2024. Authentic then brought in Minute Media to manage the magazine again. Minute Media has helped rebuild the staff and improve operations. Editors say Minute Media is supportive and plans to grow Sports Illustrated for the next decade. The union that represents writers also praised Minute Media’s leadership. Some people think Sports Illustrated is only a nostalgic brand for older fans. But studies show even Gen Z knows the name because of its early “Kids” edition. Authentic says the audience is getting younger while still respecting long‑time readers.