If you’re someone who grew up claiming to love sports, then you’re probably more than familiar with Sports Illustrated.
Chances are SI Kids was your jam back in the day. Maybe you’re like me and you used to sneak issues from out of your school library into your middle school classes to read during your downtime.
Many of us grew up on Sports Illustrated as a brand. It introduced so many of us to what legitimately great sports journalism looked like. And it inspired us to want to be part of that world.
As of Friday, it seems the publication’s run might be over.
The Arena Group — the company with the license to publish SI — is reportedly laying off a significant portion of the publication’s staff.
The exact number isn’t clear at this point. The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch obtained this email employees were sent detailing the layoff process. It says the company will be “laying off staff that work on the SI brand.”
Sports Illustrated staffers received this today. pic.twitter.com/Q0WdVRzuRb
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) January 19, 2024
This statement from the SI Union says the company “is planning to lay off a significant number, possibly all, of the Guild-represented workers at SI.”
Our statement on today’s mass layoffs at Sports Illustrated pic.twitter.com/tQjJdoHP4p
— Sports Illustrated Union (@si_union) January 19, 2024
Regardless, what’s clear is that there’s a lot of people losing their jobs today. That’s a devastating blow for sports journalism as an industry and for sports fans everywhere.
Journalists and fans, alike, shared their reactions via social media. Everyone is devastated by this news.
Heartbreaking and infuriating on more levels that I can honestly comprehend right now. https://t.co/vLIlWeiKGU
— Mike Prada. (PRAY-duh) (@MikePradaNBA) January 19, 2024
Sports Illustrated has become a disaster. Private equity purchases, cost-cutting, AI articles, and now the entire team is getting laid off. SI used to be the gold standard & something I looked forward to every week as a kid. 70 years of history ruined in just 5 years. This sucks. https://t.co/Oyo7cIpYbW
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) January 19, 2024
Absolutely gutted for the people at Sports Illustrated. Corporate ghouls have unnecessarily ruined a proud institution and the lives of people who have helped maintain what's been left of its reputation.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 19, 2024
I’ve had two jobs in my life: caddying at a country club and writing for Sports Illustrated. After nine and half years, I guess I’ll have to find a third. https://t.co/913QsBlKls
— Dan Gartland (@Dan_Gartland) January 19, 2024
a lot of media companies are run by a bunch of ghouls who don't care a single bit about the work. they never deserved the hardworking people they decided to fire https://t.co/KRCE9vcHFz
— Hector Diaz (@iamHectorDiaz) January 19, 2024
If you told me that Sports Illustrated would go out like this a decade ago I wouldn’t believe you. A devastating hit to sports journalism. https://t.co/WSPX7awwPa
— Olafimihan Oshin (@olafimihanoshin) January 19, 2024
This just a few months after reports that Sports Illustrated published A.I.-generated product reviews under fake author names with fake author biographies.
Sad to see what has become of a publication that once set the standard for sports journalism. https://t.co/0sqUtdskGd— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) January 19, 2024
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest https://t.co/fr4ZsdlQF3
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) January 19, 2024
This is so damn horrible. There are so many good people who work at SI. Just an absolute demolition of a great media company by completely inept owners who ruined a lot of lives. https://t.co/peszqoprEP
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) January 19, 2024
I will never forgive these Arena Group a-holes for what they’ve destroyed https://t.co/HQDoxzJ5MK
— sarah kelly (@thesarahkelly) January 19, 2024
This is unthinkable even for an increasingly brutal business. Devastated for my friends and former colleagues at SI https://t.co/YcyX7tbTD6
— Jawn Gonzalez (@JohnGonzalez) January 19, 2024
journalism is literally dying in real-time.
This is crazy. Y'all always cry and complain about subscribing to real journalism, this is why it is needed. There is no other way for it to be sustained in this day and age. https://t.co/dQr2GmgYZi
— Super Tecmo Bo (@randomasamf) January 19, 2024
They claimed to be just hiring a few months ago. Then got caught using fake AI writers. A damn dark day for the industry. https://t.co/pZhZDQ0YgC
— Ishmael Johnson (@IshmaelRJohnson) January 19, 2024
This might be the lowest point in our industry. My heart breaks for those people and for future generations. https://t.co/1rTPC32OfG
— Charles Chaney (@ChuckChaneyBCTG) January 19, 2024
An absolute disgrace. The gold standard of sports journalism when I was a kid, run into the mountainside in five years flat. Just brutal for the skeleton crew of very good, hard-working people left at the outlet. https://t.co/TDm20wBqlG
— Pablo Iglesias Maurer (@MLSist) January 19, 2024
I'm sad about this. Worked at SI from 2013 through 2016 and learned so much. There are a lot of good people who are going to suffer because the business… well, gave everybody the business. https://t.co/c01zJf66Ru
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 19, 2024
This is utter trash, destroying an iconic brand. The people at SI deserve far better https://t.co/pUqGflKEWn
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) January 19, 2024
Sports Illustrated has been around for 70 years.
Wall Street money just killed it to bust another union and meet some quarterly cost-cutting targets. https://t.co/MSr2BdMZ8T
— Jerrick White (@BostonJerry) January 19, 2024
This is awful! I feel bad for everyone affected by this https://t.co/bM8hTKSK1V
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) January 19, 2024
oh shit, this is awful https://t.co/V50h69Go2h
— Jay Jaffe (@jay_jaffe) January 19, 2024
This is a travesty https://t.co/D4rvTZKzyG
— Mike Piellucci (@mikelikessports) January 19, 2024
Good lord. https://t.co/oQlmKQts2T
— Rris (@Trisity_) January 19, 2024
