• by Ray Schultz , March 18, 2024

Sports Illustrated lives.  

Minute Media, the owner of sports content brands The Players' Tribune, FanSided and 90min, has obtained the publishing rights to Sports Illustrated from owner Authentic Brands Group.   

Minute Media will oversee all digital and print editorial operations of the Sports Illustrated brand. In addition, Authentic will acquire an equity stake in Minute Media. 

The announcement on Monday morning follows months of struggle between The Arena Group, the previous license holder, and Authentic Brands Group. As late as last Thursday, The Arena Group was threatening to kill the Sports Illustrated print product.   

In addition to the flagship title, the Sports Illustrated portfolio includes Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, and Sports Illustrated Kids.

“Sports Illustrated is the gold standard for sports journalism and has been for nearly 70 years across both print and digital media,” says Asaf Peled, founder and CEO of Minute Media.

The focus at Minute Media will be to “take that legacy into new, emerging channels enhancing visibility, commercial viability and sustainable impact, all while ensuring that the SI team is inspired to flourish in this new era of media,” Peled adds.

Minute Media brings sports content expertise and a technology platform that supports global monetization of hundreds of digital content brands to the arrangement, it says.  

Minute Media recently acquired STN Video, a provider of sports highlights with rights to every major sports league in North America for online video platform distribution.  

The company has formed a partnership with Audigent to use its cookieless ID solution. 

“In Minute Media we have found a partner that will honor SI’s lauded legacy and exceed fan expectations for the future," says Daniel W. Dienst, executive vice chairman, tactical ops, for Authentic. 

The Arena Group’s license to produce Sports Illustrated was suspended in January when the firm failed to make a $3.75 million quarterly payment.

It is not clear what the  announcement will mean to the remaining staff at The Arena Group.