SI up next for layoffs

http://www.wwd.com/media-news/fashion-memopad/sports-illustrated-outlines-layoffs-5982904

 

Little slow there Inky ...

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/90661/

 

Yeah, TBL was all over this awhile back.

 

This breaks my heart.

 

Yeah, it's sad, but a bit overdue. I mean do they really need Bamberger, Garrity, Van Sickle, Shipnuk and Hack all doing golf? ... with free-lance appearances by Stephanie Wei?

 

Since golf is probably one of the areas of the mag/website they can easily sell ads targeted to an affluent demo, I'd say yes.

 

Don't all those golf writers also write across the SI, Golf Magazine, SI Golf + platforms as well?

 

Just heard about a buyout offer for a major writer (not golf). Just crushing to hear this stuff.

 

"Buyout offers" aren't flattering, right? A company's desire to send you out into this economy with a big check is like handing some disgraced leader a handgun and closing the door behind you, expecting him to do the right thing.

But in newspaper world, I'm more familiar with employers who make buyouts "available" to groups of workers who meet certain criteria; then, if not enough accept, layoffs begin according to other criteria. Must be more rare to have them made individually. Damn, that would be a serious shot across one's bow to get out -- or else.

 

Suggest you go read The Franchise if you want to see how SI dealt with some hard times on its way to becoming THE dominant sports publication in America.

SI has been barely relevant in terms of influencing the sporting public for at least 10 years now - - maybe 15.

It may make some avert their eyes as a former icon goes into a spiral around the drain, but that is about what SI is about to do. Given the current publication, I am not sure it will be alive and well in 2022.

Sad... I got my first subscription when I was in high school in 1959.