When was Sports Illustrated first published? Who was on the first magazine cover?
The sports magazine that courted contorversy with its annual swimsuit cover could be set to close with all its writing staff sacked.
After decades in the media space, Sports Illustrated looks to be closing its cover for the final time. According to reports, the entirety of the staff have been laid off as publisher Arena Group battles with serious financial problems.
“This is another difficult day in what has been a difficult four years for Sports Illustrated under Arena Group ... stewardship,” the union representing staff at Sports Illustrated said on Friday.
Sports Illustrated had once been a mainstay of sports journalism but is said to have struggled with the transition to web-based publishing. Could it be staring down the barrel?
The history of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated was founded by Henry Luce, the co-founder of Time Inc., and debuted on 16 August, 1954. The first cover featured Eddie Mathews of the Milwaukee Braves swinging a bat.
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Perhaps the most iconic features of Sports Illustrated is its annual Swimsuit Issue, which began in 1964. The swimsuit edition features models in exotic locations and became a highly anticipated publication each year.
In 2019, Sports Illustrated was sold to Authentic Brands Group which has been described as being “known for scooping up stressed brands.” Arena Group had missed payments to the owners leading to the slew of sackings and owes $45 million.