Sports Illustrated has been the most popular sports-related magazine since its inception in 1954–with over 350,000 subscribers, topping out at 3.5 million subscribers in the 1980s. Since then, subscription rates for Sports Illustrated have remained steady. Currently, the magazine has just over 3 million subscribers.

Though Sports Illustrated remains the most popular sports-related magazine in the United States, their future looks rocky. The Arena Group, the former owner of the Sports Illustrated brand, announced massive layoffs to their 100 author-strong workforce, as reported by Front Office Sports. This development in Sports Illustrated’s comes after The Arena Group released a plan to reduce their debt by a landslide, and produce “a more streamline business model.”

With the problems with Sports Illustrated under The Arena Group becoming more prevalent, the decision was made to transfer Sports Illustrated to Authentic Brands after The Arena Group failed to make multiple payments regarding their rights to be the publisher of Sports Illustrated. Fans hope that this will get Sports Illustrated back on track. 

The problems with Sports Illustrated could also be the result of a demographic shift over the years. Many of the then-teenagers when Sports Illustrated membership peaked are now adults in their 40s and 50s, many of whom just don’t look at Sports Illustrated anymore, and current teenagers don’t even read magazines. EHS sophomore Carson Jones speaks for this generation: “I have no idea what Sports Illustrated is!”

Sports Illustrated is no doubt going through their toughest chapter yet, but that doesn’t appear to be stopping them from staying true to their monthly release timeline. No matter the hardships, it doesn’t look like Sports Illustrated is planning on going anywhere anytime soon.