DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Tropicana redesigned its classic bottle. Customers revolted
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Tropicana customers are in revolt over an orange juice bottle redesign. In July, Tropicana’s sales dropped 8.3% from the year prior, according to sales data by market research firm Circana shared with CNN. Tropicana's customers have expressed frustration at the new bottles. It’s more of a generic structure.”Tropicana's old carafe bottle design. “I had been a loyal customer for decades but now you lost me.”“I do not like the new bottle design,” another posted on Reddit.

Persons: Circana, you’ve, ”, Steve Lamoureux, Peter Clarke, ” Clarke, “, Tiffany Hagler, Lamoureux, we’re, it’s, that’s, Joe Biden, ” Lamoureux Organizations: New, New York CNN, Tropicana, OJ, CNN, Coca, Brand, Product Ventures, Geard, Bloomberg, Getty, Tropicana Brands Group, Tropicana Brands, Tropicana OJ, Companies Locations: New York, Orange

A fashion retail Forever 21 store is pictured in in London on September 30, 2019. Fashion retailer Forever 21 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US. Forever 21 is asking landlords for a break on rent as the legacy fast fashion player's sales decline and it struggles to keep up with savvier competitors, CNBC has learned. Forever 21 faces a range of issues that have long plagued its business. Similar to many retailers, Forever 21's massive store footprint weighed on its balance sheet when it first filed for bankruptcy.

Persons: Simon, Brooks Brothers, Lucky, Simon didn't Organizations: CNBC, Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group, Brookfield Property Partners, Sparc, Lucky Brand Locations: London, U.S

☆ Sports Illustrated ex-publisher wants $200 million from Authentic Brands Group, saying it stole website and employees
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Jack Newsham | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In late 2023, the Arena Group lost the rights to publish SI, its best-known brand, after the 5-Hour Energy creator Manoj Bhargava took over Arena and missed a licensing payment to Authentic Brands Group. ABG awarded the publishing license to Minute Media and sued Bhargava for $49 million, accusing him of acting like a "gangster" in their negotiations. Bhargava's lawsuit adds to the morass of legal actions that have formed around the Arena Group. In early April, ABG sued Arena and Bhargava over the missed licensing payment and a $45 million termination fee. Ross Levinsohn, the Arena CEO who was fired in 2023 when Bhargava took over, has also sued Arena, claiming he was retaliated against.

Persons: —, Manoj Bhargava, ABG, Bhargava, Privately, Steve Janisse, Janisse, we're, Ross Levinsohn, Levinsohn, Media didn't Organizations: Service, Sports, Arena Group, Energy, Arena, Authentic Brands, Media, Business, Group, Capital Partners, BlackRock, Capital, ABG, CVC didn't, Forbes, Arena's, Front Office Locations: ABG

☆ Champion sportswear sold in deal worth up to $1.5 billion
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Champion, the more than century-old sportswear brand, has a new owner. Hanesbrands announced Wednesday that it will sell Champion to Authentic Brands Group in a deal worth up to $1.5 billion with performance incentives. Many consumers have pulled back on discretionary clothing, a trend that has hurt Champion’s rivals such as Nike and Under Armour. Champion had made an exclusive C-9 Champion line for Target for around 15 years, but the contract expired in early 2020 as Target focused more on its own private-label brands. The company then started selling the C-9 line on Amazon.

Persons: Hanes, Hanesbrands, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Authentic Brands, Reebok, Nike, Target Locations: New York, Millennials, United States

☆ Hanesbrands to sell Champion brand to Authentic Brands in $1.2 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Sean Conlon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hanesbrands agreed to sell its global Champion business to Authentic Brands Group in a transaction valued at $1.2 billion, including a contingent cash consideration, the company announced on Wednesday. The company expects to receive net proceeds of $900 million from the deal, the release says. As of the end of the first quarter of 2024, Champion generated around $75 million of adjusted EBITDA over the past 12 months. The agreement, which the Hanesbrands' board of directors approved unanimously, comes months after the company said it was considering a sale of Champion. CNBC reported in November 2023 that Authentic Brands Group and fellow brand management firm WHP Global were both interested in buying Champion.

Persons: Hanesbrands, Bill Simon Organizations: Authentic Brands, CNBC, Brands Group, WHP Global, Barington Capital Group

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: CrowdStrike, GameStop, Dollar Tree, Nvidia and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: CrowdStrike — The cybersecurity company popped 9% after posting a strong outlook and a first-quarter results beat. Dollar Tree — Shares of the discount retailer fell more than 4% after second-quarter guidance came in below expectations. Dollar Tree said it expected between $1 and $1.10 in adjusted earnings per share, while analysts surveyed by FactSet had penciled in $1.19 per share. Verint reported adjusted earnings of 59 cents per share on revenue of $221.3 million in the first quarter. Analysts surveyed by LSEG had anticipated just 54 cents in earnings per share and $214.5 million in revenue.

Persons: CrowdStrike, LSEG, FactSet, Kerrisdale, Brown, Forman, Verint, Tommy Hilfiger, PVH, Fadi Chamoun, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, KeyBanc, Lisa Kailai Han, Pia Singh, Yun Li, Sean Conlon, Jesse Pound, Samantha Subin Organizations: Hewlett Packard Enterprise, GameStop, AMC, Kerrisdale, FactSet, SAP, Archer Aviation, Federal Aviation Administration, Systems, Materials, KLA, Barclays, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Authentic Brands, Old Dominion, BMO Capital Markets, Nvidia, America's, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Locations: China

☆ Fast-fashion behemoth Shein is preparing for an IPO. Here's an inside look at the challenges it could face.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Its peak $100 billion valuation once made it the world's third largest privately-held company, behind TikTok owner Bytedance and Elon Musk's SpaceX. Estimates have pegged Shein's IPO valuation at around $90 billion, Bloomberg reported last year. AdvertisementTo gauge what happens to some Shein items once they're returned, BI reporters in the UK put two AirTag trackers on Shein garments and sent them back. Shein is more directly involved in production and focuses on clothes, but Temu's popularity "could affect the valuation," Swartz said. In a November statement following the news of Shein's IPO, chairman Mike Gallagher urged investors and banks underwriting the move to "carefully examine Shein's regulatory and compliance programs."

Persons: —, Bytedance, Sky Xu, Yangtian Xu, Chris, Shein, confidentially, David Swartz, Swartz, Lululemon, JADE GAO, Stephanie Benedetto, Queen, Benedetto, they're, Shein's, Morningstar's Swartz, Temu, Mike Gallagher Organizations: Service, Elon, SpaceX, Business, Reuters, Authentic Brands, Wall Street, CNBC, Bloomberg, Morningstar, Zurich Insurance Group, Guardian, BI, Coventry Airport, SEC, Street, Financial Times, London Stock Exchange, Chinese Communist Party, Nike, Adidas Locations: China, —, Singapore, Sequoia China, London , Hong Kong, York, London, Canary Wharf, Coventry, Walsall, Northern Ireland, England, Kent, Washington, Xinjiang, Dublin, Shein

☆ Wall Street is getting nervous about Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In today's big story, we're looking at why Wall Street is getting nervous about Tesla . South China Morning PostEarnings season is approaching, and Wall Street's already ringing the alarm on a high-profile company. AdvertisementTesla won't report its full earnings until later this month, but Wall Street is preparing for trouble. One analyst called it a "nightmare" quarter for the company, while another firm labeled Tesla "a growth company with no growth." One strategy is getting more Tesla drivers subscribed to its Full Self-Driving software, which can run $199 monthly.

Persons: —, Wall, Insider's Beatrice Nolan, Tesla, It's, that's, Elon Musk, ANDERSEN, Alyssa Powell, Donald Trump's, Ken Griffin's, Claire Merchlinsky, MoviePass, Ted Farnsworth, Manoj Bhargava, Putin, Elvira Nabiullina's, Forbes, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover Organizations: Service, Business, Tesla, China, Bloomberg, Nvidia, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Getty, BI Trump Media, SEC, Citadel, BI, Street Journal, Authentic Brands, Energy, Bank of Russia, The Locations: China, Russia's, Connecticut , Delaware , New York, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, New York, London

☆ 5-Hour Energy billionaire Manoj Bhargava sued by the owner of Sports Illustrated for $49 million after a tumultuous takeover
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The owner of the Sports Illustrated brand filed a lawsuit Monday against the magazine's old publisher. The Arena Group lost SI, its crown jewel, after 5-Hour Energy owner Manoj Bhargava took control. In a lawsuit, Authentic Brands Group says Bhargava threatened to "go nuclear" and seeks $49 million. "ABG does not comment on pending litigation," a spokesperson for Authentic Brand Groups said. AdvertisementBhargava and Arena Group also declined to comment.

Persons: Manoj Bhargava, Bhargava, —, ABG, Ross Levinsohn, steamroll, Rob Barrett, Ron Wyden, Brooks, Derek Jeter Organizations: Sports Illustrated, Group, Energy, Authentic Brands, Service, Illustrated, Arena Group, Sports, Authentic, Arena, NCAA, Brand Groups, Reebok, Brooks Brothers, Media, Players ' Tribune, SI.com Locations: Michigan, Swiss

☆ Sports Illustrated’s Owner Sues Energy Drink Mogul After Chaos at Magazine
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Sports Illustrated’s owner on Monday sued Manoj Bhargava, the energy drinks mogul whose foray into media has been rife with chaos and conflict, accusing him of failing to pay millions of dollars for the rights to publish the iconic magazine. The 51-page lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, says that Mr. Bhargava and Arena Group, the publisher he controls, owe $48.75 million in missed payments, as well as damages for infringing on Sports Illustrated’s copyrights and trademarks. The lawsuit represents the latest public skirmish between Authentic Brands Group, which owns Sports Illustrated, and Mr. Bhargava, the 5-Hour Energy drink founder whose effort to take control of Sports Illustrated’s parent company has resulted in a series of lawsuits and turmoil at the sports publication. Sports Illustrated is being operated by Minute Media, a New York-based sports-media company that wrested the title away from Arena Group last month by striking a new deal with the magazine’s owner. After Arena Group laid off scores of employees in January and threatened to discontinue Sports Illustrated’s print edition, Minute Media pledged to hire some of them back and keep the magazine alive.

Persons: Manoj Bhargava, Mr, Bhargava Organizations: Southern, of, Arena Group, Sports, Authentic Brands, Energy, Minute Media, Group, Media Locations: U.S, of New York, New York

☆ Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: The ups and downs of a ‘bad boy’ turned businessman
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Sean “Diddy” Combs once traced his success back to a pair of shoes. With his legacy in question, this particular chapter of the story of Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently punctuated more by an ellipsis than a period. Jessie James Combs, Chance Combs, Diddy, D'Lila Combs and Justin Dior Combs attend in September of 2023. Members of law enforcement are seen outside of Sean "Diddy" Combs' home in Los Angeles on Monday. He was briefly stopped by law enforcement and subsequently releasedThe source would not reveal Combs’ vacation destination or current whereabouts.

Persons: Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, ”, Combs, he’s, Puffy, Diddy, Love, Christopher Wallace, B.I.G, Wallace, Chance ”, Sean Combs, “, Faith Evans, ” Combs, Wendy Williams, Wallace’s, Justin, Misa Hylton, Kim Porter, Christian, Twin, Jessie James, Jessie James Combs, Chance Combs, D'Lila Combs, Justin Dior Combs, Jason Kempin, Chance, Sarah Chapman, Dana Tran, Sean Jean, — Combs, wasn’t, Sean John, Sean John’s, Sean, Shannon Stapleton, “ Sean Combs, Cassie Ventura, ” Aaron Dyer, ” Dyer, Mary J, Blige, MGK, Janelle Monáe, CNN’s John Miller, Elizabeth Wolfe, Eric Levenson, Denise Royal, Elizabeth Wagmeister, Carlos Suarez Organizations: CNN, Department of Homeland Security, Bad Boy Records, Ciroc, Global Brands Group, Diageo PLC, Reuters, Diageo, Bad Boy Entertainment, Miami Locations: Manhattan, Quincy, Los Angeles, Miami

☆ How Diddy got to be one of hip-hop's biggest businessmen
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Madeline Berg | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

AdvertisementFederal officials raided the Los Angeles and Miami homes of Sean Combs on Monday. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. Within the first two years of the partnership, annual sales grew from 75,000 to 400,000 cases, according to a lawsuit Combs filed against Diageo last year. "She recognized that she was powerless, and that reporting Mr. Combs to the authorities would not alter Mr. Combs's status or influence but would merely give Mr. Combs another excuse to hurt her." AdvertisementIn a separate lawsuit filed in November, Joi Dickerson-Neal alleges that Combs drugged and assaulted her in 1991.

Persons: Sean, Diddy, Combs, He's, —, Sean Combs, Casandra Ventura, Ventura, Cassie, Rodney Jones Jr, Lil Rod, groping, Aaron Dyer, Mr, Craig Mack, Faith Evans, Mase, B.I.G, Forbes, Sean Jean, they'd, DeLeon, He'd, Mark Wahlberg, Ciroc, Ethan Miller, Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Jay, — he's, he's, Kerry James Marshall, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jean, Michel Basquiat, Joi Dickerson, Neal, Jane Doe Organizations: Service, Federal, Federal Homeland Security, AP, Business, Bad Boy Records, Uptown Records, East, Bad, Arista Records, Global Brands Group, Diageo, of, Hulu, Combs Enterprises Locations: Los Angeles, Miami

☆ Diddy is one of hip-hop's richest and most powerful businessmen. Take a look at his net worth and web of influence.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Madeline Berg | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewFederal officials raided the Los Angeles and Miami homes of Sean Combs on Monday. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. Mr. Combs is innocent." Within the first two years of the partnership, annual sales grew from 75,000 to 400,000 cases, according to a lawsuit Combs filed against Diageo last year. "She recognized that she was powerless, and that reporting Mr. Combs to the authorities would not alter Mr. Combs's status or influence but would merely give Mr. Combs another excuse to hurt her."

Persons: —, Sean Combs, Combs, Casandra Ventura, Ventura, Cassie, Rodney Jones Jr, Lil Rod, groping, Aaron Dyer, Mr, Diddy, Craig Mack, Faith Evans, Mase, B.I.G, Forbes, Sean John, they'd, DeLeon, He'd, Mark Wahlberg, Ciroc, Ethan Miller, Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Jay, — he's, he's, Kerry James Marshall, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jean, Michel Basquiat, Joi Dickerson, Neal, Jane Doe, Sean Jean Organizations: Service, Federal Homeland Security, AP, Business, Bad Boy Records, Uptown Records, East, Bad, Arista Records, Global Brands Group, Diageo, of, Hulu, Combs Enterprises Locations: Los Angeles, Miami

Sports Illustrated will continue operations after the company that owns the brand agreed with a new publisher for its print and digital products. Minute Media took over on Monday after reaching a licensing agreement with Authentic Brands Group. Authentic had been in negotiations with Arena, Minute Media and other publishing entities over the past two months. Authentic will acquire an equity stake in Minute Media, which also publishes the online sites The Players’ Tribune, FanSided and 90min. “In Minute Media, we have found a partner that will honor SI’s lauded legacy and exceed fan expectations for the future.

Persons: Asaf Peled, Stephen Cannella, ”, Emma Baccellieri, Ross Levinsohn, Meredith, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, “, SI’s, ” Daniel W, David Bauder, ___ Organizations: Media, Authentic Brands, Minute Media, Players ’ Tribune, FanSided, “, SI, Associated Press, Sports, Group, Meredith Publishing, Time Inc, Reebok, Sports Illustrated, Associated Press Media

☆ Sports Illustrated to avert shutdown as it gets a fresh start under new publisher
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

In January, The Arena Group, which had published Sports Illustrated since 2019, stopped paying Authentic its licensing fee for publishing rights. Minute Media said that while it will continue the print edition of the magazine, it hopes to also usher Sports Illustrated into a lucrative digital future. “The weight and power of that distinction cannot be understated.”Minute Media will work to retain most of the Sports Illustrated staff, a person familiar with the matter said. “We have said from the start that our top priorities are to keep Sports Illustrated alive, uphold the legacy of the institution and protect our union jobs. We look forward to discussing a future with Minute Media that does that,” Emma Baccellieri, staff writer for SI and vice chair for the SI Union, said in a statement.

Persons: Asaf Peled, ” Peled, Peled, ” Emma Baccellieri Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Authentic Brands, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Group, Media, Players ’ Tribune, FanSided, Minute Media, SI, Arena, Sports Locations: New York

☆ A New Chapter for Sports Illustrated, With Plans to Keep Print
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | More About Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The owner of Sports Illustrated said it had chosen a new company to publish the magazine, a deal that could settle some of the recent friction at the storied publication and continue the print edition. Authentic Brands Group, which owns the intellectual property rights to Sports Illustrated as well as to celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali, said it had struck a long-term deal to license Sports Illustrated’s publishing rights to Minute Media, a digital-media company focused on sports. Minute Media’s license with Sports Illustrated will stretch for 10 years with an option to extend for up to 30 years total, into the magazine’s centenary. The companies declined to disclose financial terms but said that Authentic Brands Group was taking a stake in Minute Media as part of the deal. The deal is a significant expansion for Minute Media, a New York-based company founded in 2011 whose holdings — which include the sports websites The Players’ Tribune and Fansided — generate more than $400 million in revenue annually.

Persons: Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali Organizations: Sports Illustrated, Authentic Brands, Sports, Minute Media, Authentic, Media, ’ Tribune, Fansided Locations: New York

☆ People are using AI to talk to dead celebrities like Marilyn Monroe. Not everyone is excited about it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

South By Southwest attendees got to speak with a Marilyn Monroe AI chatbot. But critics say celebrities who can't consent should not be used in AI recreations. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said previously that he thinks AI celebrities will become popular. AdvertisementLast year, Robin Williams's daughter, Zelda, said that she found AI recreations of her father's voice to be "personally disturbing." AdvertisementSoul Machines partnered with Authentic Brands Group — which acquired the rights to Marilyn Monroe's intellectual property in 2018 — to create the AI Marilyn, according to Deadline.

Persons: Marilyn Monroe, —, Kim Kardashian, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, Naomi Osaka, Chris Paul, Charli D'Amelio, Israel Adesanya, Roy Choi, Dwayne Wade, Zuckerberg, Marilyn, Marilyn chatbot, Maureen Lee Lenker, Robin Williams's, Zelda, Williams, Marva Bailer, Bailer, Marilyn Monroe's, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Shaquille O'Neal, David Beckham Organizations: Southwest, Service, Kanye West, SXSW, Federal Trade Commission, Machine, Machines, Fox News, Authentic, Brands, Fox Locations: United States

☆ How the billionaire creator of 5-Hour Energy's erratic takeover led to a fumble of Sports Illustrated
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Jack Newsham | Jake Swearingen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

A week earlier, he had become a large minority shareholder at The Arena Group, but had no official title. The company Bhargava claimed to be taking over was so poorly run that he questioned the intelligence of those in the meeting. He also said Bhargava was talking about his charitable endeavors in order to underscore his priorities to Arena Group employees. Media, Bhargava said in the meeting, was "biased." Days later, Bhargava sacked Arena Group CEO Ross Levinsohn, too, causing Levinsohn to angrily resign from the board.

Persons: —, Manoj Bhargava, Bhargava, Zoom, I'm, Steve Janisse, Vince Bodiford, Bodiford, Ross Levinsohn, Levinsohn, Rob Barrett, doesn't, ABG, Jamie Salter, Forbes, Janisse, Nielsen, Arena's, Riley, toh, Manoj, there's Organizations: Service, Arena Group, Energy, The, Business, Sports, Media, Arena, Authentic Brands, Washington Post, Princeton, IRS, United, United States Tax, Bridge Media, Sports Illustrated, Hans Foundation, International, Group, toh e New York Times, New York, Players ' Tribune, Office, BI Locations: NewsNet, India, United States, Michigan, toh e

☆ Sports Illustrated’s Employees Are Told Print Edition Will Close in May
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | More About Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Friction between Sports Illustrated’s owner and its operator has led to disarray at the venerable magazine in recent months. But that message runs counter to what Sports Illustrated’s owner, Authentic Brands Group, has said about looking for a way to ensure that the magazine endures in print. Last year, Mr. Bhargava, the founder of the 5-Hour Energy drink company, agreed to buy a major stake in the Arena Group. In January, Authentic Brands terminated its deal with Arena Group after Arena breached its licensing agreement by failing to make a $3.75 million payment. Since then, Authentic Brands has been weighing a deal with new licensees, leading to the current uncertainty.

Persons: Steve Janisse, Manoj Bhargava, Bhargava Organizations: Sports, Employees, Authentic Brands, Brands, Energy, Arena, Group

☆ Sports Illustrated lays off most, possibly all, of its staff
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —The future of Sports Illustrated was uncertain Friday after the publisher of the iconic magazine and website laid off most or “probably all” of its guild-represented staff, its union said. In a memo sent to staff viewed by CNN, the magazine’s publisher said it is “laying off staff that work on the SI brand.”Authentic Brands Group has owned the magazine and website since 2019. “This is another difficult day in what has been a difficult four years for Sports Illustrated under Arena Group (previously The Maven) stewardship,” the union said in a statement on X. The union said it expects the Arena Group to honor its union contract and for all of its employees to be treated fairly. Levinsohn was replaced, effective immediately, by interim chief executive Manoj Bhargava, the 5-Hour Energy founder who owns a majority stake in The Arena Group, said Vince Bodiford, a spokesperson for Bhargava.

Persons: ABG, Manoj Bhargava, Mitch Goldich, It’s, Ross Levinsohn, Levinsohn, Vince Bodiford, Bhargava, CNN’s Oliver Darcy, Liam Reilly Organizations: New, New York CNN, Sports, CNN, SI, Arena Group, Sports Illustrated, ”, Hour Energy, Group, The Locations: New York

☆ Mass layoffs hit Sports Illustrated staff
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Rob Wile | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The publisher of Sports Illustrated is laying off much of the storied magazine's entire staff. The news, first reported by Front Office Sports, came less than 24 hours after publisher The Arena Group announced "a significant reduction in its workforce," comprising 100 employees. According to FOS, Sports Illustrated's parent company, Authentic Brands Group, has sought to revoke Arena's license to publish SI after Arena missed a payment. The union representing SI's staff said in a tweeted statement that it had been notified of Arena's intention to "lay off a significant number, possibly all" of its union-represented staff. "This is another difficult day in what has been a difficult four years for Sports Illustrated under Arena Group (previously The Maven) stewardship," the union said in a statement.

Persons: Richard Deitsch, Long, Ross Levinsohn, Manoj Bhargava, Bhargava Organizations: Sports Illustrated, Front Office Sports, Arena, Authentic Brands, The, Arena Group, SI, Authentic Brands Group, NBC News, Time Inc, Meredith Corp, Better Homes, Gardens, Sports, Innovations Ventures, Men's, Sports Illustrated Resorts Locations: Dominican Republic

In an email to employees Friday morning, the Arena Group, which operates Sports Illustrated and related properties, said that Authentic Brands Group has revoked its marketing license. “As a result of this license revocation, we will be laying off staff that work on the SI brand,” the email said. Sports Illustrated's employee union said in a statement that the layoffs would be a significant number and possibly all, of the NewsGuild workers represented. Less than a year later, Meredith sold the magazine's intellectual property to Authentic Brands Group for $110 million. Once a weekly publication, SI was reduced to biweekly publishing in 2018 and became a monthly in 2020.

Persons: Mitch Goldich, Ross Levinsohn, Meredith, ABG, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, ___ Organizations: Sports, Arena Group, Authentic, Authentic Brands, SI, Group, Meredith Publishing, Time Inc, Reebok Locations: ABG

☆ RIP Sports Illustrated. And RIP, magazines.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewSports Illustrated used to be an American cultural touchstone. And sad for a certain kind of media person — like me — who remembers when Sports Illustrated was Really Important. AdvertisementFor people who don't remember that era: In a pre-internet world, Sports Illustrated was many things. In recent years, you were much more likely to read about a scandal or stupid controversy at Sports Illustrated than you were to actually read Sports Illustrated. So feel free to pour one out for Sports Illustrated — both the idea and the actual place where people worked.

Persons: —, John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, Don DeLillo, Gilbert Carrasquillo, who've, it's, Condé Nast, Steve Jobs, DotDash Meredith, Conde Organizations: Service, Sports Illustrated, Business, Authentic Brands, Group, Brands, Sports, Inc, Vogue, Apple, Pitchfork, Google, Facebook Locations: American

The move came after the Arena Group, which publishes the magazine under a complicated management structure, had its license to operate the publication revoked. It was unclear whether Sports Illustrated would continue publishing, or whether its owner, Authentic Brands Group, would strike a new agreement with the Arena Group or find a new company to operate it. For decades, Sports Illustrated was a weekly bible for sports fans and a financial engine for the Time Inc. empire. Like many publications, the magazine had struggled to shift to the digital media world from print publishing. In 2019, the media conglomerate Meredith sold Sports Illustrated to Authentic Brands Group, which is primarily a licensing company that acquires the rights to celebrity brands, for $110 million.

Persons: Meredith Organizations: Arena Group, Authentic Brands, Sports, Time Inc

☆ Wolverine World Wide sells Sperry to Authentic Brands Group in shoe retail deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Wolverine World Wide has sold Sperry to brand management firm and Reebok owner Authentic Brands Group, as the footwear retailer looks to focus on better performing assets, the company announced Thursday. Aldo will also work with the brand on footwear design, production and global distribution. It already works closely with Authentic on running brands like Roxy and Brooks Brothers. The deal will generate $130 million, which Wolverine plans to use to pay down debt, it said. Wolverine originally acquired Sperry, a 90-year-old brand, in 2012 from Payless ShoeSource owner Collective Brands in a $1.23 billion deal that also included Saucony, Stride Rite and Keds.

Persons: Aldo, Brooks, Wolverine, Payless, Saucony, Merrell, Hush, Betty, Sperry, Wolverine's, Brendan Hoffman Organizations: Sperry, Reebok, Authentic Brands, Aldo Group, Brooks Brothers, Brands Locations: Ireland

Search resuls for: "Brands Group"

25 mentions found