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The last time the legendary publication Sports Illustrated made a big news splash was in 2019 when the former Time, Inc. magazine and its associated properties were sold to Authentic Brands Group (ABG) for $110 million.
Since then, Sports Illustrated has been slashing its editorial staff and scaled back its weekly print publication schedule to just once a month plus four special editions and the swimsuit issue.
Authentic Brands Group, true to its name, is a company centered around brands and branding, managing more than 50 consumer brands like Aéropostale, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Tapout, Hart Schaffner Marx, Juicy Couture, Nine West, and Nautica and holding the licensing and trademark rights for celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Julius Erving, Greg Norman, and Shaquille O’Neal.
Which is why, one has to assume, ABG has decided to create Sports Illustrated labeled products which have little to nothing to do with the actual publication.
Like, say, a line of Sports Illustrated branded nutritional supplements like Whey Protein Isolate, MCT Oil Powder, and Intensi-T Vegan Capsules, currently available on Amazon.
Once the news of this new side venture for the 66-year-old publication started spreading on the internet, it was met by long-time fans of the magazine with a strong mix of sadness, resignation, and comedy.
Sports Illustrated was a weekly magazine owned by Time five years ago. Now it's this. https://t.co/l5GFUSmmUE
— Ben Koo (@bkoo) July 28, 2020
Sports Illustrated's patented Brains-Formula has been concocted by leading Mind Doctors to exude the Manful pep and Vigorousness seen in top Sport-Men including New Jersey's most vicious Pedestrian George St. Rutmutton and Middle Weight Champion Gregor The Worst Austro-Hungarian
— BYCTOM (@BYCTOM) July 28, 2020
What a disgrace https://t.co/BtD61pkrzJ
— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) July 28, 2020
oh nooooo, the good writers there don't deserve this https://t.co/v7GAMO1jge
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) July 28, 2020
— Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) July 28, 2020
Brutal.