Minute Media to 'streamline' its assets in rebuild of Sports Illustrated

Minute Media is “making several changes to its portfolio designed to streamline its assets and rebuild Sports Illustrated”  after acquiring its licensing rights in March, according to Mark Stenberg of ADWEEK. Minute Media is “rebranding FanNation to On SI.” It also “folded its sports media franchise, The Big Lead, into SI.” As part of the licensing agreement, Minute Media agreed to pay the owner of SI, Authentic Brands Group, $15M per year for the right to publish the marquee sports title, as well as the SI Kids, SI Swimsuit and FanNation properties. Stenberg noted the company “plans to resume print distribution of SI in June with a double issue,” following a dispute with its former licensee, The Arena Group, that led it to miss the May issue. It also “migrated SI and SI Swimsuit to new websites,” in addition to “dropping the digital paywall on SI” (ADWEEK, 5/23).