Sports Illustrated journalists were getting requests from peers looking to score invites to the gatherings, which symbolized a turnaround at the 72-year-old title. While Minute Media did not reveal early viewership figures, the company said the audience for the channel has grown 60% since its launch. The relationship with Authentic worsened when Arena’s majority owner, Manoj Bhargava, took over as interim chief executive. AdvertisementAround the same time, Authentic hired Minute Media, which runs the digital sites Fansided and Players’ Tribune, to take over Sports Illustrated. “I’ve asked, ‘guys, what are all the things you wanted to do that you haven’t been able to do?’ ” said Minute Media President Rich Routman.

Source: Los Angeles Times April 05, 2026 14:31 UTC