Andrew Kraft’s Post

To my LinkedIn Community, (post 1 of 2) I’m looking for my next opportunity, and I’m hoping you can help. After 4+ years at The Arena Group and 18+ years with a connection to Sports Illustrated, I’m hitting free agency with enthusiasm to start a new journey. I have to break this up into two posts, so first, allow me to recap where I’ve been (this is the abbreviated version, somehow). It’s been a wild ride over the last 10 years. It started leading Sports and Video FP&A at Time Inc. We had a great group of Finance professionals that have gone on to do amazing things. I was then recruited by my non-finance colleagues to lead the Video and Audio expansion efforts as General Manager at Time Inc. That effort was ultimately stalled by the sale of Time Inc. to Meredith. When Meredith announced their intention to sell Sports Illustrated, I raised my hand to join that process. What a rewarding experience. It took longer than expected (15 months!), but we had an amazing multi-discipline leadership team that persevered and got the job done. We had at least 20 investor presentations during that time, and probably 4x as many investor calls diving into the Financial model that I built. The work didn’t stop there. We now had to transition the business into a complicated ownership structure. Authentic Brands took ownership of the brand and all of its Intellectual Property, while the operations of the media business transferred to The Arena Group. We were lucky to get most of that work done right before Covid hit, but 2020 was a rough year for SI and The Arena Group as a whole. With new leadership at Arena toward the end of that year, we turned a corner and experienced a tremendous amount of growth over the next 3+ years (close to 2x revenue). Sports Illustrated was a huge part of that, but it was so much more. We instituted a new strategy that relied on rigor, coordination, communication, execution, and accountability. As our existing brands started firing (SI, FanNation, The Street, HubPages), we looked for other businesses in the industry that we could acquire and transform (The Spun, Parade, Athlon, and Men’s Journal). The kindling for the growth that these brands would end up having was the integration process post-acquisition (way too often overlooked!). We grew, we went public, we became profitable, and strove for more. Ultimately this all led to a business combination agreement with Bridge Media, new ownership of Arena, and Sports Illustrated’s media operations moving to Minute Media. I wish my former colleagues at Arena, Authentic Brands, Bridge Media, and Sports Illustrated all the best. I’m sad that I won’t get to continue the mission for growth at both Sports Illustrated and Arena.  (Next steps in post 2)

Who wants to talk about models!? I'll throw in backstabbing billionaires and treachery — And the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue — Those amazing models .... Oh, I'm talking about business models! Were you confused? I am too because what's happening to Sports Illustrated isn't about the power of the brand, the quality of the coverage or the interest of the audience. Sports Illustrated is in danger — Its staff facing layoffs, because billionaires are gutting the storied title for cash. ↔The Arena Group licensed Sports Illustrated publishing rights from Authentic Brands. ▶ Arena pays Authentic $15 million annually ▶ They start the year $15 million in the hole ↔ Authentic Brands rolls up into private equity corporations. ▶ They leverage SI's trademark to make money 🍸 A Sports Illustrated Party in Vegas? 🍸 Maybe hit Club SI at the Kentucky Derby? 🤔 None of this revenue supports the magazine. Don't spend a second crying for Arena! ▶ They published AI articles in Sports Illustrated and gave them fake bylines to make the content credible. They're willing to hurt quality to save on salaries. ▶ Sports Illustrated makes up 2/3 of Arena's $250 million in revenue. It's true, magazines are expensive to operate. It's also true SI is delivering cash. And Authentic Brands? ▶ They like an "asset light" approach to lower costs and produce giant margins ▶ They're squeezing SI, taking everything they can. 💥 It doesn't have to be this way. 💥 Publishers can have healthy business models that support their staff, mission and deliver for the communities they serve. 😡 What publishers can't do is feed business models that demand ever increasing profits. 😡 Publishers cannot support the weight of billionaires who need to guild their pockets. Greed might save SI yet. Authentic Brands can't let it go under. They've got over 20 licensing deals depending on its name. But what will look like when the dollars settle? #Leadership #sustainablebusiness #Journalismmatters #VelvetSteel

Sometimes it's harder to break into sports laterally than from the bottom up. Let me explain. We often think of "breaking in" to the sports industry as a bottom-up endeavor - i.e. I'm currently at the bottom of the totem pole and I've got to work my way up until I get my foot in the door. But there's a whole group who have more of a transitional perspective: They've been in the workforce for a while (even decades) They've already "paid their dues" They've broken into other industries and put down roots Now they are transitioning, which can be just as difficult or harder than starting at the grassroots level. But certainly it's possible. Three quick suggestions if you are in this "transition" group: 1) You have a reason for your pivot, so make sure you can articulate it to others in a meaningful way. And your reason doesn't have to be an amazing, one-in-a-lifetime reason either. It simply could be that you're getting back to your roots. Or you are tired of your current career. Stay true to what your story is. Be genuine about it. And practice how you can explain it to someone who might have doubts as to your 'why' of getting into sports. 2) Find connection through similarities. Transitioning into sports requires the same two main ingredients as if you are coming up from the bottom - experience and relationships. So get to work building new relationships and continue to develop old ones, especially within the industry. You're probably closer than you think. 3) Expect to be patient. It might take a few interviews to fine tune how you can convince someone your skills translate. You might have to take a couple steps back to take ten forward. You might have some rejection or doubters along the way. But if you're serious about transitioning, you'll get there. Along with all the high hopes though, keep a dose of reality so you don't get burnt out with oversized expectations. I firmly believe it's never too late, as cliche as that sounds. There's a path to this industry no matter what your story has been up to this point. #LinkedInsports #sportjobs

It’s been an incredible near-three years at Nike, but my future is increasingly uncertain. And in times of uncertainty, the best thing we can do is create possibilities. That is why, dear and trusted network, I reach out to you today. I'm seeking new opportunities consulting for or leading brand marketing, narrative or creative strategy. My experience at the Swoosh has been full of pinch-me moments alongside a team of the most talented, hard-working and supportive humans. I even got to write and produce a sizzle video (a bucket list item for any Nike creative, IYKYK). I got to "dive deep" into strategy and socialization, finally adding THE captial-B Brand to a history of bringing smaller, heritage brands to new life with some of you in the action sports and outdoor industries — the ass-busting, trendsetting, entrepreneurial work none of us get nearly enough credit for in places like Linkedin. I have followed an intentionally dynamic career path through strategic brand and marketing work I was born to do, for teams and brands my heart beats for. I’ve even launched my own startup bolstered by your talents. We’ve done oh, so much together, haven’t we? ❤️🔥 Like any good creative, I wear my heart on my sleeve. Like any good strategist, I’m damn good at playing devil’s advocate. And like any trusted analyst, I know when to suspend all that emotion to derisk the work. And so I’m ready for what’s next. I’m hungry. I’m excited. I’m here playing the Dating Game on Linkedin because I know the odds are better here than on the street. Swipe right or forward me to a friend. Let’s. Effing. Go. #opentowork #brandmarketing #creativestrategy #brandmanagement

🚀 Elevating Brands with Passion and Creativity 🚀 In every role I've embraced, from spearheading social media at Overland Partners to crafting compelling blog content, the goal has always been clear: elevate the brand and connect deeply with our audience. My journey has been one of relentless learning, innovative strategy, and impactful storytelling. Key Milestones: 🚀Audience Engagement: Grew social media followings by 40% year-over-year, through engaging content. 🚀Content Strategy: Developed a content calendar that led to a 60% increase in blog engagement, setting new records for our team. 🚀Creative Leadership: Mentored a team of creatives, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration that boosted our project output by 25%. As I look to the next chapter, I'm excited about the opportunity to bring my blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and leadership to a new team. Ready to dive into another adventure where I can help a brand soar to new heights. 🌐 Interested in collaborating or know a team that's looking for someone like me? Let's chat! #nextchapter #branding #opentowork #socialmedia #marketing

New Post: Sports Illustrated Thrown Into Chaos With Mass Layoffs - The group that publishes Sports Illustrated said in an email on Friday that it was laying off many, if not all, of the employees who work at the magazine, leaving the future of the publication in doubt.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. It once had over three million subscribers, and its writing and reporting were considered the pinnacle of sports journalism. But it has been in decline for years. 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.The Arena Group — which owns Men’s Journal, Parade and TheStreet and was previously known as the Maven — then struck a 10-year agreement with Authentic Brands Group to operate and publish Sports Illustrated. It paid at least $45 million for the right to do so, while Authentic Brands Group retained commercial rights for things like a potential Sports Illustrated-branded hotel in Michigan.Spokeswomen for Authentic Brands Group and the Arena Group declined to comment on Friday.The union representing Sports Illustrated confirmed that the Arena Group was laying off many, or possibly all, Sports Illustrated employees.“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. “We are calling on ABG to ensure the continued publication of SI and allow it to serve our audience in the way it has for nearly 70 years.”It has been a particularly tumultuous several months at Sports Illustrated. In August, Manoj Bhargava, the entrepreneur behind the 5-Hour Energy drink, agreed to buy a major stake in the Arena Group, raising hopes that he might provide a measure of stability.But shortly after Mr. Bhargava agreed to buy the stake, Sports Illustrated was thrown into chaos. Several of the parent company’s senior executives were forced out, including its chief executive, Ross Levinsohn; its president, Rob Barrett; its chief operating officer, Andrew Kraft; and its general counsel, Julie Fenster. In November, reports circulated that Sports Illustrated had published product reviews under fake author names, seemingly generated by artificial intelligence, which the Arena Group blamed on a vendor.Mr. Levinsohn — who himself oversaw cuts to Spor

Sports Illustrated is dead… 💔 How did this happen? Here’s what we know so far: ⭐ Despite still having a relevant brand (that was even pretty popular as a virtual asset), this didn’t translate into sales. Sports Illustrated (SI) figured out how to create viral moments and remain a brand that people cared about, but people weren’t buying. ⭐ SI’s publisher (The Arena Group) terminated their CEO (Ross Levinsohn) after a very public AI article-generation scandal at SI. Sports Illustrated allegedly used AI platforms to generate content under the names of fictitious reporters and writers. After Levinsohn was ousted, Arena installed Manoj Brahgava as interim CEO (the founder of 5-Hour Energy). ⭐ On January 18th 2024, Authentic Brands Group (owner of the Arena Group) pulled Arena Group’s license to print. On the morning of Jan 19th, Arena Group announced that it would be laying off the entire staff of Sports Illustrated. ⭐ In 2019, Authentic Brands Group purchased Sports Illustrated for $110 million, and in November of 2022 Arena Group announced “record revenue”. ⭐ Now the company is gutted and almost the entire staff has been terminated. ⭐ After SI’s mass layoff, former CEO Ross Levinsohn resigned his board seat, citing “the destruction of Sports Illustrated’s storied brand and newsroom” as the last straw. ⭐ It will take time for the smoke to clear on this one, and we can’t speculate too deeply until we have more information. However, there are some of the telltale signs of VC being behind the extraction of value and collapse of this brand. #sports #sportsbiz #sportsillustrated #business #layoffs #2024 #sportsmedia #news

Ready, set, hut! 🏈 3 reasons we were glad to create & share this project type highlight video named “Stadium Highlights, Football Edition.” 60 seconds. (Stay tuned for soccer and pickleball editions, 2024) 1) Football is part of the fabric of our culture, especially this time of year approaching the playoffs, that many of us like to celebrate. We go to big games/ stadiums, celebrate and cheer for our favorite teams, wear certain jerseys and uphold certain family & friend traditions. Look at the family and football traditions many of us enjoyed on Thanksgiving Day, whether playing in a family/friend "Turkeybowl" game or watching the Lions vs. Packers at Ford Field (in person or on TV). Many cheer for our favorite NFL, college and high school teams. Sports and football matter to many! 2) Our country will continue to BUILD and INNOVATE for the future. It’s vital to know there are stylish, strong and safe architectural railing solutions to help do it, whether new sports facilities, new infrastructure, to support solar panels or beyond.  Innovation has been part of the culture since its founding. Hollaender Manufacturing Company prides itself on its custom ideas, design and engineering that keep us all safe. And the fact that there are high quality architectural railing solutions designed and manufactured right here in Cincinnati, USA is meaningful. Not mere words, part of the culture/beliefs. 3) To share tips and perspective for some. For my fellow marketers, strategists and content creators, here’s a few considerations (reminders for some) we like for creating content: a) Incorporate and link the strengths and priorities of the company into the project highlights. They should be meaningful, memorable and points to repeat. b) Yes, music & visuals are "everything," but also think about specific occasions. ...circumstances, moments and occasions matter to set the right context! c) Ensure you align content to the strategic objectives. This seems obvious, but remember to be very intentional and strategic. #sports #stadiums #football #content #video #architecturaldesign #build #influencers #madeintheusa #traditons #insights #culture #companybrand #b2bgrowth #whodey #ThePit Scott Rogers Todd Zureick Rick OConnell Nate Shotwell John Ross Michael McCune Indiana University Bloomington Elder High School Lacy Wise DIG IN Strategy & Marketing Maddie Weiland Sena Shinjo Ben Fortin AMIP Ohio Department of Development The Ohio Manufacturers' Association

Last week I posted about my new consulting role and so happy to hear from so many people in and out of my network. Truth be told, I was thrilled to share my new role at Tradable Bits and the incredible impact of this platform. As a past buyer and client of the platform while at LEARFIELD, I can attest to its unique ability to help drive revenue/data/impact at scale. Here are three things that stood out to me: 1. Tradable Bits helped us with direct revenue - every company wants more revenue, and as a company working in sports, having a user-friendly platform with a significant financial impact was massive! 2. The ability to gather First-Party Data and the impact of a Customer Data Platform in modern marketing. Every brand has a zillion "user ID's," but when ANY platform can help you go from User: 342786919 to Jack Patterson who lives in Dallas, Texas and loves the Dallas Cowboys, Manchester United, lululemon, To Boot New York Inc shoes and recently purchased tickets to a game/concert is huge! 3. The people and the culture of the company. As a buyer, having someone like Lenny Goh working with us to show the value of the platform matters. As an employee, I wanted to work for a company that cares about its people and valued the impact of their work on the product. In my short time with Tradable Bits, it is very clear there are so many people who have made this product powerful and I am certainly thankful for everyone in the TBits family (past and present). When a company has a 95% client retention rate, you know the people and the product are awesome! I am excited to work for Greg Bobolo and share our story very soon. If you are interested in hearing more, send me a DM or text! Also, I am amazed at the power of LinkedIn, where nearly 10,000 impressions on a single post about my new role at Tradable Bits have led to catching up with many old friends. Thank you, LinkedIn!

Doing the same thing over and over is boring. Allow growth happen to you. - Change the tide. - Increase the tempo. - Reduce the noise. + Hijack the strand. - Renew the brand. + Change the game. #trending #trendingnow #post #game #hiring #hiringmanagers