Ross Levinsohn became Sports Illustrated CEO in October 2019, and during his time there, he has taken a number of steps to help revive the brand. For example, he has put content behind a paywall, which provides incentive for readers to convert to paying customers. He has also put a heavy emphasis on the print side of the brand as well as improving the quality of both print and digital content.
Why Does Levinsohn Care So Much About Print Media?
During his tenure as Sports Illustrated CEO, Ross Levinsohn has made it a priority to elevate the publication’s image. One way to do this is to invest heavily in a traditional weekly magazine. Levinsohn believes that when people hold a magazine in their hand, they are making an emotional connection to the content inside of it. Ultimately, they are more likely to buy copies of future editions or read additional content online. Investing in print media also provides opportunities to create premium or exclusive content that rewards diehard fans for their support.
Partnering With Maven Has Made Sports Illustrated More Efficient
In addition to serving as the top executive of Sports Illustrated, Ross Levinsohn is also the leader of publishing company Maven. One of the first things that he did upon taking that role in August 2020 was to sell publishing rights to Maven through the end of 2029. This has helped to reduce the magazine’s publishing, distribution and marketing costs because of the scale that Maven provides. Currently, the publisher has relationships with over 300 brands that pool their resources together to help everyone be more successful.
Sports Illustrated Isn’t the First Sports Brand Levinsohn Has Worked For
During the late 1990s, Levinsohn worked for CBS Sportsline, which was designed to help keep fans connected to all games as they were being played. This service made it possible for viewers to keep track of live stats and highlights involving teams that weren’t in their broadcast area.