A spokesperson for the organization informed CNN that The Arena Group’s CEO, Ross Levinsohn, with a three-decade tenure, was terminated on Monday amidst a broader C-suite crisis. The Arena Group, a contemporary media entity that holds prominent brands like Sports Illustrated and The Street, took this action. The spokesperson did not provide further details on the reasons for this decision. However, the move came in the wake of a scandal where Sports Illustrated released articles authored under fake names along with randomly generated profile pictures.
According to Vince Bodiford, a representative for Manoj Bhargava, the founder of 5 Hour Energy and the primary stakeholder in The Arena Group, Levinsohn was promptly replaced as the interim CEO. The recent changes also involved the departure of Rob Barrett, corporate counsel Julie Fenster, and President/COO Andrew Kraft from The Arena Group.
Bodiford informed CNN that the company is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of its operations and strategizing for overall business integration. The primary focus is to ensure that all media brands, including Sports Illustrated, maintain their autonomy within their respective verticals.
Regarding inquiries about the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) in content creation at Sports Illustrated, Bodiford simply stated, “We have nothing further to add to the bank’s earlier claims regarding A. I.”
