• Loading stock data...
Friday, May 23, 2025
exclusive
Media

Grant Wahl and Maven CEO Clash Over Sports Illustrated Departure

  • Wahl, a Sports Illustrated soccer writer for 24 years, said he was suddenly laid off with no severance by new SI publisher The Maven.
  • Maven CEO James Heckman countered a “me-first’ Wahl refused to cut his $350,000 salary during advertising downturn.
mls_logo_on_adidas_soccer_ball
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The chief executive of Sports Illustrated publisher The Maven took aim at writer Grant Wahl after he publicly announced he’d been laid off with no severance.

In an internal memo obtained by Front Office Sports, Maven CEO James Heckman claimed Wahl was the only SI staffer to refuse a pay cut in the face of falling ad revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Heckman claimed Wahl had a “me-first” attitude. Earlier on Friday, Wahl tweeted: “Maven just fired me from Sports Illustrated. No severance. Nothing.”

Heckman sought to explain his actions to staff in an internal memo Friday.

“As part of the multi-faceted cost-containment strategy we unveiled last week in the face of coronavirus-driven declines in advertising revenue, a $4 million reduction in compensation was enacted across senior leaders and high-salary members of our team. This move helped limit layoffs to 9 percent of our workforce and we believe saved at least 30 jobs. Every senior staff member volunteered to put their personal budgeted future at risk, to save jobs and ensure stable salaries for those making less. Everyone, that is, but one person,” wrote Heckman. 

“This person made more than $350,000 last year to infrequently write stories that generated little meaningful viewership or revenue. Yet he trumpeted that he thought it shameful to be asked to participate in helping his fellow workers. To complain about a personal pay reduction when 31 others had just lost their jobs is incomprehensible in light of the sacrifices others made to help limit layoffs and maintain livable salaries for our staff. Such a me-first attitude is not part of the tradition and culture Maven is committed to maintaining,” he continued.

Heckman concluded by saying Wahl’s salary would be directed into severance pay and health benefits for employees recently laid off by SI.

Wahl, an internationally recognized soccer reporter, recently spoke out on social media against the downsizing of SI under Maven management. He wrote the new owners had already slashed his salary by 30%

“Who would take advantage of a pandemic to permanently reduce someone’s salary beyond that pandemic? Maven and James Heckman would,” wrote Wahl, according to Awful Announcing.

In a follow-up tweet Friday afternoon, Wahl said that he told Maven, “I was fine taking a 30% pay cut during the pandemic. But it was shameful to try to push through a permanent 30% cut beyond the pandemic.” He also said that his “base salary was far below that, but I got a bonus because my bosses said my work was very good.” Wahl further contradicted the memo, also noting, “I write frequently.”

READ MORE: XFL Suspends Operations And Terminates Employees

Wahl has won numerous journalism awards during his 24 years at SI. He’s also the author of the book, “Masters of Modern Soccer: How the World’s Best Play the Twenty-First-Century Game.”

The Maven declined to comment Friday.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Around the Horn

Behind the Scenes of Around the Horn’s Final Days

FOS followed Tony Reali at the penultimate taping of the ESPN icon.
exclusive

Dan Le Batard’s Meadowlark Media Renews Deal With DraftKings

Meadowlark renews DraftKings deal, securing sponsorship for core shows.
Around the Horn - October 26, 2020

‘Quirky, Nutty, Bombastic’: 10 ‘Around the Horn’ Faces on Their Top Moments

“A quirky, nutty, bombastic, mostly wrong, sometimes right, crazy sports family.”

Featured Today

AA Mint Cards

Young Collectors Are on a High-Stakes Chase for Ultra-Rare Trading Cards

“They just want that excitement of the chase,” says a 23-year-old collector.
Donnie Gobourne JDL
May 17, 2025

U.S. Professional Softball Players Are Flocking to Japan to Get Paid

The Diamond League offers paychecks and amenities that the U.S. can’t beat.
Jun 1996; Seattle, WA USA; FILE PHOTO; Seattle Supersonics guard Gary Payton (20) lays the ball up against the Chicago Bulls during the 1996 NBA Finals at Key Arena.
May 15, 2025

5,000 Pieces of Thunder History Are Hidden in Seattle

Sonics championship banners, trophies, and retired jerseys are all in one place.
Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) returns an interception during the second half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025. Ohio State won 28-14.
May 15, 2025

House v. NCAA Settlement to Pay College Athletes: All Your Questions Answered

The yearslong lawsuit over player compensation is in the home stretch.

NBC Eyes MLB Rights, Looks to Own Sunday Nights Year-Round

The league continues to shop media rights being forfeited by ESPN.
Dec 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) watches as center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates after making a three point basket to clinch a win against the Toronto Raptors near the end of the fourth quarter at Scotiabank Arena.
May 20, 2025

NBA Playoff TV Ratings Up 3% Ahead of Late-Round Test

Games are averaging 4.17 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and TNT.
May 21, 2025

Paige Bueckers’s WNBA Debut Delivers 121% Ratings Bump on Ion

Friday’s doubleheader averaged 612,000 viewers.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
May 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Scottie Scheffler is interviewed after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow.
May 20, 2025

PGA Championship TV Ratings Dip As Scottie Scheffler Dominates Again

CBS drew an average of 4.76 million viewers for Sunday’s final round.
May 20, 2025

Caitlin Clark, Fever Draw Record 2.7M Viewers vs. Sky

Caitlin Clark recorded her third career triple-double.
Julie Foudy
exclusive
May 16, 2025

Julie Foudy Out at ESPN After Two Decades

Foudy and ESPN failed to reach an agreement on a new deal.
May 14, 2025

NFL Releases 2025 Schedule With Heavy Focus on Standalone Matchups

The 2025 NFL schedule separates more games into individual broadcast slots.