Esports Illustrated, the dedicated esports and gaming branch of the iconic Sports Illustrated publication, has been shut down. The closure marks a sudden end for the digital platform, launched in March 2023.
The shutdown is noted as being particularly abrupt given that, as recently as September, the outlet had publicly announced plans to hire a number of new writers to cover various gaming titles. As a result of the closure, the publication’s editorial team have lost their positions.
Owned by the GaudHammer Gaming Group, Esports Illustrated operated on the Sports Illustrated digital domain, which is now exclusively dedicated to traditional sports coverage.
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While the precise reasons for its closure may differ, the end of Esports Illustrated signals a recurring pattern of parent companies narrowing gaming coverage on traditional sports platforms. This trend was previously observed when ESPN shut down its esports division in 2020 following company-wide layoffs. A similar consolidation occurred at Sports Business Journal, which ended The Esports Observer in 2022 after having integrated the outlet just a year prior for its esports business coverage.
The launch of Esports Illustrated was originally announced by The Arena Group in 2023 in partnership with Gaud-Hammer Gaming Group. However, The Arena Group’s license to publish Sports Illustrated and its related brands was revoked by the brand’s owner, Authentic Brands Group (ABG), in January 2024 after the company failed to make a quarterly payment. The license was subsequently transferred to Minute Media in March 2024.
The Esports Radar has reached out to the GaudHammer Gaming Group for comment and will update this article should a response be received.
