In N.Y., Keith Kelly cites sources as saying that Time Inc. has "reached an agreement to sell Sports Illustrated Play -- a paid software app that enables parents, fans and players to track youth sports statistics and register teams for leagues and tournaments -- to NBC Sports." Big layoffs are "expected, including that of SI Play CEO Jeff Karp." Sources said that NBC will "combine it with its own Sports Engine app." SI Play was created by former Time Inc. CEO Joe Ripp, who "snapped up three sites: League Athletics, Sports Sign Up and iScore and combined them" under the SI umbrella in '15 (N.Y. POST, 12/22).
READ IT AND WEEP: SI has confirmed reports that it is "moving to a biweekly schedule" beginning with the Jan. 15 issue. There will be 26 issues annually in addition to the "standalone Swimsuit Issue in February." Twelve issues next year "will be double issues, including franchise tentpoles" such as the NFL, MLB, NBA and college football preview issues, "Where Are They Now?" in July and "Sportsman of the Year" in December. There also will be "newer themed issues devoted to food, fashion and the future of sports." The remaining single issues "will be bigger and better, with an average of 30% more pages of editorial content" than a typical SI issue now (SI, 12/25 issue).
RE-DISTRICTING: In DC, Dan Steinberg reported Carol Maloney is "leaving her role as a sports anchor" with WRC-NBC, "again opening what has been one of the most prominent roles in local sports media." Maloney has worked at WRC for six years, "officially replacing Dianna Russini as a full-time anchor and reporter more than two years ago." That role "included hosting the station’s Sunday morning 'Redskins Showtime' program, hosting other pre- and post-game Redskins shows" and reporting on local teams. WRC's sports anchor role has "served as a launching pad in recent years, with Lindsay Czarniak, Dan Hellie and Russini all moving into national roles" after leaving DC (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 12/21).
STREAM OF THOUGHT: CABLEFAX DAILY's Alex Silverman noted Wave Broadband has "filed a claim at the FCC" against NBC's RSNs, "alleging unfair business practices." The operator claims Comcast, which owns three NBC-branded RSNs "serving Wave’s footprint, is seeking to enforce unfair minimum penetration thresholds that defy industry norms and became unattainable once Comcast began offering the RSNs to customers via OTT packages" (CABLEFAX.com, 12/20).
