Sporting News Media President Jeff Price is departing the company after leading the brand through a significant transition to a digital-first outfit.
Price, a veteran media and marketing executive who previously held roles with Sports Illustrated, Millsport, Trakus and MasterCard, led the effort to shift the 127-year-old Sporting News from a print-based company to one highly active on the Web, on mobile devices and in social media. He was then a key figure in a major joint venture struck in March between the Perform Group and American City Business Journals, parent company of Sporting News, SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily, to create Sporting News Media.
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The new Sporting News Media now stands among the most highly trafficked entities in U.S. digital sports media, ranking seventh in the most recent reach rankings from measurement firm comScore.
Price, whose departure is effectively immediately, will pursue entrepreneurial projects under his own company name, Acorn Sports Ventures, with an early focus on youth sports. He will continue to be based in New York.
“We started on a path four years ago to transform a challenged brand and create a digital future,” Price said. “That effort has been successful, and now with Perform, Sporting News is really set up for a long-term road of stability and growth. So I’ve got some entrepreneurial itches I want to scratch.”
Price was named Sporting News president and publisher in February 2010 after a four-month stint consulting for ACBJ on an independent basis.
“Jeff was the architect behind the makeover of Sporting News over the last three years and the driving force from [ACBJ’s] side in putting our U.S. media businesses together,” said Juan Delgado, Sporting News Media managing director. “We will miss him greatly and he will remain a close friend of Sporting News Media.”
