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The Athletic cutting staff/salaries


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I’m truly sorry for the 8% losing their jobs, and have been honest with all of you I’ve faced the same issue.  Thankfully I’m on my way back, but as much as it stinks for the pay cuts, they still have a job, and will probably come back once they are back on track.  Any valued employee will probably offered a job back when things open.  It does suck and I feel for those people.  Given some severance and health insurance is a good gesture from someone new to this thing.

 

Not to get religious, but they will be in my prayers.

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1 hour ago, machine gun kelly said:

I’m truly sorry for the 8% losing their jobs, and have been honest with all of you I’ve faced the same issue.  Thankfully I’m on my way back, but as much as it stinks for the pay cuts, they still have a job, and will probably come back once they are back on track.  Any valued employee will probably offered a job back when things open.  It does suck and I feel for those people.  Given some severance and health insurance is a good gesture from someone new to this thing.

 

Not to get religious, but they will be in my prayers.


With what you stated, I was not trying to diminish the personal side of what has taken place, merely commenting on what I am: a GM/business manager. This all was so left field and, unfortunately, no one planned for this. 
 

So happy you’re back on your way and happy that this appears to be subsiding!

 

For anyone in the ROC, I’m happy to discuss ‘filler work’ during this for themselves (all hard work - read, ‘labor’) I’m happy to discuss: please PM me. 

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11 minutes ago, JoPoy88 said:

Anyone have any updates on the statuses of the Buffalo coverage people in particular?

 

Sabres writer Joe Yerdon cut.  I wonder if John Vogl will tear into them for not paying people like he did with the Pegulas?

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1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Sabres writer Joe Yerdon cut.  I wonder if John Vogl will tear into them for not paying people like he did with the Pegulas?


that’s a bummer. And I assume Vogl will be in full CYA mode. Wouldn’t hurt to remind him of that past attitude though.

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8 minutes ago, JoPoy88 said:


that’s a bummer. And I assume Vogl will be in full CYA mode. Wouldn’t hurt to remind him of that past attitude though.

 

I used to respond to his Pegula screeds asking if he'd treat the Athletic the same way if they ever cut staff? We'll find out, won't we? I'm betting....no.

Edited by PromoTheRobot
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34 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I used to respond to his Pegula screeds asking if he'd treat the Athletic the same way if they ever cut staff? We'll find out, won't we? I'm betting....no.

It’s apples and oranges though. PSE is extremely profitable. The Athletic didn’t have the same finances to do that. 

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2 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

It’s apples and oranges though. PSE is extremely profitable. The Athletic didn’t have the same finances to do that. 


also true. But from what I’ve seen and heard, hasn’t the Athletic received an astronomical amount of VC funding, as well as a surge in subscribers over the past year or so? Seems like even with thin margins, they’d have a lot of runway to weather this without cutting 8% of EEs and slashing pay across the board.

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Just now, JoPoy88 said:


also true. But from what I’ve seen and heard, hasn’t the Athletic received an astronomical amount of VC funding, as well as a surge in subscribers over the past year or so? Seems like even with thin margins, they’d have a lot of runway to weather this without cutting 8% of EEs and slashing pay across the board.

Candidly, I’m not sure. It’s an assumption on my part. PSE definitely is profitable which is why I think it rubs people the wrong way. It’s the old, “why does McDonald’s pay minimum wage?” The answer is because they can. Personally, I’m a lot more sensitive to the small boutique having to lay people off or paying minimum wage than I am Wal-Mart. This situation seems to fall somewhere in between those 2 with PSE being closer to Wal-Mart and The Athletic being the small boutique. Obviously it isn’t that extreme but hopefully that example illustrates the point I’m trying (not so successfully) to make.

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1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Candidly, I’m not sure. It’s an assumption on my part. PSE definitely is profitable which is why I think it rubs people the wrong way. It’s the old, “why does McDonald’s pay minimum wage?” The answer is because they can. Personally, I’m a lot more sensitive to the small boutique having to lay people off or paying minimum wage than I am Wal-Mart. This situation seems to fall somewhere in between those 2 with PSE being closer to Wal-Mart and The Athletic being the small boutique. Obviously it isn’t that extreme but hopefully that example illustrates the point I’m trying (not so successfully) to make.


no prob and I could be off-base with my recollections regarding their funding as well. I do know the Athletic had the money to go on an aggressive hiring spree, poaching writers from every significant market and if the rumors are true, paying over market value for that talent. This could be a course correction for them, exacerbated by COVID-19. Sucks in any case for them, and for those laid off by PSE.

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They tried expanding very rapidly, this was inevitable. I subscribe to The Athletic but I don't check it every day. Even during the seasons I find their coverage to be a bit incomplete and repetitive and bland. I like their writers enough to stay subbed, for now at least.

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11 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I used to respond to his Pegula screeds asking if he'd treat the Athletic the same way if they ever cut staff? We'll find out, won't we? I'm betting....no.

comparing Athletic mgt to Pegulas ..this is first layoff at Athletic (now 2 years old) ; they dont seem to be cutting staff to maintain a lifestyle and don't seem to be hiring based on family and friends but rather on talent; and just as you do Vogl (who always had the highest reader hits when he was that BN) has the right to his opinion; plus he responds quite frequently to critical comments in his columns including mistakes he has made...

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11 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Candidly, I’m not sure. It’s an assumption on my part. PSE definitely is profitable which is why I think it rubs people the wrong way. It’s the old, “why does McDonald’s pay minimum wage?” The answer is because they can. Personally, I’m a lot more sensitive to the small boutique having to lay people off or paying minimum wage than I am Wal-Mart. This situation seems to fall somewhere in between those 2 with PSE being closer to Wal-Mart and The Athletic being the small boutique. Obviously it isn’t that extreme but hopefully that example illustrates the point I’m trying (not so successfully) to make.

 

I think PSE was in more financial trouble than you'd think. At the very least in some panic when oil and gas prices cratered. Much of Terry's wealth is still tied to gas fields he owns.

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