Time Inc. appoints Jim Cavan as FanSided.com editor-in-chief

Sports Illustrated parent company Time Inc. bought Fansided.com and its 300 affiliated websites last May, and now they’re changing things up at the main Fansided.com site with a new editor-in-chief position. That position will be filled by Jim Cavan (seen at left above with the Linsanity book he co-wrote and publisher Jonathan Silverman), formerly a senior editor at The Cauldron.

Time Inc.’s (NYSE: TIME) FanSided today announced that Jim Cavan will become Editor-in-Chief of FanSided.com, the flagship destination of the FanSided network of more than 300 mobile-first sites and apps, which was acquired by Time Inc. in May 2015 for the Sports Illustrated Group. In this newly created role, Cavan, formerly Senior Editor of The Cauldron, will oversee editorial operations and direction for the largest destination within the fastest growing digital network in sports.

…Cavan’s appointment adds to FanSided’s momentum and is the latest in a series of recent initiatives for the network. They include the opening of new Chicago-based editorial headquarters with in-house video production studios, as well as expansion into a Phoenix-based tech office that is responsible for revamping the CMS across the network and continued product innovation.

“Jim is an exceptional talent, and we are very pleased to have him join the organization to help lead the next chapter of FanSided,” said Sports Illustrated Group Digital GM Patty Hirsch. “By offering the voice of the fan through a simple and effective platform, FanSided has enjoyed tremendous growth, especially since becoming part of the Time Inc. family, and we see immense potential and opportunity for this to continue.”

Cavan will report to Patrick Allen, FanSided VP of Content. In addition to overseeing editorial operations and management for FanSided.com and its tentpole franchises and events, Cavan will work closely with Sports Illustrated and all Time Inc. brands to fully leverage the company’s promotional resources and reach more fans. Prior to his role at The Cauldron, Cavan was a featured columnist at Bleacher Report, where he focused on all things NBA, and has written for the New York Times, Grantland, ESPN.com, SB Nation, The Classical and Eephus Magazine.

Mike Dyce, previously Managing Editor of FanSided.com, is now Senior Director of Editorial Operations. Moving forward he will oversee the launch of new FanSided properties and the development of new content. Cavan’s appointment follows a string of key hires for the FanSided network that include Senior NBA Editor Ian Levy, Entertainment Editor Ani Bundel and Video Producer and on-air-talent Kayla Knierim, who joined from FOX Sports Midwest.

The release says the FanSided network saw 80 per cent average year-over-year growth in monthly visitors through the first half of 2016 and that their network posted 10 million monthly uniques (a 105 per cent boost) and a 312 per cent boost in page views. We’ll see if that momentum can continue for Fansided, and how things will go for its flagship FanSided.com site in particular with Cavan running that.

It’s also notable that they discuss how Cavan “will work closely with Sports Illustrated and all Time Inc. brands”; further synergy and collaboration there might be beneficial to both. For his part, Cavan said in the release that ““I am thrilled to be joining an organization with terrific momentum and a well-established place in the sports media universe. I look forward to working with the team that has built FanSided into the preeminent voice of the fan and to helping expand that mission to further grow the brand in new and surprising ways.”

We’ll see just what those “new and surprising ways” are.

[FanSided.com]