The Players’ Tribune cuts staff as Minute Media pivots away from video

The cost-cutting era in digital sports media has found another target.

Minute Media has eliminated roughly 10 positions at The Players’ Tribune, the athlete-driven publication that Derek Jeter launched over a decade ago, promising to let professional athletes tell their own stories without the traditional media filter.

While most digital publishers are chasing video content and social engagement in 2025, Minute Media is pivoting The Players’ Tribune away from video production and doubling down on long-form written storytelling, according to Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel.

A sweeping round of cost cuts at Minute Media includes layoffs at The Players’ Tribune. In a move that bucks industry trends, these cuts indicate a pivot AWAY from video. @semafor was first on MM/TPT cuts.

More details at @FOS https://t.co/76p18rPrUR

— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) October 27, 2025

Semafor first reported the layoffs at The Players’ Tribune and Mental Floss in Max Tani’s media newsletter on Sunday.

Digital media company Minute Media laid off a large segment of remaining staffers at The Players’ Tribune and Mental Floss, Semafor has learned. The company did not respond to requests for comment about the future of both brands.

“The Players’ Tribune created the blueprint for athlete-driven storytelling more than ten years ago,” a Minute Media spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “Over the last decade, our most impactful stories were those that were written, and with this strategic shift, we will be refocusing and putting even more of our efforts back on the written, long-form athlete narrative.”

The Players’ Tribune made its name on first-person essays from athletes — Kevin Love writing about mental health, Breanna Stewart discussing childhood sexual abuse, retirement announcements that turned into cultural moments. Video never had that same impact, even while the rest of the industry went all-in on TikTok and YouTube.

That focus on quality storytelling hasn’t translated into financial stability, though.

The Players’ Tribune hasn’t exactly had a smooth ride since Minute Media acquired it from Jeter’s group in 2019. The publication struggled to turn a profit for years, and this isn’t even the first round of cuts under Minute Media’s ownership. The parent company cut 50 employees across its portfolio back in January 2023, roughly 10 percent of its workforce at the time.

Glasspiegel reports that there’s speculation internally about whether The Players’ Tribune could eventually be divested from Minute Media, though the company quickly shot that down.

A spokesperson insisted to FOS that the outlet is “not for sale.”

Minute Media has been on an acquisition spree for years, building a portfolio that includes 90Min, FanSided, and —most notably — a 10-year license to publish Sports Illustrated that it secured in March 2024 after Arena Group’s spectacular implosion.

The Players’ Tribune sits in a particularly challenging spot within that portfolio. Unlike FanSided’s fan-driven model or Sports Illustrated‘s legacy brand recognition, The Players’ Tribune depends entirely on athlete access and participation. That’s expensive, and athletes are increasingly turning to social media platforms and launching their own podcasts to tell their stories.  It’s just not as unique a platform as it was when it first launched. And beyond the competitive landscape to land athletes and tell their stories, there’s no guarantee that even the biggest names will drive the traffic and revenue needed to justify the costs.

The outlet has been exploring print and licensing deals to diversify beyond web traffic and branded content, but those revenue streams take time to develop — time that digital media companies increasingly don’t have.