Jimmy Traina’s Departure from Sports Illustrated

Jimmy Traina announced his departure from Sports Illustrated on Wednesday, leading to a swift transition for the magazine. It appears change is in the air.

Traina is set to start a new sports media venture alongside former WFAN hosts Sal Licata and John Jastremski. Reports indicate they aim to create something fresh in the sports media landscape.

While details are sparse, Traina mentioned on social media that a weekly podcast with Licata is in the works, expected to launch in early September.

This collaboration brings together Jastremski and Licata—two prominent figures in local sports media—with Traina, a respected sports media journalist.

Licata was part of a midday show with Brandon Tierney on WFAN until it ended last year when Craig Carton returned to the station.

In 2021, Jastremski left WFAN to join The Ringer, where he hosted the “New York, New York” podcast until parting ways with the outlet earlier this year. Recently, Licata and Jastremski kicked off their “New York Sports Rush” podcast on the BetRivers network.

Licata has also kept up a digital show on YouTube and previously contributed to the podcast hosted by Traina.

Traina shared his feelings about leaving Sports Illustrated in a statement, reflecting on his over 20-year career there. He described it as a difficult decision but mentioned the importance of evolving in today’s sports media environment.

He expressed gratitude for the opportunities he had at SI and noted he would discuss his time there on his podcast this week, culminating in a final column on Friday.

As for his future plans, Traina hinted that more information would be coming soon, assuring fans he wouldn’t be stepping away from the sports media scene for long. “I hope you’ll continue to support me as you have for many years,” he added, with a tease about subscribing to the new podcast.