What if Sports Illustrated doesn't reply?

File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. They usually get a response.

Can I escalate my complaint legally?

You could, technically, go to small claims court, but the hassle and filing fees are rarely worth it for a magazine subscription. The BBB is your best, most practical first step for escalation, it's free and designed for exactly this kind of consumer headache.

Are there lots of people leaving Sports Illustrated?

Yes. It's a mess. After the company laid off most of its staff and got caught using AI to write fake articles with fake author bios, a lot of long-time readers felt betrayed and started canceling in droves.

Is this the right phone number to contact Sports Illustrated?

That's the main customer service number, but be ready for a wait. I had to listen to the same tinny hold music for twenty minutes before the system hung up on me, so you might have to try more than once.

What's the easiest way to cancel a subscription with Sports Illustrated?

Easiest? That's a funny word to use for them. Their website makes it a maze on purpose. Honestly, the path of least resistance is to use a service that does it for you. You can find a full guide on [How to cancel Sports Illustrated](https://www.19pine.ai/cancel-subscription/newspaper-magazine-and-online-learning/how-to-cancel-sports-illustrated) here.

Other ways that I can contact the Sports Illustrated?

You can try hitting them up on their social media, like their Twitter (@SInow), but it's mostly for PR. Don't expect a quick resolution there for a billing issue.

Did Sports Illustrated really publish AI-written articles?

They absolutely did. It was a huge scandal. They created fake author profiles with AI-generated headshots and published product reviews written by AI, which is a massive breach of trust for a publication that was once respected for its journalism.

Complain About Sports Illustrated - File a Complaint Today

How to Complain About Sports Illustrated

Best ways to complain to Sports Illustrated

Contact Method	Details & Availability	Why use this instead...
Phone	1-888-806-4833 (M-F 8am-10pm, Sat 8am-5pm ET)	Best for urgent billing issues, but only if you have the patience for long hold times.
Online Contact Form	si.com/contact-us	Good for creating a paper trail of your complaint, but expect a slow, often automated, response.
Mail	The Arena Group, 200 Vesey Street, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10281	Use this for formal, documented complaints. Just don't hold your breath for a quick reply.

⏱️ Estimated Response Times from Sports Illustrated After Complaining

Immediate to never. Honestly, getting a response feels like a lottery.

Method	Expected Wait Time
Phone	30-60 minute wait, then immediate (if you get through)
Email / Online Form	3-5 business days (for a first, often unhelpful, response)
Mail	2-4 weeks (if ever)

Tips to Get a Quicker Response from a Complaint

🔍 Tips to Get a Quicker Response from a Complaint

Call during off-peak hours like mid-morning on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Avoid Mondays and lunch hours.
Have all your details ready before you call or write. This includes your account number, the date of the charge, and any previous contact you've made.
Be clear and concise. State exactly what the problem is and what you want (e.g., 'I was overcharged and I want a refund of $19.99').

How to Escalate Your Complaint

If customer service is giving you the runaround, it's time to escalate. Your best bet for a company like this is filing a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It's a non-profit that helps consumers and businesses resolve disputes. You can file a complaint online at BBB.org. It's free and creates public pressure on the company to respond. Filing with the BBB often gets a response, but prepare to wait. The Arena Group (Sports Illustrated's parent company) usually replies after a reminder or two, based on their complaint history.

Email Template to Complain to Sports Illustrated

Subject: Urgent: Unresolved Subscription Issue - Account [[Account #]]

I'm writing for the third time to resolve an issue with my Sports Illustrated subscription, account [[Account #]].

Despite contacting support on [[Date]], I was still charged [[$Amount]] on [[Date of Charge]]. Frankly, having to chase this down is incredibly frustrating and a complete waste of my time.

To resolve this, I require you to process a full refund of [[$Amount]] and provide written confirmation that my subscription has been permanently terminated.

If I don't receive a satisfactory response within 48 hours, my next step will be to file a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau and initiate a chargeback with my bank.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

[[Your Name]]

Additional Helpful Tips to get Your Complaint Resolved

Pro Tips for Making Your Complaint Heard

Use 'magic words'. On the phone or in an email, calmly mentioning that your next step is a 'chargeback' or a 'BBB complaint' can sometimes get you transferred to a retention specialist who has more power to issue refunds.
Always ask for a reference number. For every single call or chat session, get a ticket or reference number. It creates a trail and proves you tried to resolve it with them first.
Hang up, call again. Seriously. If you get an unhelpful agent, sometimes the best tactic is to end the call politely and try again. You might get someone better.
Go public as a last resort. A user on Reddit mentioned they finally got a refund after publicly tweeting at the @SInow handle with their complaint details. It's a long shot, but can work when all else fails.

Let Pine AI Help Raise the Complaint to Sports Illustrated

Tired of the phone menu maze at Sports Illustrated? Or getting that same generic email reply over and over? Sound familiar? It’s exhausting. We’ve seen the BBB complaints and Reddit threads about how hard it is to just get a simple refund or cancel an account. Pine AI was built for this. We handle the annoying follow-ups and persistent pushback for you. No hold music, no email chains. Just give us the details and let us take over the fight.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sports Illustrated Complaint Filing

Emma Sullivan

EdTech and Media Writer

Emma Sullivan is the EdTech & Media Writer at Pine AI, focusing on the intersection of educational technology, digital media, and consumer trends. With over a decade of experience as a technology journalist and an educator, Emma brings a unique, hands-on perspective to their analysis. In her full time profession Emma teaches digital literacy programs and reports for leading technology publications, where they cover the launch of major educational platforms and the integration of new media in learning environments. Emma is committed to providing readers with practical, insightful, and reliable guidance whether it's about saving money or practical subscription hacks, she wants to empower consumers through knowleddge.