Author Topic: Flex Not for Sale? (Read 3434 times)

IndustryInsider · « **on:** December 20, 2006, 09:37:32 AM »

Flex Not for Sale?

Interesting find in my recent copy of the Delaney Report…

“American Media, Inc. (Star magazine, tabloid National Enquirer, etc.) is pulling back on its plan to sell off five magazines (including Flex, Muscle & Fitness, Country Weekly, Muscle & Fitness Hers and Mira). Step taken due to AMI’s financial difficulties and its repeatedly having to ask for extensions on releasing it’s earnings restatements.”
- The Delaney Report Vol. 17 No. 48 December 18, 2006

AMI had no choice but to take Flex off the market. Its no wonder…Flex has performed so poorly over the years, and their slumping sales woes continue! I’m sure that AMI will continue to try and sell Flex privately if they get the right offer, or put it back on the market at a later date. It’s clear that AMI does not have a long term interest or commitment to Bodybuilding.

Discuss

Chick · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:04:11 AM »

Actually, you've got it backwards...

Flex and M&F sales arent slumping, and are doing so well that they decided NOT to sell them as they ARE making a profit....They also had some changes at the top which led to the new people involved having a different vision, one which doesn't include selling the mags at this time....

IndustryInsider · « **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:31:23 AM »

Quote from: Chick on December 20, 2006, 10:04:11 AM

Actually, you've got it backwards...

Flex and M&F sales arent slumping, and are doing so well that they decided NOT to sell them as they ARE making a profit....They also had some changes at the top which led to the new people involved having a different vision, one which doesn't include selling the mags at this time....

Good cover up Chick, you are a great AMI employee. But here are the facts regarding Flex…

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Subscribers – 36,621 Down 14.8% from the prior year.

Single copy Sales (Newsstand) – 72,415 Down 15.4% from the prior year.

Total Circ. 109,036 Down 15.2% from the prior year.

Latest Advertising as reported by min as well as Media Week…Jan ’06 vs. Jan. ’07 issues.

Flex Ad pages - Down 3.56%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Down 9.51%

In the second half of the year their sales continue to go down. Flex has gone from 150,000 copies sold a month to 109,000. If you consider this doing well then God Bless You. I wish you a healthy and PROSPEROUS New Year.

Old_Rooster · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:37:26 AM »

Quote from: IndustryInsider on December 20, 2006, 10:31:23 AM

Good cover up Chick, you are a great AMI employee. But here are the facts regarding Flex…

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Subscribers – 36,621 Down 14.8% from the prior year.

Single copy Sales (Newsstand) – 72,415 Down 15.4% from the prior year.

Total Circ. 109,036 Down 15.2% from the prior year.

Latest Advertising as reported by min as well as Media Week…Jan ’06 vs. Jan. ’07 issues.

Flex Ad pages - Down 3.56%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Down 9.51%

In the second half of the year their sales continue to go down. Flex has gone from 150,000 copies sold a month to 109,000. If you consider this doing well then God Bless You. I wish you a healthy and PROSPEROUS New Year.

Whoa, statistics always OWNS someone, good job!

Old_Rooster · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:38:31 AM »

For new kids to bodybuilding: Muscle Mags are useless to you, what use is a routine Ronnie Coleman or Jay Cutler does for chest, what use is it to you? zero.

you don't need to read muscle mags to know how to train.

rockyfortune · « **Reply #5 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:39:22 AM »

who buys those s**thead magazines anyway...they are loaded with advertisements for the snake oil supplements and they recycle every article...

Adam Empire · « **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:15:09 PM »

Quote from: IndustryInsider on December 20, 2006, 10:31:23 AM

Good cover up Chick, you are a great AMI employee. But here are the facts regarding Flex…

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Subscribers – 36,621 Down 14.8% from the prior year.

Single copy Sales (Newsstand) – 72,415 Down 15.4% from the prior year.

Total Circ. 109,036 Down 15.2% from the prior year.

Latest Advertising as reported by min as well as Media Week…Jan ’06 vs. Jan. ’07 issues.

Flex Ad pages - Down 3.56%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Down 9.51%

In the second half of the year their sales continue to go down. Flex has gone from 150,000 copies sold a month to 109,000. If you consider this doing well then God Bless You. I wish you a healthy and PROSPEROUS New Year.

Ouch. Even if they continue their decline slightly, this will continue to be a black eye for the company. My guess is that they would get so little for the magazine in a sale - that they figure they have nothing to lose by keeping them.

So much for Weiders vision of this "powerful media company" helping out the industry...

Jr. Yates · « **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:16:26 PM »

Quote from: dvalletti on December 20, 2006, 10:39:22 AM

who buys those s**thead magazines anyway...they are loaded with advertisements for the snake oil supplements and they recycle every article...

true im not a crazy mag reader but i'll get one now and again and yeah its usually the same o'l.

ether · « **Reply #8 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:24:59 PM »

Quote from: IndustryInsider on December 20, 2006, 10:31:23 AM

Good cover up Chick, you are a great AMI employee. But here are the facts regarding Flex…

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Subscribers – 36,621 Down 14.8% from the prior year.

Single copy Sales (Newsstand) – 72,415 Down 15.4% from the prior year.

Total Circ. 109,036 Down 15.2% from the prior year.

Latest Advertising as reported by min as well as Media Week…Jan ’06 vs. Jan. ’07 issues.

Flex Ad pages - Down 3.56%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Down 9.51%

In the second half of the year their sales continue to go down. Flex has gone from 150,000 copies sold a month to 109,000. If you consider this doing well then God Bless You. I wish you a healthy and PROSPEROUS New Year.

Ladies and gentleman, i believe the term is...

HUGEPECS · « **Reply #9 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:27:11 PM »

I don't know why I'm not enthusiastic about picking up any mags these days anymore, well, not all of them MD got some good info, I cruise through the pages and I'm somewhat satisfied. but almost every other bodybuilding mags these days are Pure bullshits that they kept on Recycling and feeding to the poor kids outthere.

youandme · « **Reply #10 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:27:30 PM »

No, Chick is right Flex is doing good.

Quote from: dvalletti on December 20, 2006, 10:39:22 AM

who buys those s**thead magazines anyway...they are loaded with advertisements for the snake oil supplements and they recycle every article...

And Flex and M&F limit the number of advertisers, unlike MD, 400 + pages of nothing BUT advertisements

HUGEPECS · « **Reply #11 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:32:51 PM »

Well, at least MD try to show you what a fcuking seringue look like

Rimbaud · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2006, 03:00:25 PM »

Quote from: youandme on December 20, 2006, 02:27:30 PM

No, Chick is right Flex is doing good.
unlike MD, 400 + pages of nothing BUT advertisements

No...there's a couple pages of poorly written articles (not that I think Flex & M&F are written well).

onlyme · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2006, 03:03:09 PM »

Quote from: IndustryInsider on December 20, 2006, 10:31:23 AM

Good cover up Chick, you are a great AMI employee. But here are the facts regarding Flex…

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Subscribers – 36,621 Down 14.8% from the prior year.

Single copy Sales (Newsstand) – 72,415 Down 15.4% from the prior year.

Total Circ. 109,036 Down 15.2% from the prior year.

Latest Advertising as reported by min as well as Media Week…Jan ’06 vs. Jan. ’07 issues.

Flex Ad pages - Down 3.56%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Down 9.51%

In the second half of the year their sales continue to go down. Flex has gone from 150,000 copies sold a month to 109,000. If you consider this doing well then God Bless You. I wish you a healthy and PROSPEROUS New Year.

OUCH!

Luckily Chic has IFBB insurance. That gotta hurt. Reality and not just posting responses is a tough lesson in life. Chic just flunked the final.

Sergio Rules 77 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 20, 2006, 04:13:18 PM »

I can't believe most of the magazines on the market have lasted this long. It's only the pictures that keep most people buying them, not the training advice. Weider publised his first mag back in the late 30's and in all honesty, he probably could have stopped after five issues and we would have had all the knowledge we would ever need on bodybuilding. You can only pull the same rabbit out of the same hat for so long.

SERGIO!!!!

Sergio Rules 77 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 20, 2006, 04:37:55 PM »

Quote from: Matt C on December 20, 2006, 04:26:35 PM

Flex is pulling approximately $150,000 in subscription sales and $510,000 in newsstand sales each month, not to mention advertising which is a huge chunk of money there. Take away expenses and it would still seem as though FLEX is turning over a respectable profit.

Is that you Uncle Joe ?.

SERGIO!!!!

Adam Empire · « **Reply #16 on:** December 20, 2006, 06:27:08 PM »

Quote from: Matt C on December 20, 2006, 04:26:35 PM

AMI is still in massive debt so I don't see why their new vision would be to keep a profitable magazine. It would make more sense to liquidate a portfolio of profitable titles in order to decrease debt the fastest. Even though FLEX may be making a lot of money, you have to keep in mind there is interest on AMI's debt that needs to be paid and quick liquidation would drastically reduce that debt and related interest payments. I also don't think FLEX's profits would offset that interest to a degree which makes it worth keeping even if it is profitable.

Flex is pulling approximately $150,000 in subscription sales and $510,000 in newsstand sales each month, not to mention advertising which is a huge chunk of money there. Take away expenses and it would still seem as though FLEX is turning over a respectable profit.

Profit does not equal growth. Declining profits (and rapidly as shown here) mean big problems.

Matt C · « **Reply #17 on:** December 20, 2006, 06:32:48 PM »

Quote from: Adam Empire on December 20, 2006, 06:27:08 PM

Profit does not equal growth. Declining profits (and rapidly as shown here) mean big problems.

The big problem is that all the content is offered on the internet free of charge. Take BB.com for example, which is a complete wealth of information:

www.bodybuilding.com

240 is Back · « **Reply #18 on:** December 20, 2006, 06:58:10 PM »

muscle magazines will always have their own little niche (restroom reading).

but all in all, internet boards have destroyed their longterm prospects.

those with affiliations or committments will have to play the company line and say "we're stronger than ever", but numbers, trends, and your lying eyes are usually a better indicator.

tommywishbone · « **Reply #19 on:** December 20, 2006, 07:07:00 PM »

Quote from: ether on December 20, 2006, 02:24:59 PM

Ladies and gentleman, i believe the term is...

LOL

240 is Back · « **Reply #20 on:** December 20, 2006, 07:28:24 PM »

Quote from: Matt C on December 20, 2006, 07:22:20 PM

I agree. I still buy the print mags because I don't being in front of my computer all the time. I sometimes like to just chill out and flip through a real mag.

Yeah, unless I see something I really want to read in the mag, I'd rather see the $5 turn into $38 for my son when he starts college.

Quote from: Matt C on December 20, 2006, 07:22:20 PM

240 - you aren't suggesting Bob is an IFBB pawn are you?

No. Bob has said it, himself, that you have to say things to keep your bosses happy, and that 'everybody does it'. I don't think he'd argue that part of his position as a Weider employee is to show his employer in the best possible light. When his numbers are proven wrong, as they may have been here, he will lose credibility in the eyes of the people he's trying to reach, which will equally reflect on his employer. So it's all kinda a tossup.

Chick · « **Reply #21 on:** December 20, 2006, 07:57:00 PM »

Sorry I don't believe some anonymous poster...here's some numbers that support the better:

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Subscribers – 66,814 Up 11.8% from the prior year.

Single copy Sales (Newsstand) – 92,145 Up 14.9% from the prior year.

Total Circ. 149,036 Up 15.2% from the prior year.

Latest Advertising as reported by min as well as Media Week…Jan ’06 vs. Jan. ’07 issues.

Flex Ad pages - Up 5.36%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Up 9.00%

240 is Back · « **Reply #22 on:** December 20, 2006, 08:05:54 PM »

Quote from: Chick on December 20, 2006, 07:57:00 PM

Sorry I don't believe some anonymous poster...here's some numbers that support the better:

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Subscribers – 66,814 Up 11.8% from the prior year.

Single copy Sales (Newsstand) – 92,145 Up 14.9% from the prior year.

Total Circ. 149,036 Up 15.2% from the prior year.

Latest Advertising as reported by min as well as Media Week…Jan ’06 vs. Jan. ’07 issues.

Flex Ad pages - Up 5.36%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Up 9.00%

What is your source, Insider?

beatmaster · « **Reply #23 on:** December 20, 2006, 08:06:15 PM »

Quote from: Chick on December 20, 2006, 07:57:00 PM

Sorry I don't believe some anonymous poster...here's some numbers that support the better:

ABC Analysis for the period ending 6/30/06

Flex Ad pages - Up 5.36%

Muscle & Fitness Ad pages - Up 9.00%

That's why i don't buy flex or m&f anymore.......... now they have the 5 pages special report ( not 4, it's 5 now)
half of whats in the mags, we saw it before, nothing new.......... and we are supposed to believe what they say........... bs.

i find it hard to believe subscribers are going up............

Sergio Rules 77 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 20, 2006, 08:50:33 PM »

Quote from: 240 is Back on December 20, 2006, 06:58:10 PM

but all in all, internet boards have destroyed their longterm prospects.

That's true to a point but if I see something half way decent in a mag I will buy it in a heartbeat. However, I haven't seen anything half way decent in a bodybuilding mag in a long, long time and thus haven't bought anything. Like Matt C said, I would rather look at the photos & articles in a mag than see them on a computer screen. I just looked at the latest musclemag international and they had their Olympia wrap. There was practically no photos & the write up was shite, so I didn't buy it. Bottom line, it's the same as people who misguidedly believe that the internet has killed CD sales. If the content is good, real fans will go and buy the product regardless .

SERGIO!!!!