AMI is REALLY selling Flex and Muscle & Fitness! No Joke!

[timfogarty]

  Flex had better writers than any other bodybuilding magazine.

so hire better writers, don't buy the whole magazine

[bigdumbbell]

let it die a natural death .. don't try to reinvent it. don't dump more cash into that titanic. let the market absorb it

[onlyme]

The Olympia will more than likely (if no one steps in to buy it) will go back to the IFBB. And just when you thought it couldn't get worse..................

[Ex Coelis]

Flex magazine is an institution - if it dies, a big part of the sport will too; the IFBB just won't be the same without it

I blame the magazine's death on its recent direction. On PBBW, Lonnie Teper said that the people who run Ironmag magazine wanted to move away from contest coverage and whatnot to cater more towards begginer training articles. Flex magazine did much the same and lost the hardcore audience who follow the sport. Not to mention they moved towards endorsing more "aesthetic" physiques like Dugdale and Alves.

Remeber how great Flex used to be in the mid/late nineties? Tonnes of contest coverage, tonnes of articles about the pros, and plenty of hardcore information. Now you can't find any mention of AAS in Flex. They used to do huge articles on Insulin when it first became popular. They actually talked about the dark side! Now they expect us to belive that Ronnie Coleman got big from creatine and BCAAs? Come on! Only MD keeps it real and that's why people buy it. I only buy Flex becuase I have for soooo long.

Flex abandoned its real fans in favour of a more mainstream appeal. There's a lesson there for the future direction of this fine sport. Changing bb just to attract Joe Blow will kill the sport as surely as it killed Flex . . .

[bic_staedtler]

....FLEX isn't pro bodybuilding....someone will buy it and that person will make money.

I think the aesthetic turn with FLEX is a good thing.  Let MD deal with the freakomutanauts.

If this is FLEX's swansong, oh well.  I like it.  I won't buy any bbing mags once it's gone...but I have like the recent interviews in the latest MD's....it's just the rest of the mag that sucks ass.

I'd like to think Blechman could buy FLEX, and somehow turn it into THE magazine...but he believes his magazine is already the best, so go figure. 

But like I said, someone out there will buy it and it'll do fine....if Musclemag and Ironman can survive, so can a newly acquired FLEX....whether it'll stay the NUMBER ONE bodybuilding magazine is another thing altogether.

[bic_staedtler]

Gloss Glechman couldn't AFFORD to pay the contracts of the Weider athletes....he's just as concerned with profits as Pecker!  He gets off paying the atheletes for their photo's, but shit...he shoots them once a year?  Or just 12 folks for the cover?..hey, it's better than nothing but Weider athletes get money whether they get coverage or not.  

Fleckman doesn't need to buy and shutdown FLEX...but you can bet your ass that he and Romano will have a hoot hollering about how THEY brought down FLEX in MD....wait for it!

[bic_staedtler]

Or he could combine the two and finally legitimatley have the biggest bodybuilding magazine - all 700 pages!

....you know, they could blend the two styles and truly have something special, but that'll never happen.  You can't make FLEX about hardcore bodybuilding no holds barred like MD pretends to be because they won't keep their markets. 

Instead of covering bullshit drug articles and crap, how bout this....INTERVIEWS!  REAL articles FROM THE bodybuilders, MINIMALLY ghostwritten to eliminate grammar and spelling errors....talk about drugs, but don't print pages of crap about some designer drug that I could care less about....talk training!  have babes from the sport!  Write and talk about the past, keep up with the future, and give great contest coverage!  Offer REAL reviews of supplements...from the streets AND from the mag!  Are they so greedy that they won't do that, for fear of losing advertising revenue?....OF COURSE THEY ARE!

See ya later, FLEX..it was fun while it lasted.

[Ron]

Flex and M&F are getting sold. Your big show, the O, just lost all superfluous funding for this year's show. Next year's show is already condemned, on the selling block Oct 2nd.

The Olympia this year will be graet, many concerns that the athletes and fans had were addressed, and when released, the prize money will make all who compete in the Olympia happier. Also, there is a choice of where to stay, and a few other changes that will make many happy.  All funding and more has been budgeted by AMI a long time ago - it will be a great show.

Businesses don't sell "very profitable" titles. They sell those that they can't manage well, are having circulation issues, or lower growth opportunities.

Are you serious on this one. The best way to get something sold fast are with profitable titles. Flex and M&F are very profitable.

another question is who the hell is going to buy ALL 5 of these titles as a package like they are hoping to sell them

Now this is a good question. I see it being split up into two various sales, or one company who handles a myriad of magazines.

At 3 -4 X earnings Flex is worth 2 - 3 million tops - if it was viable.

I laughed at this one for a few minutes, but no, you are so off, it isnt funny.  Much, much higher.

There is no reason for an existing bodybuidling mag publisher to buy these magazines. There is little loyalty of magazine readers to a specific brand. There is no value to the names Flex or Muscle and Fitness.

Really - tell that to the hundreds of magazines that start up and die a very quick death or are losing money each time they are published. Flex and Muscle & Fitness is extremely valuable worldwide. Extremely.

What will happen without FLEX or M&F? Can anyone HONESTLY say that MD (which openly supports the PDI) taking control of FLEX/M&F won't hurt the IFBB?

First, MD doesnt openly support the PDI. They are independent who take a look at all sports of bodybuilding news, and the PDI is in the news at the moment. As Steve said - the IFBB is the best federation for bodybuilders in the world with the best athletes.  As for what will happen without the two magazines, since they are not going anywhere, it is a mute question.

[Adam Empire]

Are you serious on this one. The best way to get something sold fast are with profitable titles. Flex and M&F are very profitable.
 

Again, let's not mix up profitable with growth.  If the mags aren't growing and the industry has a black eye from the media coverage of roids - the chance of getting even a decent price are slim.  Profitable - yes, but which way are the profits going...

[timfogarty]

There is no reason for an existing bodybuidling mag publisher to buy these magazines. There is little loyalty of magazine readers to a specific brand. There is no value to the names Flex or Muscle and Fitness.

Really - tell that to the hundreds of magazines that start up and die a very quick death or are losing money each time they are published. Flex and Muscle & Fitness is extremely valuable worldwide. Extremely.

read what I said again.  an exisiting mag publisher.  Flex and M&F are valuable because they already have the distribution and shelf space.  But for the owners of MD or Ironman or MMI, they already have that. 

[timfogarty]

He gets off paying the atheletes for their photo's, but shit...he shoots them once a year?  Or just 12 folks for the cover?..hey, it's better than nothing but Weider athletes get money whether they get coverage or not. 

you know, I really don't need to see Ronnie or Jay or Gunter on another magazine cover.  I do want to see the up and coming stars.

[Al-Gebra]

so hire better writers, don't buy the whole magazine

the "Flex" name/trademark is worth a whole lot (relatively speaking) . . . the writers really aren't. just being honest.  the public has some dim awareness of "Flex,"and "M&F"  b/c of their association with schwarzenegger and the amount of time they've been around . . . Muscular Development does not have that recognition and is trying to buy it.

When RJR Nabisco sold, 90-95% of the 25 odd billion dollars were paid for the trademarks. not for factories/buildings . . . just trademarks.

[onlyme]

Gloss Glechman couldn't AFFORD to pay the contracts of the Weider athletes....he's just as concerned with profits as Pecker!  He gets off paying the atheletes for their photo's, but shit...he shoots them once a year?  Or just 12 folks for the cover?..hey, it's better than nothing but Weider athletes get money whether they get coverage or not.  

Fleckman doesn't need to buy and shutdown FLEX...but you can bet your ass that he and Romano will have a hoot hollering about how THEY brought down FLEX in MD....wait for it!

There will be allot of non-renewel of contracts this year.  And what athletes do get to sign will not get as much money as before.  Bank on it.

[onlyme]

First, MD doesnt openly support the PDI. They are independent who take a look at all sports of bodybuilding news, and the PDI is in the news at the moment. As Steve said - the IFBB is the best federation for bodybuilders in the world with the best athletes.  As for what will happen without the two magazines, since they are not going anywhere, it is a mute question.

I would say they do.  Considering Flex and M&F and any other Weider (AMI) publication will not feature any of their atheltes to date or allow advertising in their mags.  Wayne has tried to purchase ads and was rejected.  MD MM stepped up and said no problem.

[240 is Back]

yes- MD even RUNNING the PDI ads was a huge, ballsy move. It would be like hanging up a picture of your ex within eyeshot of the bed upon which you cornhole the new girl.  Or maybe that's something else i'm thinking of...

[bic_staedtler]

you know, I really don't need to see Ronnie or Jay or Gunter on another magazine cover.  I do want to see the up and coming stars.

....well then you should be happy that FLEX has featured nothing but up and comers on the recent issues...save Dorian this month and the swimsuit issue (i NEVER get bored with Timea!)....

[scribbler]

....well then you should be happy that FLEX has featured nothing but up and comers on the recent issues...save Dorian this month and the swimsuit issue (i NEVER get bored with Timea!)....

wow, someone defending us...what a shock

C

[Adam Empire]

wow, someone defending us...what a shock

C

Probably your co-worker.

[timfogarty]

....well then you should be happy that FLEX has featured nothing but up and comers on the recent issues...save Dorian this month and the swimsuit issue (i NEVER get bored with Timea!)....

Let's see, according to my records at http://musclememory.com/mags.php?fl, during the last year they had Troy Alves, Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, Gunter Schlierkamp, Darrem Charles, a female model, Branch Warren, another female model, and Dorian Yates.   Only Phil Heath counts as an up and comer.  However, I am missing Jan, Feb, and March.  If you know who was on those covers, please let me know.  (also if you have a scan, send it to me.)

[scribbler]

Let's see, according to my records at http://musclememory.com/mags.php?fl, during the last year they had Troy Alves, Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, Gunter Schlierkamp, Darrem Charles, a female model, Branch Warren, another female model, and Dorian Yates.   Only Phil Heath counts as an up and comer.  However, I am missing Jan, Feb, and March.  If you know who was on those covers, please let me know.  (also if you have a scan, send it to me.)

January...Olympia recap, Ronnie Coleman
February...Johnnie Jackson (up and comer)
March...Dennis Wolf (up and comer)
July...Dave Henry (up and comer)

The new creative team art wise started with the Phil Heath cover

C

[timfogarty]

January...Olympia recap, Ronnie Coleman
February...Johnnie Jackson (up and comer)
March...Dennis Wolf (up and comer)
July...Dave Henry (up and comer)

5 years in the IFBB is not an up and comer, so cross off Jackson.  Henry with 3 years is border line.   Heath and Wolf are certainly up and comers.   

While Flex is the magazine of the pro IFBB (although that might change when they are sold), it's understandable that all the bodybuilders on their covers are IFBB pros.    But if I were editing another mag, in a year I'd aim for 3 covers of US amateurs, 3 of non-US amateurs, and no more than 6 covers of pros.  Of course, any could be women bodybuilders or figure competitors. 

[240 is Back]

You could put an Andreas Frey on a cover and ppl would do a double take 'I don't recognize that guy, but I'd sure like to look like that'...

[thisiskeith12]

Any word on interested people in buying the mags?

[LuciusFox]

You could put an Andreas Frey on a cover and ppl would do a double take 'I don't recognize that guy, but I'd sure like to look like that'...

 Great physique, but too small to qualify as having a pro-level body. At his height he needs to be at least 350 pounds.

[240 is Back]

frey kinda looked like ben afleck on gear.