Topic / Subject
Kevin Durant’s media company Boardroom cut its full-time editorial team, with co-founder Rich Kleiman framing it as a pivot toward video, events, and the members club.

TL;DR
Boardroom isn’t “shutting down,” it’s reshaping into a video-and-experiences brand — and the biggest losers in that shift are writers.

Key Details

• HuffPost deputy editor Philip Lewis reported Boardroom eliminated its full-time editorial team and that the layoffs were unexpected.
• Boardroom later said it “made the decision to part ways with three writers,” per Awful Announcing.
• Rich Kleiman said the company is doubling down on original video, expanding experiential events, and investing in its members club, per the Houston Chronicle.
• The timing landed right after Durant’s viral burner-account moment, but there’s no official link between the two.

Breakdown
Boardroom has always lived in that “athlete-driven business media” lane — part journalism, part brand, part access. The move here sounds like a classic digital-media reality check: written coverage is expensive, hard to monetize, and easy to replace with influencer-style content that travels faster on social.

Kleiman’s message (per the Houston Chronicle) is basically: we’re reallocating resources. More original video, more events, more “members club” energy. That’s a strategic shift toward products that can sell tickets, sponsorships, and premium access — not just pageviews.

The blowback is also predictable because editorial layoffs hit a nerve across sports media right now. Fans see the brand and the star power, and the immediate reaction is, “How are the writers the first to go?”

And yes, the burner-account situation went viral, so people will connect dots. But right now, that connection is speculation — nothing in the statements cited confirms it.

What We Know

• Boardroom ended its full-time editorial writer roles (reported by Philip Lewis; Boardroom acknowledged parting ways with three writers).
• Kleiman publicly framed it as a strategic pivot toward video, events, and the members club.

What We Don’t Know

• Whether any additional staff cuts beyond the writers are coming.
• Whether the timing is related to Durant’s recent viral burner-account drama (no official confirmation).

What to Watch Next

• Whether Boardroom replaces written coverage with freelancers or contributor networks.
• Any new announcements around the members club (pricing, perks, events calendar).
• If more layoffs hit, or if this was a clean “small team, new focus” reset.

Sources

• Houston Chronicle — “Kevin Durant’s media company lays off editorial team”
• Awful Announcing — “Kevin Durant’s Boardroom issues update on staff layoffs”
• Bluesky — Phil Lewis post about Boardroom eliminating its full-time editorial team

Comment
Do you think Boardroom’s pivot is smart survival — or a sign athlete media brands can’t sustain real editorial long-term?