The Athletic logo — Here for every sports story that matters.

The Athletic

Here for every sports story that matters.

Founded 2016 779 employees Acquired Total: $689.63M

General Information

Company Name The Athletic
Founded Year 2016
Founders / Decision Makers
Team member
Employees 779
Funding Stage Acquired
Business Model Subscription Box, B2C, Freemium
Revenue Model Subscription, Advertising, Affiliate
Social

BounceWatch is an independent company data service, not affiliated with The Athletic. To contact The Athletic, visit theathletic.com.

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About The Athletic

The Athletic, founded in 2016, is a digital media company revolutionizing the sports writing industry with its emphasis on in-depth storytelling and smart analysis. With the slogan "Here for every sports story that matters," it caters to passionate sports fans seeking quality content ranging from breaking news and live commentary to exclusive interviews and comprehensive long reads.

In 2022, The Athletic was acquired by The New York Times, reflecting its significant influence and success in the sports media market. Prior to this acquisition, the company raised a notable $50.00M Series D investment on January 21, 2020, backed by prominent investors such as Comcast Ventures, Switch Ventures, Y Combinator, Emerson Collective, Bedrock Capital Partners, and Powerhouse Capital.

Although information on its specific headquarters and industry classifications is absent, the company's trajectory indicates strong growth potential backed by reputable investors and a commitment to delivering engaging sports content. This positions The Athletic as a compelling entity in the evolving landscape of digital sports media.

Business keywords: sports journalism, online media, digital publishing, sports analysis, athlete news, long-form storytelling, live commentary, subscriber-based model, exclusive interviews, breaking news, sports industry coverage, web-based platform, basketball content, football content, The New York Times acquisition

Services & Products

Publishing and news reporting
Sports analysis and insights
Fantasy sports management
Sports betting insights and odds
Podcast production
Event ticketing
Collectibles marketplace

Target Customers

Sports enthusiasts Fantasy sports players Sports bettors Sports teams and organizations Collectors Podcast audiences

Funding Rounds & Investors (10)

View All
Funding Stage Amount Investors Lead Investors Date
Acquisition $550.00M 1
NYTimes
01 Jan 2022
Series D $50.00M 2
Emerson Collective, Bedrock
01 Jan 2020
Series C $21.80M 1
Founders Fund
01 May 2019
Series C $40.00M 2
Founders Fund, Bedrock
01 Oct 2018
Series B $20.00M 1
Evolution Media
01 Mar 2018
Series A $5.40M 1
Courtside Ventures
01 Jul 2017
Seed $2.30M 5
Courtside Ventures, Advancit Capital +3
01 Jan 2017
Seed Undisclosed -
01 Sep 2016
Support Program Undisclosed 1
Y Combinator
01 Jun 2016
Seed $130.00K 1
Y Combinator
01 Jan 2016

The Athletic Alternatives & Competitors

The Athletic vs

Covering life in the future

Seed
120 employees
Media, Publishing

FAQ About The Athletic

Here for every sports story that matters.
The Athletic was founded in 2016.
The Athletic has a Subscription Box, B2C and Freemium business model. Its revenue comes from Subscription, Advertising and Affiliate.
The Athletic has approximately 779 employees.
The Athletic has completed 10 funding rounds, raising a total of $689.63M. The latest funding stage is Acquired.
The Athletic offers: Publishing and news reporting, Sports analysis and insights, Fantasy sports management, Sports betting insights and odds, Podcast production, Event ticketing, Collectibles marketplace.
Top alternatives and competitors to The Athletic include The Verge. These companies operate in related industries and serve comparable markets. You can compare them side by side on Bounce Watch.
The Athletic and The Verge are both companies in similar industries. Compare their funding, team size, growth signals, and market position on Bounce Watch to see which one fits your needs.

Source: BounceWatch company record for The Athletic, https://bouncewatch.com/company/the-athletic, updated 31 March 2026. When citing, please name BounceWatch and link this page.

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