(New York) The New York Times will acquire the sports information site The Athletic, which has become in six years a benchmark in its sector, a new signal of the diversification of the press group, several media reported Thursday.
According to the site The Information, the first to report on the operation, the Times will shell out about $ 550 million.
Solicited by AFP, nor the New York Times or The Athletic did not follow up immediately.
Launched in 2016, The Athletic had bet on paid sports information with a strong local presence, hiring renowned journalists in major American cities.
Taking advantage of the poor health of an often financially drained local press, the platform quickly became an essential place for sports information in the United States.
1.2 million subscribers, but not profitable
At the end of 2021, it had around 1.2 million subscribers, according to several American media.
The site has grown at an accelerating pace, launching a UK version in 2019 and partnering with Australian television group Optus Sport in 2021.
He has also created numerous podcasts, including the popular The Lead.
But, according to several American media, The Athletic is struggling to achieve profitability and is currently considering refocusing its strategy.
Diversification and rejuvenation
In recent years, the New York Times has embarked on a policy of targeted acquisitions to diversify its audience, rejuvenate it, and enrich its offer, from cooking recipes to podcasts.
In 2016, he bought the site Wirecutter, which tests and recommends products, before taking control, in June 2020, of the studio Serial Productions, at the origin of the first great success of the podcast universe, “Serial”.
According to the Crunchbase database, The Athletic has raised a total of $ 139.5 million from investors since its inception, and was valued between $ 500 million and $ 1 billion when it was last raised in January 2020.