Matthew McConaughey Invests Millions In an On-The-Rise Sports Media Company
Matthew McConaughey, aside from being one of the most well-known and successful actors in recent memory, is also a huge sports fan. The University of Texas alum is a constant presence on the sidelines of Longhorn football games but maintains that he loves all sports. Well, his love for the games seems to be matriculating through a recent donation in the amount of 50 million dollars that he made to the up and coming sports media company, The Athletic. While it's a tough world out there with the likes of ESPN, The Athletic is well on its way to becoming avid competition.
McConaughey Has Invested in Other Sports-Related Ventures
When McConaughey isn't working on acting roles, you can most definitely spot him at sporting events. If he's not at a Longhorns home football game in Austin, Texas, there's a good chance he's at a Houston Rockets NBA basketball game or Washington Redskins NFL game. Sports seem to be his reprieve from the tussling world of Hollywood.
But McConaughey has invested more with sports teams than just time being a spectator. In 2019, the Interstellar actor purchased a stake in the FC Austin, a Major League Soccer expansion team that is expected to debut in 2021. The MLS league has steadily been growing not only in popularity but also within previously incompatible markets. From McConaughey's previous investments, it seems that he knows a good bargain when he sees one.
Investing in Healthcare Technology Startup with Ashton Kutcher and Bono
McConaughey has also smartly invested in other ventures away from the sports world. In 2017, the actor decided to go in with savvy investors Ashton Kutcher and U2's Bono for a healthcare technology company called Forward which focuses on using technology and preventative medicine to improve patient outcomes.
McConaughey released a statement in 2017 on his reasons for investing in the startup company with Kutcher and Bono. "We all have stories of our loved ones and even those on the periphery of our lives going through health struggles. With Forward, we’re enabling everyone to take control of their health and not just wait for those problems to occur," he said.
The Athletic Blazing the Trail As a Force to Be Reckoned with in Sports Reporting
Enter The Athletic. The up and coming sports media company has been digging into the staff of some of the most prominent sports reporting organizations such as ESPN, FOX, CBS, and NBC. With the business vision to scale, The Athletic has been plucking big names such as Jay Glazer, Michael Lombardi, Jayson Stark, and Katie Strang to bolster their journalist staff. And this is not some little startup company. The Athletic's contributors are regulars on other platform programs, even though the service is subscription-only in its current form. Still, the future looks promising for The Athletic, as well as, McConaughey, who's donation is allowing the organization to further build on its already unprecedented success.
McConaughey Takes on Teaching Role at the University of Texas in Austin
Other than taking on roles in huge blockbuster films and attending sports events, McConaughey has decided to give back to his university by taking on a teaching role. In the Fall of 2019, it was announced that McConaughey would be co-teaching a film course for the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin.
On the course that he'll be teaching, he shared, "It’s the class I wish I would have had when I was in film school. Working in the classroom with these students gives me a chance to prepare them. Making movies, turning words on paper into film, is both a science and art – no matter the time or generation. The elements of truth and genuine joy for the process are timeless. That will always be our classroom focus."
It seems as of late that McConaughey has found the perfect balance of work, investments, and service, which is something that anybody would be happy with. Alright, alright, alright.
