Penn State alum Alex Mather, CEO and founder of The Athletic, is the newest addition to the 2021 Penn State Sports Business Conference’s lineup.

Mather joins a number of well-known speakers at the event, including broadcasters Bob Costas and Tom Verducci and NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird.

Mather attended Penn State from 1998 to 2003. He then launched The Athletic in 2016 alongside his partner, Adam Hansmann. The Athletic is a publication that provides in-depth and customizable sports coverage using a subscription-based model. The publication surpassed one million subscribers in early September.

Notable Penn State alumni who work for The Athletic include former Onward State managing editor Sara Civian, who covers the Carolina Hurricanes, and Daily Collegian alumna Audrey Snyder, who covers Penn State football for the site.

The Sports Business Conference was founded in 2017 to help motivate students who want a career in the sports industry and connect them with industry alumni. Last year, the conference was supposed to feature WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Barstool Sports CEO Erika Nardini, but it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This years’ conference will take place virtually from March 1 to 4. Tickets to the event are free, and students can join a mentorship program that grants access to different workshops and giveaways for $5.

For more information and to reserve your spot for the conference, check out its official website.