Why MasterClass Isn’t Really About Mastery

Of the world’s five most-valuable education startups, four are tutoring businesses

Masterclass is valued at more than $800 million. It's well known for attracting teaching talent like: Shonda Rhimes, Spike Lee, Aaron Sorkin, Stephen Curry, Simone Biles & more. But what also should be applauded is the masterclass they're putting on re: content & SEO. [THREAD]

This model isn't only creating a loyal audience but making money. Barstool Sports' annual revenue in 2019 was between $90M - $100M (Barstool Sports was purchased by Penn Gaming for $450MM in 2020). A majority of the revenue came from podcasts, merchandising, and gambling. Yes, some of their revenue is ad-supported, but it's a unique model. Advertis... See more