Dave Portnoy revisited one of podcasting’s biggest breakups with a startling new allegation about the Call Her Daddy contract dispute. The Barstool Sports founder claimed he worried the negotiations could spiral into career-ending accusations as tensions reached a breaking point.
The claims appeared in Portnoy’s new memoir, “Cancel Me If You Can,” where he reflected on the 2020 fallout involving former Call Her Daddy hosts Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn. He argued the battle was ultimately driven by a bitter fight over contracts rather than misconduct.
Dave Portnoy says the negotiations became so contentious that he feared career-changing accusations
According to RadarOnline, Portnoy wrote that he warned Cooper and Franklyn they could face legal action if they attempted to move Call Her Daddy to another network before fulfilling their Barstool Sports contract.
“Okay. You guys realize I’ll sue you if you take the podcast to another network before your contract is out, right?” Portnoy recalled telling the pair.
Portnoy then alleged Cooper told him they had discussed accusing Barstool Sports of sexual harassment as a way to break free from their agreement. According to RadarOnline, he believed such allegations would have pressured the company into surrendering ownership of the podcast’s intellectual property while allowing the hosts to continue the show elsewhere.
In the memoir, Portnoy strongly denied any wrongdoing. According to RadarOnline, he wrote that Barstool had never faced accusations of inappropriate workplace conduct despite years of criticism surrounding the company’s edgy brand.
He also admitted he feared the impact such allegations could have had regardless of their accuracy. According to the same publication, Portnoy believed the claims would have been “patently untrue,” but acknowledged the company would have faced an uphill battle in the court of public opinion during a period when workplace misconduct dominated headlines.
Portnoy further questioned how those allegations could have been made, arguing neither Cooper nor Franklyn regularly worked from Barstool’s office. He ultimately concluded the partnership collapsed because of contract disagreements and outside influences surrounding the negotiations rather than misconduct at the company, RadarOnline reported.
The memoir also revisited the podcast’s early financial beginnings. As per previous reports of RadarOnline, Portnoy revealed he originally signed Cooper to a three-year contract worth $75,000 annually, years before she ultimately secured her reported $125 million SiriusXM deal.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK DAVE PORTNOY’S NEW CLAIMS CHANGE HOW YOU VIEW THE CALL HER DADDY SPLIT?
