Dave Portnoy has revisited the high-profile breakup of Call Her Daddy, making new allegations about the contract dispute that led to the podcast's split from Barstool Sports in 2020. Speaking during an appearance on TMZ Live while promoting his new memoir, Cancel Me If You Can, the Barstool Sports founder claimed the public has not heard the full story behind the negotiations involving former Call Her Daddy hosts Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn.
Allegations of Contract Breach and Improved Offer
According to Portnoy, Cooper and Franklyn stopped recording episodes while they were still under contract with Barstool Sports. He said the company responded by offering what he described as an improved agreement that included increased compensation, a shorter contract and eventual ownership of the podcast's intellectual property.
Alleged Discussions of Toxic Workplace Claims
Portnoy further alleged that after negotiations resumed with Cooper, she later told him there had been discussions about using claims of a toxic workplace or sexual harassment to help exit the contract. These allegations have not been independently verified, and neither Cooper nor Franklyn has publicly responded to Portnoy's latest remarks.
Impact on Podcast Industry
The Call Her Daddy dispute became one of the podcast industry's biggest stories in 2020. Cooper ultimately remained with the brand before signing a reported $125 million deal with SiriusXM, while Franklyn launched her own podcast, Sofia with an F. Portnoy's renewed comments coincide with the release of his memoir, which revisits several controversial moments from his career, including the widely publicised fallout surrounding Call Her Daddy. Although the dispute has been discussed extensively over the past several years, Portnoy's latest interview has reignited public interest in the negotiations that reshaped one of the podcast industry's most successful brands.
