Paris Olympics 2024: Alex Cooper’s $60 Million Spotify Exit Didn’t Put Barstool Sports out of ‘Podcast’ Business

The “Daddy Gang” phenomenon is about to make its mark on the global stage as Alex Cooper, the dynamic host behind the immensely popular podcast “Call Her Daddy” and a burgeoning media entrepreneur, steps into a new spotlight. She’s set to headline a live-streamed reaction show, aptly named “Watch with Alex Cooper,” exclusively on Peacock. However, this leap forward comes with its share of changes and decisions. Despite Alex Cooper’s previous lucrative $60 million deal with “Call Her Daddy,” she has decided to explore new opportunities.

As of 2021, she signed an exclusive three-year distribution deal with Spotify, while at that time the podcast was produced and distributed by Barstool Sports. Controversies surfaced, leading to a rift between Cooper and Barstool’s founder, Dave Portnoy. Despite this, Barstool Sports managed to maintain control over the podcast’s lucrative merchandise business. However, recent developments indicate that Alex has parted ways with the podcast, while Barstool remains steadfast in its commitment to its prosperity. This shift came about after Alex secured an even bigger deal, prompting her to pursue new ventures.

Alex Cooper takes the spotlight at the Paris Olympics

Recently announced, Alex Cooper, is set to take center stage at the Paris Olympic Games this summer. Hosting a series of interactive watch parties on Peacock under the title “Watch with Alex Cooper,” she’ll bring a unique flair to the Olympic experience. Alongside special guests, Cooper will provide insights into various Olympic events like soccer, gymnastics, and basketball, all while engaging with fans through social media questions. The series will be presented in a picture-in-picture format alongside the live event streaming on Peacock.

Expressing her excitement, Cooper stated, “As a former athlete, the chance to cheer on the world’s greatest athletes at the Olympics is beyond thrilling. I am so excited to be partnering with NBC and Peacock to present this interactive watch-party format for the first time from the Olympics”. In addition to her Olympic coverage, Cooper, whose Call Her Daddy podcast is a top performer on Spotify and other platforms, will record an episode of the show from Paris and produce additional Olympics-related content with NBCUniversal ahead of the main events. While there has been criticism in the past, such as the Barstool founder once referring to her as “She’s a monster,” the reasons behind it were quite evident.

Reflecting on the fallout of the ‘Call Her Daddy’ breakup

It’s been over three years since the highly publicized split between Sofia Franklyn and Alex Cooper, marking the end of the original “Call Her Daddy” podcast hosted under Barstool Sports. The fallout between the once-close co-hosts, who were not only business partners but also best friends and roommates, deeply divided the show’s fanbase and triggered significant online backlash. Amidst the controversy, Cooper and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy publicly shared details about the breakdown of the deal, largely attributing fault to Franklyn and denouncing her actions as unprofessional and disloyal.

Ultimately, Cooper chose to remain with Barstool Sports, causing a rift between the two women and leading to the demise of both their podcast and their friendship. Cooper continued to produce “Call Her Daddy” under Barstool until June 2021, when she secured a lucrative $60 million three-year deal with Spotify, moving the podcast to the streaming platform. “We wanted to keep her, clearly. She’s a monster. And for that reason, she got big offers from Spotify,” Dave said. For Franklyn, the fallout was not just professional but deeply personal. However, after Cooper’s exit, it is safe to say Barstool Sports remains loyal to the podcast.

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