When it comes to the podcast space, there aren’t many names bigger than Alex Cooper these days.
And three years after her breakup with Barstool Sports — and four years after her highly publicized holdout — the Call Her Daddy host is opening up.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cooper discussed her rise from Barstool Sports podcast host to interviewing the likes of Democratic presidential nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris. And in doing so, the 30-year-old discussed her split from former co-host Sofia Franklyn, which came amid the show’s negotiation standoff with Barstool in 2020.
“I think less about the specific person. The thought is: I’m so happy that I trusted myself and fought for this IP [the Call Her Daddy brand and show archive],” Cooper said. “Because I will never forget the day [Barstool founder] Dave Portnoy offered us that IP on a rooftop and I was so elated and being like, ‘I will stay another year. I’ll do whatever it takes. I want that IP.’ Because I had put so much sweat equity into this — marketing, editing, writing, all of it.”
Cooper noted that Franklin was less concerned about the show’s IP and felt the duo could move forward and create a new show with a different name, like “Girls in the Bathroom.” Cooper, however, had other ideas, continuing the show at Barstool without Franklyn for another year, before signing a $60 million deal with Spotify in 2021.
Earlier this year, Cooper signed a reported three-year, $125 million deal to take Call Her Daddy to SiriusXM and also played a key role in Peacock’s coverage of the Summer Olympics. And it’s not a stretch to say that all of her recent success might not have possible had she not stuck to her guns regarding the importance of the Call Her Daddy brand.
“Thank God I saw the worth of the IP and the trademarks and the catalog. That’s what comes to my mind,” Cooper said. “The minute I sign a new deal, every time, I text Dave Portnoy a little thank-you.”
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.