Deadspin staff were informed via email the outlet was sold by G/O Media and that its new parent company would not be retaining any of them.
In the email obtained by The Daily Beast and Axios, G/O CEO Jim Spanfeller said his media firm was approached by Lineup Publishing, a newly formed digital media firm based in Europe. Lineup expressed interest in purchasing Deadspin.
“I do want to make it clear that we were not actively shopping Deadspin,” Spanfeller said in the email. “The rationale behind the decision to sell included a variety of important factors that include the buyer’s editorial plans for the brand, tough competition in the sports journalism sector, and a valuation that reflected a sizable premium from our original purchase price for the site.
“Deadspin’s new owners have made the decision not to carry over any of the site’s existing staff and instead build a new team more in line with their editorial vision for the brand. While the new owners plan to be reverential to Deadspin’s unique voice, they plan to take a different content approach regarding the site’s overall sports coverage.”
Email to Deadspin staffers today informing them that they’ve been sold and the new owner will not be retaining any of them. pic.twitter.com/KHg384zVmy
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) March 11, 2024
The Daily Beast reports staff were locked out of their accounts and had to leave immediately.
According to Deadspin staff, they were locked out of their laptops and accounts and given just a few moments to get up and leave.
Jim Spanfeller strikes again!
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) March 11, 2024
