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Deadspin staffers quit in protest of new ‘sports only’ directive

After a leaked memo showed that its new owners wanted Deadspin to stick to sports has led to a flurry of ousters and resignations.

  • It started Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, with interim editor in chief Barry Petchesky tweeting that he had been fired for not following that directive.
  • Wednesday saw staffers quitting in protest.
  • As of Thursday, writers Drew Margary, Billy Haisley, Albert Burneko, Laura Wagner, Lauren Theisen, Patrick Redford, Chris Thompson and Kelsey McKinney as well as features editor Tom Ley are among the staffers who quit.
  • Deadspin and its sister digital properties were sold earlier this year to Green Hill Partners.
  • Meanwhile, Gizmodo Media Group Union tweeted a statement in support of the former staffers and criticizing the new management’s moves to force the site to focus on sports.

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