Dave Portnoy reveals real reason his marriage collapsed

Dave Portnoy has finally spilled all on the deterioration of his doomed marriage – and why a $12.5million business deal was the final nail in the coffin. 

In an explosive new memoir published Tuesday, the founder of Barstool Sports, 49, has told how the meteoric rise of his media empire ultimately precipitated the demise of his marriage to Renee Satterthwaite, who he wed in 2009. 

Barstool's headquarters, which were originally established in Portnoy's native Boston, made the move to New York City in late 2016 following a multimillion-dollar deal with the Chernin Group investment firm – a deal Portnoy almost walked away from at the eleventh hour. 

'Looking back on it now, if there was one singular event that I could point to that ended Renee's and my marriage, I would say it was the Chernin deal and this move to NYC,' Portnoy wrote in his memoir, Cancel Me If You Can. 'Of course, nothing is that simple in retrospect, but it definitely played a major factor.

'I had been working on Barstool relentlessly for thirteen years – literally since the day I met her. I had finally gotten to the point where I could take my foot off the gas a bit. I could enjoy a weekend off without freaking out. We could take a normal vacation. But once the Chernin deal happened, in many ways it was like starting over. 

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and his estranged wife Renee Portnoy

Renee celebrates the 2017 Kentucky Derby at an event in Nantucket, Massachusetts

'I had made a promise to do whatever I could to make this investment work. That meant I was back to a never-ending work cycle right when it seemed like maybe I had been going to take it back a bit. And for Renee's part, she had left her job and was now stuck in the middle of Manhattan with me working nonstop. We just started to grow distant.' 

The couple split the year after the move to New York in 2017 - after eight years of marriage - but did not legally divorce. In fact, to this day, they remain married.

They attempted to legally separate in March 2023, citing irretrievable breakdown, but a Massachusetts judge denied their petition due to the couple's financial requests. 

Court documents obtained by the Daily Mail show the couple requested to maintain their joint bank account, which would be 'entirely and exclusively funded by [Portnoy] for the payment of all expenses of [Renee] without limitation.' 

Portnoy also wanted to commit to providing medical and healthcare coverage for his ex-wife. 

But a judge denied their divorce petition in 2023, calling their proposed arrangement 'unacceptable.' The judge felt the arrangement was not equitable to Renee, believing she should receive half of Portnoy's fortune in the divorce, the businessman explained in 2024. 

Renee, however, did not want as much as half, per Portnoy, so the pair agreed to continue their fluid financial situation without legally divorcing.

As a result, the exes still remain legally married. What's more, the Barstool chief, who is worth an estimated $250million, and Renee still share a bank account.

Portnoy at an Indiana Fever versus Connecticut Sun WNBA game in 2025 in Boston

Portnoy and his girlfriend, Camryn D'Aloia, at a Boston Celtics versus Dallas Mavericks NBA game in 2024

Portnoy's memoir, released via Gallery Books

And since 2024, Portnoy has been in a new relationship with Camryn D'Aloia, who at age 27 is 22 years his junior.

Certainly, it is an unusual dynamic, but Portnoy claims he and his wife remain close friends.

'Going our separate ways was the hardest thing I've had to do in my life,' Portnoy wrote in his memoir. 'There was no big fight. We still loved each other and honestly wanted the best for each other. But it just wasn't working anymore.

'And if you're wondering if we stay in touch, the answer is that we do. She's always been there for me and vice versa even after all these years. She's still my best friend.'

Despite it bringing about his split, Portnoy has admitted that Barstool would not have 'become who we are without' the Chernin Group deal – even if he almost did back out at the last minute. 

'I've gone back and forth over the years on whether the Chernin Group screwed us with that $12.5million offer,' Portnoy wrote. 'Do I think they knew it was wildly low? Yes, probably. 

'But at the same time, it's not like any other investment companies were beating down my door. They were the only ones who showed any real interest. So for that, they get a lot of credit. And there is no chance we become who we are without them.

'But I also wouldn't trust them as far as I could bowl them in terms of any future negotiations.' 

Portnoy and D'Aloia, who is 22 years younger than her boyfriend, attend Jake Paul versus Anthony Joshua Fight Night in 2025