I’m not exactly a sports guy¹ — I follow a few teams, and not very closely — and can’t say I got swept up in the comings and goings of Deadspin through the years, beyond a general interest in online media and the sphere of Gawker media properties. Still, I’m excited to see Defector launch as a directly reader-supported, collectively owned media property because it’s exactly what we need more of today, an antidote the platform-chasing link farms and VC-funded approaches that seem increasingly unsustainable. The new site by Alley is sharp as hell and they launched with 22,000 paying subscribers — exactly the type of strong niche that should thrive on the internet. And that style guide!