Newsletter Writer Builds Subscription Business With Public Records

Journalist David Covucci has successfully built a subscription-based newsletter business, FOIAball, by leveraging public records to uncover unique stories within the college football landscape. Launched in May 2025 after Covucci was laid off from The Daily Dot, FOIAball has attracted approximately 7,500 subscribers in its first year, with 420 of those opting for paid subscriptions at $70 per year or $7 per month. This success challenges the notion that traditional paywalls are ineffective for niche content. Covucci's approach involves utilizing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to access information from public institutions that house major college football programs. The newsletter's content spans a range of intriguing and often humorous topics, including federal surveillance at college football games, the personal Spotify playlists of prominent figures like Dianna Russini, the use of friendly charities for tax-free NIL money by universities, and even the failure of Pitbull to deliver a commissioned fight song for Florida International University. Covucci's distinctive writing style, described as "a little trolly" and "a bit mischievous," imbues the newsletter with a "rollicking, confiding, they-don't-want-you-to-know energy." This voice, he believes, is well-suited to the often absurd and entertaining nature of his subject matter, which involves "really rich people," "exciting football teams," and "big institutions and government and surveillance and all sorts of silly things." He advocates for more energy and less guardedness in media coverage of such topics. Covucci's journalistic roots trace back to the "blogging days," where he wrote extensively for the men's humor site BroBible, even employing FOIA to examine the contents of Osama Bin Laden's digital assets. This early experience likely honed his skills in investigative reporting and in developing a distinctive, engaging voice. The mascot for FOIAball, Sleuthy the Seal, was created a year prior to the newsletter's launch and became a permanent fixture on Covucci's forearm after he achieved his goal of 500 subscribers, a testament to his commitment to the solo venture. The multi-billion-dollar world of college football, with its significant public funding and institutional reach, provides a fertile ground for FOIA requests, allowing Covucci to produce content that is both informative and entertaining, thereby building a loyal subscriber base.