The traffic on Gawker Media’s gossip sites should be so robust.
Nick Denton’s embattled and legally challenged media empire has reached out to possible acquirers of the 13-year-old business — and several have expressed interest, The Post has learned.
Jay Penske’s Penske Media and Vox Media are kicking the tires — looking over Gawker’s books, sources said.
Gawker has hired Houlihan Lokey media banker Mark Patricof to explore a possible sale in the event owner Denton loses his appeal of the $140 million judgment won earlier this year by Hulk Hogan.
If he is unable to shake the massive award, Denton might be forced to sell.
Penske Media, which owns Variety, Deadline and WWD, and Vox Media, home to SB Nation, Curbed and Recode, may not be the only interested parties.
Several media owners have been contacted about their potential interest, sources said.
Meanwhile, at least one, Univision, exchanged emails about a potential ticket price, sources confirmed to The Post. Univision raised the prospect of an acquisition in the course of talks about creating Spanish-language versions of Gizmodo and Lifehacker, sources said.
Penske Media said in a statement: “At this time PMC has only been contacted by Gawker’s banker.”
What Gawker is worth is anyone’s guess, given the huge legal liability.
A judge this week denied Gawker’s request for a new trial. It will continue its appeal.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, won the massive award after suing Gawker for invasion of privacy. The website posted a clip of Bollea having sex with the then-wife of a former best friend.
The Post was first to break the news Wednesday that owner Denton is exploring a sale.
On Thursday, billionaire Peter Thiel confirmed to the New York Times that he spent $10 million funding several lawsuits against Gawker, including the one brought by Bollea.
Thiel was upset about Gawker stories outing him as gay.
Gawker hit back at Thiel on Thursday, posting a takedown of the Silicon Valley player’s arguments against them. Thiel was a frequent reader of Gawker’s tech gossip site, Valleywag, it said.
Gawker reported revenue of $48.7 million in 2015 — much of it from lead generation or affiliate links, said a source familiar with the situation.
That means Gawker earns a tidy sum from posting sponsored content that directs visitors to retail sites.
“That direct sales business would be under pressure if it goes bankrupt,” said a digital expert. “Peter Thiel could severely damage this business for the long term.”
“The whole [digital] business: Buzzfeed, Vox, everyone is having a valuation check, if not a correction,” said the source.