I agree with you on a lto of what you said
I have seen an uptick in quoting the Athletic as well, but i dont see why it should be treated with such trust. and the Hicks Norris thign is a very good example
When Hicks tweeted that there was no problem and that the media was fanning flames that werent there is proof that trust in them should be extremely curated
I agree they took advantage of the turmoil in the fanbase and used it to turn a mountain out of a molehill to sell subscriptions and get name recognition. Unfortunately they pushed too hard and ended up biting themselves for it. I now have no trust in them, and that good will will take a while for them to earn it back.