RIP Spirit Airlines & GameStop Wants to Buy eBay for $56B

This episode of Morning Brew Daily delivers a mix of nostalgia, business drama, and cultural commentary. The hosts pay tribute to the closure of Ask Jeeves, a pioneering early internet search engine that once offered conversational queries and thumbnails—features now standard but once revolutionary. They then mourn the end of Spirit Airlines, the ultra-budget carrier that succumbed to financial strain from soaring fuel costs, a failed bailout attempt, and an outdated business model that ignored the premium cabin shift driving airline profits. Despite its small market share (dropping to 1.1% of domestic flights), Spirit’s exit is expected to raise fares by 14% on key routes, leaving travelers worse off. Meanwhile, GameStop makes a bold $56 billion bid to acquire eBay, driven by CEO Ryan Cohen’s ambition to build a $100 billion retail giant by merging GameStop’s physical authenticity with eBay’s marketplace and live e-commerce potential. Though eBay’s recent turnaround makes the acquisition unlikely, the move sparks investor excitement. The episode also celebrates two cultural wins: Greg Abel’s successful debut as Berkshire Hathaway’s new leader, signaling a smooth transition from Warren Buffett, and the Savannah Bananas’ record-breaking 102,000-person crowd, proving that entertainment-driven sports can thrive even without traditional competitive stakes. The hosts close with a roundup of upcoming Wall Street events, including the April jobs report and a blockbuster earnings season, and a heartfelt reminder to honor mothers on Mother’s Day.