Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was in advanced talks recently to host a daily sports talk show on SiriusXM, but Portnoy ultimately decided against it.
He was a guest last week on The Kirk Minihane Show, where he was asked about an update on Barstool’s status with SiriusXM.
“We came very close to getting a deal, actually,” he said, adding there was nothing SiriusXM did wrong to make him turn down a two-year contract. “They did everything right to get the deal.”
The show would have aired four days a week for two hours a day. Dave didn’t provide specifics regarding financials offered or what channel his show would’ve aired on, but he felt good about the package the company submitted.
“I was happy with what it was. Money was not the issue,” he said.
“They wanted to make sure if people wanted Dave Portnoy you go to Sirius,” he later added.
Minihane followed up asking if it was a location issue, where maybe part of the deal would’ve required Portnoy to be in a New York City studio. But Dave said he could’ve done it remotely.
Ultimately, Pornoty said committing to doing a daily sports talk show and making that a high priority would injure the work he was doing to make Barstool a profitable company again.
“If I’m going to spend that much time, I want to be doing it on Barstool stuff for Barstool. Whatever it may be,” Portnoy said. “It really I felt like would have hindered everything else I do.”
Dave took back full ownership of Barstool Sports over the summer, taking over the percentage in the company previously held by Penn Entertainment. He has been vocal about making sure Barstool no longer operates at a loss. Part of that action taken in recent weeks was laying off staff and not renewing contracts for certain talent. It’s something Dave said he absolutely hates doing, but it’s for the good of the company moving forward.
