Ever since FOX Sports announced their content partnership with Barstool Sports on July 17, there’s been very little said about what the partnership will look like. No announcements about how Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy will be featured in Big Noon Kickoff. Yesterday, finally some details on the new daily FS1 Barstool Sports morning program called Wake Up Barstool. Through the long delays of silence, there was just rumor and speculation—until Monday night.
Just under a week from the season debut of Big Noon Kickoff, some news: Dave Portnoy will not be allowed on the field at Ohio State during the broadcast of FOX Sports’ flagship college football pregame show. While the report was disputed Tuesday morning by the university—saying the call was on FOX and not the defending national champions—controversy was brewing.
If controversy equals cash, will the Barstool brand and the controversy surrounding it be enough to bring in more viewers? It will, but only if FOX Sports decides to lean in.
There are several high-profile storylines entering Week One of the college football season. Bill Belichick makes his head coaching debut in North Carolina. Ryan Day returns to Ohio State, taking on Texas, the odds-on favorite to win the national championship. And what will Deion Sanders do without his son playing quarterback?
There are countless storylines, but the viewership battles between ESPN and FOX Sports promise to be the juiciest of the season. Can Big Noon Kickoff cut into the audience of College GameDay on Saturdays?
Serving Notice in the Attention Economy
Many consider the two programs head-to-head competitors. ESPN’s Desmond Howard doesn’t. I spoke with Howard last week about the addition of Barstool Sports to Big Noon Kickoff.
“This must be their move to try and offset what we have with [Pat] McAfee, I’m assuming,” Howard said about the addition of Portnoy. “They want to compete. I like those guys. To me, our competitor has been the NBA on TNT because we’re always battling them for the Sports Emmy. No disrespect to those guys [Big Noon Kickoff]; I’m sure they do a fantastic job.”
A jab? Surely. Over the line? Hardly. An opportunity for Big Noon Kickoff to lean into the comment, YES!
The fact is, Big Noon Kickoff doesn’t have the lineage of College GameDay. ESPN’s flagship program has built a rock-solid foundation as the Saturday morning destination. Conference-run networks may try to lure viewers, but there’s nothing like the GameDay experience.
FOX Sports had to try something different. Something authentic, bold, daring. Enter Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports.
The announcement of the partnership was treated differently by the two parties. FOX Sports highlighted the excitement of the comprehensive content deal. Barstool Sports, mainly Portnoy himself, treated it as an opportunity to ram his Michigan allegiance down the throats of Big Ten rivals: “Ohio State can’t beat us” and “the days of kicking Michigan when we’re not around are over.”
Honestly, did you expect anything different? Why not add another layer of controversy to the controversy already brewing? Enter Ohio State.
Ohio State Provided Opportunity
Reports surfaced Monday night that the university banned Portnoy from the field on Saturday and barred Barstool Sports from broadcasting their College Football Show on campus. Ohio State’s athletic director said the decision for Portnoy’s entry onto the field was FOX Sports’ call, since the network is not making him a desk participant on Big Noon Kickoff.
Thank you, Ohio State, for announcing what Portnoy’s role on Big Noon Kickoff will be.
No matter who you believe—Barstool, Portnoy, Ohio State, FOX Sports—here’s what we know: This controversy is doing exactly what it intended: taking attention away from Lee Corso’s final show on College GameDay.
I’m not saying this controversy was carefully crafted to do so by any of the parties involved, but timing is everything. No announcements from FOX Sports or Barstool Sports for a month, then a ban leading to a back-and-forth between a massively popular digital content brand and the home of the defending national champions? Perfect timing.
If controversy equals cash, FOX Sports needs to lean into it.
How Creative Will FOX Sports Get
FOX Sports will likely spend plenty of time at Ohio State this season. They have the broadcast rights to Saturday’s game itself at noon. What better way, with college football fans locked on the biggest Week One game, than to lean into the controversy and act on it?
What better way to honor the legacy of Lee Corso than to embrace the mantra: “It’s entertainment, sweetheart. Football’s our vehicle”?
Can Portnoy sneak into the stadium for on-the-scene reports live on Big Noon Kickoff? Why not put him in Ohio State gear to win favor with the university?
How far can FOX Sports go? What lines can they play on both sides? Would Ohio State play along to stir attention on Saturday?
To prosper, you must change. FOX Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff, through their new partnership with Portnoy and Barstool Sports, has a massive opportunity to lean into the fun that college football rivalries bring. By leaning in, you create attention. By acting on it, you create buzz.
“Dave [Portnoy] has built a one-of-a-kind brand that connects with a new generation of sports fans—authentic, bold, and original,” said Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer of FOX Sports, in July.
This was the sole reason FOX Sports made the partnership: Authentic. Bold. Original. Big Noon Kickoff returns Saturday, with plenty of mystery still to be revealed—but once again, controversy can equal cash if FOX Sports allows it to.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
