FOX Sports and Barstool Sports are already showing signs of a productive collaboration, less than a month after their content partnership officially launched in July. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy praised the deal at the time, noting that FOX Sports “is embracing” the Barstool brand. He highlighted FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks flying to Nantucket to meet him as a signal of the network’s commitment.
Speaking at a Front Office Sports event, Shanks explained why FOX Sports sought a partnership with Barstool, calling the company “the voice of the fan.”
“When it comes to Big Noon Kickoff and what we do in the college football space, there’s really no better voice of the fan than Barstool,” Shanks said. “We thought that bringing that into the Big Noon Kickoff show…has been tremendous. It’s a really good start to figuring out how we can be more of a voice of the fan. College sports is all about rivalries and fandoms, and there are no better rivalries than in college sports. We think Barstool is the perfect partner for us.”
As part of the agreement, Portnoy appears regularly on FOX Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff, alongside other Barstool personalities such as Dan Katz, known as “Big Cat,” who fills in on weeks when Portnoy does not appear.
The partnership also includes a two-hour daily FS1 program, Wake Up Barstool, airing from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The show is produced and delivered from Barstool’s Chicago headquarters and features a mix of Barstool talent and FOX Sports guest appearances.
While the collaboration is in its early stages, Shanks expressed optimism about future growth. “It’s a really good start to a good combination, and we are going to be doing some more digital things together in the future as well,” he said.
Shanks also addressed reported concerns from FOX Sports league partners, defending the decision to team with Barstool.
“We do view ourselves as kind of the unpaid marketing arm for all of our partners. We use our best judgment for what we think can make their sports more popular,” he explained. “Hopefully, over time, we can find that trust and that medium. We’re not out to poke anybody. We’re here to try to make every one of their businesses bigger.”
Early returns show higher viewership for Big Noon Kickoff compared with last season. However, Portnoy was candid about Wake Up Barstool’s initial ratings on The Unnamed Show, calling them “awful.” He urged patience, noting the program had limited promotion before launch and emphasizing that a rapid breakthrough may be unrealistic.
Despite early challenges, both FOX Sports and Barstool appear committed to leveraging their combined audiences, signaling a partnership that could reshape how sports media engages fans.
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