Barstool Sports, founded by Dave Portnoy, is an entertainment company that surrounds much of its content around sports. They never have labeled themselves as insiders nor experts, but more a trusted source for a new generation of sports fans to be welcome into the sports conversation. FOX Sports is a network that leans on presenting the games in the traditional form. Former athletes who played the game share their insights and analysis using their background to explain the game to the audience that tunes in on a game-by-game basis.
The two entities are not, nor ever will be, the same. One is serving an audience looking for laughs and entertaining conversation from personalities. The other is serving an audience for information and interest in what to look for between the sidelines with true perspective.
When two different approaches to media meet, there is often friction between those involved. Over the past two weeks, while subtle, this friction is beginning to show itself. With the home stretch of the college football season ahead on FOX Sports, it’s time for a late-game substitution. Big Noon Kickoff should move away from Dave Portnoy before that friction becomes an earthquake.
When the Barstool Sports partnership with FOX Sports was announced. I called it the single most important network television signing of the entire calendar year. FOX Sports took the chance on inserting fun over substance, personality over strategy. It’s what younger viewers want, and FOX Sports was hoping to deliver it with Dave Portnoy’s introduction to the network.
Tension in the Air
Since the debut, Portnoy has hinted at clashes with conferences and colleges. He’s called out the viewership figures on FS1 as being “awful” with Wake Up Barstool. The latest is Portnoy’s absence in person from this weekend’s Big Noon Kickoff and then calling out USC (another Big Ten school) via satellite on the program over the use of multiple players wearing the same number.
While Portnoy and FOX have both publicly commented on the partnership being great for both parties, the last two weekends have seen some cracks in the armor from the Big Noon Kickoff talent.
Last week, Big Noon Kickoff analyst Mark Ingram called out Portnoy during halftime of the Ohio State win over Penn State. While showing highlights of the Texas Longhorns and Vanderbilt game, Ingram called Portnoy’s “lovefest” with Vanderbilt over.
“Dave is part of the reason why this lovefest is over. You keep betting on Vandy. Keep betting on Diego Pavia. This lovefest is over, Dave,” said Ingram. “You don’t know ball… I know ball.”
While on its face it may seem like an inside joke between two personalities that became public. That happens plenty on network broadcasts. However, the notion that Ingram went in on the “you don’t know ball” angle when Portnoy has repeatedly gone out of his way to say “he knows ball” is interesting.
The sports personality seems to have gotten under the skin of the sports professional. Would Portnoy ever call out Ingram like that on Big Noon Kickoff? Probably not.
There was another instance this past weekend where Portnoy made the comment on Big Noon Kickoff via satellite. He mentioned the same number being worn by multiple players on USC’s roster. While that is in practice with several college football teams around the country based on so many players on the roster, what USC did didn’t break any rules.
Yet Portnoy went in on the university, calling them “dirtbags” and saying the move by USC should be “jail.”
Matt Leinart, a weekly on-site panelist on Big Noon Kickoff and a USC alum, called Portnoy following his rant “the biggest dirtbag of all time,” then asked the crowd on-site at the University of Iowa if they approved of his comment.
Meeting the Expectation?
Is this what FOX Sports wanted from Portnoy? Where the network’s talent and structure of the show turn into personal shots at each other over bad takes or personal jabs?
Is this what Barstool Sports wanted from Big Noon Kickoff? Where the brand’s top talent is being withheld from being on-site because of the partnerships FOX Sports has with conferences and schools around the country?
Is Big Noon Kickoff aiming to be College GameDay with a hint of First Take? It appears lately that’s the case.
You never want to judge a full book from its first couple of pages, but the first two months of the Barstool Sports partnership with FOX Sports are leaving me confused. For every controversy Portnoy creates with conferences, schools, and now Big Noon Kickoff talent, there are new eyeballs coming to the product. But is that good for the show and the network?
Portnoy serves more as court jester than on-stage personality with the program. He’s respected as a businessman but not as an equal. You can see it, feel it, and now hear it from the Big Noon Kickoff personalities. Is that good for the show and the network?
The content Portnoy provides is more hot take than informational. That’s what serves him best and what built Barstool Sports from the very beginning. But is that serving an audience for information and interest in what to look for between the sidelines with true perspective?
The Decision
For every time that Portnoy says there’s no trouble in paradise between Barstool Sports and FOX Sports, has any of the talent from Big Noon Kickoff made appearances on any Barstool Sports products since the partnership began?
Oftentimes, perception is reality. With Big Noon Kickoff entering the home stretch as the college football season comes to a close on the network, distractions need to be limited. Every network eventually faces the question of what matters more: the noise or the narrative. Barstool Sports thrives in the noise; FOX thrives in the narrative.
FOX Sports wanted a spark. What it got was a fire it may not be able to control. The question now isn’t whether Dave Portnoy belongs on Big Noon Kickoff—it’s whether Big Noon Kickoff can stay Big Noon Kickoff with him on it.
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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.
