Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy took to social media on Tuesday and confirmed that he will not be on the field at Ohio State this coming weekend, and neither will the Barstool Sports’ College Football Ohio State’s decision to bar him and the Barstool College Football Show as well.
While Portnoy did not dive into the statements of Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork saying the decision to not allow Portnoy on the field was a FOX Sports decision, Portnoy described the move as emblematic of a larger problem at Ohio State. He framed it as a reactive and defensive measure rather than a legitimate ban.
“We formed this big relationship with FOX Sports, and I’m always cognizant of our partners and trying to do right by them. They definitely got put in a weird spot because they didn’t see this,” Portnoy said. “They [Ohio State] also banned the Barstool Sports College Football Show. We were supposed to be in Columbus, and then we got word Ohio State was not going to allow us to be on campus.”
Portnoy believes the decision was less about him personally and more about Ohio State’s sensitivity after years of rivalry losses. “How could anybody see that Ryan Day and Ohio State would be this soft?” Portnoy said. “They’ve lost four straight times to Michigan. They wake up thinking about Michigan. They go to sleep thinking about Michigan. They see this face — it’s the boogeyman.”
Portnoy said he initially planned to remain silent on the matter out of respect for the network, but media coverage forced him to address the situation. He criticized Ohio State for sending mixed messages, citing conflicting statements from athletic director Ross Bjork, who claimed the university had not issued a ban.
“Even though Bobby Carpenter [97.1 The Fan host] literally said, ‘Yeah, no, they banned him,’ Ross comes out and says, ‘We didn’t ban him. That was all a Fox decision,’” Portnoy said. “Just own what you do. Don’t hide it. Don’t point fingers. Don’t blame anyone else. Look in the mirror and be honest.”
Despite the on-campus restriction, Portnoy confirmed he will still appear on FOX Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff, emphasizing that his partnership with the network remains intact. “I’m trying to be the good soldier, the good partner. We’re just starting this thing with FOX [Sports],” he said.
The Barstool Sports founder did not comment on the report that he will not be allowed on the field at all Big Ten stadiums this season. Portnoy didn’t waste the opportunity however to take a jab at Michigan’s biggest rival.
“This is sports. This is rivalry. This is petty. And until they get better, they’re never going to beat Michigan,” Portnoy said.
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