September 10, 2003, was just another day in sports. The New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves were rolling toward winning their respective leagues. The NFL had just kicked off another season. Joe Nieuwendyk signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Just another day in American sports, but a massive day in the history of sports media. Twenty-two years ago today, a small local paper distributed to Boston commuters at public transport stations began circulation—the first day in the history of Barstool Sports.
Over two decades later, the same small-town paper that Dave Portnoy crafted in his Milton, Massachusetts, home is now one of the globe’s largest success stories in sports media. What began as a rag offering satirical takes on sports, gambling, and fantasy football is the standard that all sports media brands look to as the pinnacle.
If vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others, Portnoy exemplified it. He built a brand through word-of-mouth promotion, social media chatter, and connecting with millions—never losing focus on his mission. Barstool Sports found a niche, overdelivered, and stayed true to its audience. Every sports radio host should take note.
One lesson I always stressed as a programmer was the importance of using your time wisely. The assets a radio station provides are immense and can rarely be fully leveraged. Most stations offer state-of-the-art studios, digital tools, and social media platforms for talent to experiment with. The range of creativity permitted in many buildings has no limits—but only if talent chooses to use it.
It’s getting to that time of year in sports radio.
Prepare Now for What’s Coming
As the fiscal year ends, reductions in force are on the minds of sports radio talent across the country. I’ve seen it happen year after year—talent approaching management about endorsements, ratings, digital growth, or the general content of their programs. There’s never a better time than now to examine what Portnoy started twenty-two years ago and consider thinking in the same innovative frame of mind.
The days of just being a sports radio personality are over. Broadcast companies constantly look for ways to save their bottom line at the expense of talent. Surviving solely by doing what you’ve always done is lucky—but it’s no longer enough. Thinking outside the box isn’t optional anymore.
Looking at Portnoy’s example, he knew the niche to cater to. What started as solely a sports publication grew into male-interest pieces surrounding lifestyle rather than just sports.
Ask yourself, are you still sticking to sports with your audience?
Following an expanding audience and readership, which led to more advertising dollars for Portnoy, he created the Barstool Sports website in 2007. In the same vein, he also expanded paper distribution into New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. With a desire to reach a younger audience, Portnoy also created a college edition called Barstool U.
For sports radio talent, the lesson is clear: content is no longer limited to your show. Consider launching a podcast outside of your station’s feed. Sell your own advertising. Build a social following. Success leaves clues—and sowing the same seeds will yield similar rewards.
Success leaves clues, and if you sow the same seeds, you’ll reap the same rewards.
Sooner You Start, Sooner You Succeed
Success wasn’t overnight for Portnoy, but he remained consistent because of his focus on the mission. Under a decade later, Barstool Sports found an investor and a 10–15-million-dollar evaluation. Consistency, taking risks, and staying true to the audience are what made Barstool Sports grow from what it was to what it is today.
Isn’t that what sports radio hosts used to do? It’s time to look inward and make a choice.
Barstool Sports talent today are featured in commercials, host podcasts, shoot video, and live in a constant state of content. Everything is content, but it’s not for everybody.
Remember sports radio talent fighting the use of social media with their shows and their lives? Barstool Sports didn’t shy away and has capitalized ever since.
Remember when sports radio talent didn’t feel they had the capacity to do podcasts? Podcasts aren’t optional anymore—they’re a necessity. The world is more on-demand than ever. Ignoring this trend means being left behind. Barstool defined sports podcasting and continues to dominate, despite increasing competition.
What Portnoy saw was what sports radio refused to do, and he ran with it. He built an empire on the mere faults of what sports radio in the past simply ignored. If vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others, Portnoy saw what sports radio was blind to see.
The tables have turned for sports radio talent. It’s far beyond time to adapt or die.
The message for sports radio talent is urgent: adapt or risk obsolescence. Use the tools available. Promote and amplify your message. Get social. Your niche doesn’t live on your timeline—it lives on your audience’s.
The time is now. The end of the year has arrived. Don’t leave yourself behind before it’s too late.
Success leaves clues, and if you sow the same seeds, you’ll reap the same rewards.
Happy anniversary to Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports.
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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.
John, don’t forget that Dave Portnoy is one of the premier pizza reviewers in the country. I am more familiar with his entertaining pizza reviews than with his sports medium.