A Conversation With Barstool Founder Dave Portnoy
Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, returns to the podcast this week! We discussed:
- Last time we talked, Barstool had been acquired by Peter Chernin’s conglomerate and they were betting on mainstream viability. Have these 2+ years exceeded even his own wildest expectations?
- How the Barstool SiriusXM channel is going, and what new shows are getting traction.
- Could Rough N Rowdy, the Appalachian amateur boxing promotion Barstool recently acquired, be the biggest part of Barstool’s business in a couple years?
- If he could go back and revisit the Barstool Van Talk discussions with ESPN, what would he do differently?
- When Barstool’s direct subscription platform is coming, and what type of content will be on it.
- How open would he be to an acquisition from a major media or tech institution?
As a note, there’s a bit of an echo issue at the beginning of my questions due to a tech issue. Hope you enjoy!
PAST GLASS HALF EMPTY PODCASTS:
▶ A 14-Hour Day With Peter King During Super Bowl Week
▶ Darren Rovell Describes How He Manicures His Super Bowl Tweets
▶ A Conversation With Nick Wright
▶ Barstool CEO Erika Nardini Discusses SiriusXM Radio Launch, Revenue Diversity, Controversies
▶ Cassidy Hubbarth Talks Christmas NBA, Buckets, and Mentors at ESPN
▶ Jim Ross Discusses Muhammad Ali, Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns, Jericho-Omega, and Baker Mayfield
▶ Joel Klatt Talks B1G Championship Game, Greg Schiano, Ohio State Vs. Alabama Playoff Decision
▶ Rachel Nichols Discusses NBA Landscape, ‘The Jump’ Ethos, NBA Vs. NFL
▶ Dan Patrick Discusses Sports Broadcasting School, ESPN, Bucket List Interviews
▶ Brandi Rhodes Discusses Ring of Honor, First Dates With Cody, WAGS Atlanta
▶ Fox Sports and Dodgers Announcer Joe Davis Talks World Series, Career Trajectory
▶ A Candid Conversation With Sean McDonough
▶ Jay Bilas Helps Us Make Sense of the FBI / NCAA Madness
▶ A Conversation With Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff
▶ ’85 Bears LB Otis Wilson Talks Buddy Ryan, Confrontation With Ditka, Super Bowl Shuffle
▶ A Media Chat With SI’s Richard Deitsch and Sports TV Ratings Founder Robert Seidman
▶ Josina Anderson Discusses Ezekiel Elliott, Kaepernick, Reporting Process, and Ascent at ESPN
▶ Seth Davis Explains Why He Joined The Athletic, Believes in Market for National College Coverage
▶ Discussing the Future of FS1 With Sporting News Media Reporter Michael McCarthy
▶ Ramona Shelburne Discusses LaVar Ball Kayfabe, LeBron to the Lakers?, and Her Career Ascent
▶ Ira Berkow on Watching Baseball With Obama, Covering Marge Schott, Billy Martin, and Trump
▶ The Ringer Editor-At-Large Bryan Curtis Discusses Jamie Horowitz’s Content Legacy at FS1 and ESPN
▶ Ozzie Smith Discusses Web Gems, African-Americans in Baseball, and Tony La Russa
▶ Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand Discusses How ESPN Got Where It Is, And Where It’s Going
▶ Breaking Down Connor Schell Promotion at ESPN With Sporting News Media Reporter Michael McCarthy
▶ A U.S. Open Preview with Dave Kindred and Michael Kornheiser
▶ Jalen Rose Discusses the Ascent of Durant and the Kurse of the Kardashians
▶ A Sports Media Discussion With Bryan Curtis, Editor-at-Large at The Ringer
▶ Vince Wilfork Talks BBQ Ribs, Retirement Odds, and Belichick
▶ SI’s Richard Deitsch Discusses ESPN Layoffs, Bayless Tweets, WWE, Simmons, Nolan, and Barstool
▶ Dustin Johnson Discusses Injury Recovery, Improved Putting and Wedges, and How He Met Paulina
▶ Mike Florio on Zeke/Jerry/Goodell, Browns Smokescreens, and Richard Sherman Trade Spots
▶ ESPN’s Andy North Talks Lexi Thompson, The Masters, and The Badgers
▶ Chad Millman Discusses Chicago Fans and the Process of Planning the Front Page of ESPN.com
▶ CBS Sports Reporter Tracy Wolfson Talks Final Four, “Stealing Plays,” and Work/Life Balance
▶ Turner Sports Host Ernie Johnson Is in an Insanely Busy Stretch
▶ Turner/CBS Analyst Grant Hill Talks Coach K and Grayson Allen, Lonzo and LaVar Ball, NBA Rest
▶ Michael Kornheiser Talks Launching Tony’s Podcast, 2017 Golf Landscape
▶ A Conversation With Joe Buck
▶ Breaking Down Packers Victory and Broadcasting Aspirations With AJ Hawk
▶ Dan Wetzel Talks Chargers-to-LA, UFC Lawsuit, Ronda Rousey, and His Triumph Over Marriott
▶ CBS Sports Host Adam Schein Discusses OBJ and Giants in Miami, Juggling a Half-Dozen Jobs
▶ Aaron Nagler’s Journey from Private Equity PR to Packers Media Maven for USA Today Network
▶ Fox Sports Host Rob Stone: Five Events in Three Sports All Over the Continent Since Last Week
▶ Jalen Rose Discusses His Trajectory at ESPN
▶ Fox Sports Host Rob Stone Talks USA-Mexico and Network’s 2018 World Cup Coverage Plans
▶ Fox Sports Host Kevin Burkhardt Talks World Series, Working With A-Rod, Pete Rose, + Frank Thomas
▶ Cari Champion Signs New Multi-Year Deal With ESPN, Discusses Expanded SportsCenter + More
▶ Scott Van Pelt on What’s Gone Right in a Year of Midnight SportsCenter
▶ Colin Cowherd Discusses His New Digital Venture
▶ Fox Sports Soccer Analyst Alexi Lalas Talks Timbers-Sounders, Champions League, and Hope Solo
▶ A Conversation With Kristine Leahy, Broadcaster on American Ninja Warrior and FS1’s The Herd
▶ Felix Salmon Dissects the Ramifications of Gawker’s Bankruptcy Filing
▶ Talking All Things Media With CNN Poly-Platformist Brian Stelter
▶ Copa America 2016: Rob Stone of Fox Sports Breaks Down the Nuts and Bolts
▶ The Pro Wrestling Reporter Who Left TMZ to Start Up His Own Shop
▶ Rockets Need a Rebuild; Is Daryl Morey the Right Person for that Job?
▶ Richard Deitsch Talks Bayless, Tirico, and Possible First Take Replacements
▶ A Conversation With Sarah Spain
▶ Ahman Green Talks About Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Eddie Lacy
▶ Nicole Auerbach Discusses Tyler Summitt’s Resignation, and the Aftermath
▶ Mike Florio: Average Fans Should Care About Josh Gordon Confidentiality Breach (Previous podcasts with Florio on Deflategate and his own career are here and here)
▶ Dave Kindred Shares Memories of Covering The Masters for 50 Years
▶ Turner Sports Announcer Brian Anderson Talks NCAA Tourney, Career, and Hank the Dog
▶ Chris Russo Talks One-Night Mike and the Mad Dog Reunion, Adam LaRoche, and Tom Brady
▶ Should LeBron Bear More Responsibility for Love and Kyrie “Fitting In?” (With Cleveland sports talk host Anthony Lima)
▶ Sally Jenkins Talks Tennessee, NCAA Pay, Deflategate, Joe Paterno, and Lance Armstrong
▶ What Does PC Twitter Even Mean? (With Jason McIntyre and Barstool’s Big Cat)
▶ A Conversation With Linda Cohn, Whose Record 5000th SportsCenter Is on the Horizon
▶ Woj Discusses Launching The Vertical, LeBron and Blatt, and What Would Make Hacking Stop
▶ Barstool and Its Bloggers Bet on Mainstream Viability
▶ Would Jay Bilas Advise Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey to Sit Out Next Season?
▶ Asking Darren Rovell If and When LeBron James Will Be a Billionaire
▶ Peter King Talks NFL Refs, MMQB*
▶ Peter Mehlman Compares and Contrasts Craftemng Novel Wemth Wremtemng for Howard Cosell and Seemnfeld
▶ Christine Brennan’s Talks About Greg Hardy, NFL Media, and Advice for Young Writers
▶ A Conversation With Michael Wilbon
▶ Bill Plaschke Talks About Lamar Odom and the Curse of the Kardashians
▶ Was Urban Meyer Okay With Players Asking Taylor Swift Out?
▶ Ex-Vikings Mascot Ragnar Tells His Side of the Story
▶ Brett Taylor, the Cubs Blogger Who Left a Big Law Firm
▶ Gary Sheffield Talks MLB Playoffs, Harper-Papelbon, and Hall of Fame
▶ Scott Van Pelt Talks Midnight SportsCenter, Madison As Best College Sports Town in America
▶ Matthew Berry Has Like 45 Jobs
▶ Jim Ross Talks About His Live Show, Roddy Piper, and Steroids in Hollywood
▶ Clay Travis Talks SEC Media Days, New Deal With Fox Sports, and the Confederate Flag
▶ A Long Conversation With Frank Deford
▶ Does Sarah Spain worry that her politics will make her polarizing?
▶ David Purdum talks about Tony Romo, fantasy football, and the NFL’s gambling hypocrisies
▶ Dan Le Batard talks about his career, Papi, and Bill Simmons