From: officialflagrant
Barstool Sports, founded by Dave Portnoy, has evolved significantly from its origins as a gambling newspaper to a major media entity [00:39:54].
Early Ventures and Inception
Before Barstool Sports, Dave Portnoy had other business ideas during his college years [00:38:14]:
- Furniture Company: A concept to collect discarded college furniture at semester end, warehouse it, and resell it to new students [00:38:33].
- Next Step Scouting: A recruiting agency platform for athletes not being recruited by major college sports programs [00:39:17]. This involved building software and paying local scouts to provide reports [00:39:32].
- Gambling Newspaper: This was the easiest idea to start and ultimately became Barstool Sports [00:40:00]. Portnoy had always gambled [00:40:10].
The gambling newspaper launched after Portnoy secured a year’s worth of advertising from offshore sportsbooks [00:40:57]. The early formula shifted from straight gambling content to broader men’s interest, notably by featuring “pretty girls” on the covers [00:41:07]. This strategy significantly increased advertising interest [00:42:40].
Regional to National Expansion
From 2004 to 2010, Barstool Sports operated primarily in downtown Boston [00:43:33]. To gauge their audience outside Boston, they launched a six-city music tour called “Stoolapalooza” [00:44:47].
- They partnered with an emerging artist, Sammy Adams, for $20,000 for six shows [00:44:03].
- At UMass, a bar show turned into a sold-out event at their basketball arena, the Mullen Center [00:45:00]. This was a major eye-opener for Portnoy, revealing a larger fanbase than anticipated [00:45:43].
Subsequent tours included “Stoolapalooza 2” with artists like Mike Posner, Wale, and Mac Miller (hired for $1,500 for six shows) [00:46:09]. While the second tour didn’t make substantial money due to increased production costs, it affirmed that fans were loyal to Barstool, not just the musical talent [00:47:04].
The “Blackout Tour” followed, leveraging early EDM artists like Avicii [00:47:10]. This tour became “the biggest thing in the country” [00:47:20], generating significant revenue for Portnoy [00:47:35]. However, it also led to public scrutiny, causing riots and attention from police commissioners [00:47:43]. The tour eventually ended due to rising artist popularity and increased insurance costs from incidents at shows [00:48:15]. Despite breaking even, these tours helped fund Barstool’s next phase of growth [00:48:55].
Between 2010 and 2016, Barstool replicated its model in cities like Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia, bringing on key personalities such as Big Cat and KFC [00:49:28].
Investment and Corporate Structure
In 2016, Portnoy connected with the Chernin Group, who expressed interest in investing [00:50:09]. Portnoy sold 51% of Barstool, retaining final say over content [00:50:53]. The investment allowed Barstool to consolidate its content creators in one location and hire a CEO, Erika Nardini, which significantly accelerated their growth [00:51:01]. From 2016 to 2020, Barstool “really exploded” until it was sold to Penn [00:51:26].
Public Perception and Controversies
Barstool Sports has faced numerous controversies, often influencing public perception:
Political Neutrality
Barstool’s political neutrality is a core principle, aiming not to alienate any audience [00:52:50]. However, Portnoy’s personal actions, like interviewing Donald Trump [02:18:50] or appearing on Fox News [01:47:04], lead some to perceive Barstool as right-wing [01:52:50]. Portnoy asserts his views are not easily categorized as left or right [01:52:50]. He dislikes political extremes [01:18:11].
The “N-Word” Clip
A 2016 clip of Portnoy singing along to a Ja Rule and Ashanti song containing a racial slur resurfaced during the Black Lives Matter movement [02:22:14]. Portnoy acknowledged learning not to use the word but found it hard to apologize, stating there was no hate in his intent [02:40:59].
Colin Kaepernick Discussion
An old clip featuring Barstool personalities discussing Colin Kaepernick’s protests was also scrutinized [02:18:10]. While the clipped version seemed critical, the full conversation recognized the country’s need for change regarding police brutality [02:50:00].
”Call Her Daddy” Podcast Dispute
A dispute involving the “Call Her Daddy” podcast and its hosts became a public controversy [07:34:04]. Portnoy’s intervention, including a direct 45-minute audio on the podcast’s feed, helped Barstool gain new fans and established him as a credible and transparent figure [08:21:00]. He noted that the controversy ultimately helped Barstool [07:39:00].
Business Insider and Media Attacks
Portnoy has been a frequent target of publications like Business Insider, which he criticizes for “salacious headlines for clicks” [01:30:00] and for publishing allegedly false information [01:34:00]. He even describes ambushing a reporter at her house to confront her about pending articles [01:15:00]. He views these attacks as attempts to make him “radioactive” because Barstool has influence that cannot be controlled by politicians [03:45:00].
Union Debate with AOC
Dave Portnoy engaged in a public dispute with AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) over unions [03:54:00]. This followed his comments mocking Deadspin writers who unionized and subsequently lost their jobs [03:42:00]. The conflict led to complaints to the National Labor Relations Board, requiring Portnoy to issue a statement affirming Barstool employees’ right to unionize [03:40:00].
Key Content and Company Culture
Pizza Reviews
The “One Bite” pizza review series became incredibly popular, generating huge engagement and impacting local businesses [01:07:37]. Portnoy attributes its success to food being relatable, the organic nature of the reviews, his honest critiques, and the quirky “characters in the streets” of New York who interact during reviews [01:08:11]. A positive review from Portnoy can lead to businesses selling out of pizza by noon the next day [01:09:37].
Employee Loyalty
Portnoy values loyalty fiercely, especially for early employees who “risked stuff” to join Barstool [01:19:01]. He states he would “die for” these individuals [01:19:53]. While new hires are expected to produce, early loyal employees had a “job for life” [01:19:35].
Competitive Environment
Barstool fosters a competitive, “athletics vibe” culture [01:30:24]. The internet’s nature means that if creators are good enough, they will rise [01:30:47]. Portnoy emphasizes that career success at Barstool is directly tied to individual effort and the quality of content produced [01:31:22].
Personal Reflections and Outlook
Dave Portnoy remains grounded despite his fame, attributing it to his upbringing and starting Barstool at 24 without making a penny until he was 30 [01:12:54]. He still appreciates experiences like sitting courtside at NBA games [01:12:22]. He admits to having “bougie tastes” that he can now afford [01:13:31], but his fundamental approach to life and work hasn’t changed.
He actively confronts those who spread what he perceives as lies about him [01:01:00]. This combative approach is fueled by grudges and a “thrive on hate” mentality, akin to athletes like Michael Jordan or Bernard Hopkins who perform better when challenged [01:58:56]. However, he distinguishes between criticism of his work and accusations of criminal behavior, which he takes seriously [01:59:42].
His father, initially slow to grasp the magnitude of Barstool, became proud as Portnoy’s success became undeniable, such as being able to buy them a house and Facetiming with the President [01:51:36].
Portnoy also reflects on his future, acknowledging his intense energy but believing he could eventually relax on a beach and bet on horses [01:03:34]. He has dedicated 20 years to Barstool and hasn’t had time to consider other ventures [01:04:26].
Conclusion
Barstool Sports’ success is attributed to Portnoy’s willingness to experiment, adapt quickly, and maintain a strong work ethic [01:28:17]. Portnoy views their foundation as having been built “brick by brick” through hard work, making it resilient to criticism and controversy [01:28:49].