• Loading stock data...
Thursday, February 6, 2025

Barstool’s Recipe For OTT Success: Sports Betting And Fun Video Content

  • Barstool CEO Erika Nardini says it’s still too early to pick out any early lessons or adjustments Barstool has had to make on the OTT front.
  • Barstool has joined a slew of sports media companies offering original programming on connected TV services, including Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, and ESPN.
Barstool Rundown
Photo Credit: Barstool Sports YouTube channel

Barstool Sports made its big push into podcasting and video programming almost a half-decade ago. The decision, coupled with a mobile-first distribution strategy, has resulted in unprecedented success for the sports media brand.

Yet a further opportunity to bring Barstool’s content to connected TV devices wasn’t lost on the company, according to CEO Erika Nardini. Barstool launched a proprietary app for Apple TV in April and followed that up by expanding the video service to Roku and FireTV last month.

“What’s awesome about technology and media today is I don’t need a network to get on TV. I can do it myself,” said Nardini. “We have a large following that is tuning in to watch our programming religiously. Our [over-the-top] service helps us curate content in a way that’s better for the consumer.”

In addition to some of its popular video series like Pizza Reviews and Rough N’ Rowdy, Barstool has also integrated its new Barstool Bets venture into the new OTT service. Barstool greenlit 10 podcasts and video series around sports betting topics in September, in hopes of becoming the go-to place for gamblers looking for tips before placing wagers on sporting events.

“We have a lot of ambition in sports betting to cover it in a way we have not seen,” said Nardini. “We want to be the place where consumers watch content to get advice from people with skin in the game.”

While sports betting has been a staple of U.K. culture for decades, the practice was outlawed at the federal level in the U.S. before the Supreme Court lifted the ban in May 2018. One by one, states have been introducing legislation to allow gambling on sports. That number is now up to 11 states, with an additional 31 moving towards doing the same, according to multiple reports.

“It’s a really exciting time, like when the Internet first started,” said Nardini. “The nationalization or rollout of legal sports betting will go through a lot of phases, but it will introduce a new level of engagement and conversation. The way someone that likes to bet watches football is different than someone who doesn’t know anything about it.”

Barstool worked with app developer MAZ Systems to bring its new OTT service to the market. The media company was keen on working with a vendor that already had the engineers and technology in place to launch a new video-on-demand service quickly. The entire process took four months, Nardini said.

READ MORE: Barstool Continues Foray into Event Space with Barstool Classic

Barstool has now joined a slew of sports media companies offering original programming on connected TV services, including Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, and ESPN. Some OTT offerings are for paying subscribers only while others like Barstool’s are free to consumers.

“It’s logical that a brand would want to be anywhere viewers want to see them as long as it is financially feasible,” said Ava Seave, principal of Quantum Media, a New York City-based consulting firm focused on marketing and strategic planning for media and entertainment companies. “The thing about video is that there isn’t a lot of technology required to go from web to TV. You just do it.”

The relative ease of creating a new OTT product is what makes success far from a guarantee regardless of industry, she added. Projected user demand may allow advertising dollars to roll in, but there is a lot of competition in the OTT space.

In most cases, how viewers discover new TV video applications is also reliant on third-party algorithms and categorizing. As an example, Barstool is listed as a comedy app on Roku – the same as Comedy Central or TikTok – while WWE Network is defined as sports.

“Streaming is not limited anymore and the number of companies going into OTT makes the competition frightful,” said Seave.

READ MORE: NBA TV Streaming Service Faces Stiff Competition Outside of Sports

Nardini says that it’s still too early to pick out any lessons or adjustments Barstool has had to make on the OTT front. But any modifications required will be based on what Barstool is seeing in consumer behavior.

“I think what we are seeing is that people love watching Rough N’ Rowdy on YouTube. So we think about do they also love it on Apple TV? When do they watch it? What’s the crossover? Do they also then watch Pizza reviews?” she concluded.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles helmets at the Caesars Superdome prior to Super Bowl LIX.

Amid ‘Record’ Super Bowl Betting, Market’s Two Largest Forces Still Reign

FanDuel and DraftKings still dominate the ever-expanding space.

NFL Exec: We’re Reaching More Fans Without Spreading Too Thin

NFL media executive Brian Rolapp is bullish on the evolution of streaming.
Stephen A. Smith
exclusive

Stephen A. Smith Says Deal to Return to ESPN Coming ‘Very, Very..

Smith’s old contract was set to expire this summer.

Featured Today

‘Ultimate Throwback’: The Unimpeachable Cool of Hartford Whalers Gear

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44), before a 2024 NFC divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium.
February 1, 2025

The New WAGs: Sports Wives Building Business Empires

Athletes’ wives and girlfriends are bucking stereotypes and cashing in.
Feb 3, 2019; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears mascot dances on the court during a stoppage in play in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Haas Pavilion.
January 31, 2025

The Toll of Bicoastal Travel on New ACC Members Cal and Stanford

Cal and Stanford face missed flights, chaotic sleep schedules, and academic demands.
January 28, 2025

It’s Starting to Pay to Be Good at Cornhole

American Cornhole League players made $7.7 million in 2024.
Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; FOX broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady looks on before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Tom Brady Cagey About Scope of Role With Raiders

Brady was approved as a minority owner in the Raiders in October.
February 5, 2025

FS1 Will Air the Most LIV Golf TV Hours in New Fox..

The 2025 LIV Golf season tees off Friday in Saudi Arabia.
February 5, 2025

Disney Earnings Highlight ESPN Comeback; Iger High on NBA’s Future

Revenues and operating income grow at the ESPN parent company.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley talks on set before game three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
February 4, 2025

Charles Barkley Will Deny NBC, Amazon Offers to Stick With TNT

Barkley has repeatedly flip-flopped in his career plans in recent years.
February 4, 2025

Fox Reports Big Sports Profits, Eyes New Streaming Service

Football and baseball helped power surges in company revenue and net income.
Feb 2, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; AFC wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars (7) carries the ball against NFC return specialist KaVontae Turpin of the Dallas Cowboys (9) during the 2025 Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium.
February 4, 2025

NFL Pro Bowl Ratings Drop Again Despite Flag Football Push

ABC, ESPN, and Disney XD drew 4.7 million viewers for Sunday’s simulcast.
A Fox Sports camera records on the sideline prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
February 3, 2025

Fox Sports Suspends Exec Accused of Sexual Misconduct: NYT

Dixon is a defendant in two lawsuits filed by former Fox Sports employees.