It’s officially official—Fox Sports announced Thursday afternoon that it has entered into an expansive deal with Barstool Sports.
“We are joining Big Noon Kickoff,” Barstool founder Dave Portnoy said in a video Thursday in which he characteristically touted Michigan’s pedigree, at the comedic expense of its competitors in the conference. Dan “Big Cat” Katz will also make some appearances on Big Noon Kickoff, Fox said.
FOS first reported Thursday that a deal was near for Portnoy to appear on Fox’s college football pregame show, and for Barstool content to air on FS1. The Athletic reported there will also be select editions of Barstool’s own college football show that air on Fox platforms.
“We’re excited to welcome Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports to the Fox Sports family. Dave has built a one-of-a-kind brand that connects with a new generation of sports fans – authentic, bold, and original. Their unique voice and loyal fanbase makes them a natural fit for our evolving multiplatform content strategy,” Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks said in a statement.
One expects Portnoy, a Michigan grad, to have entertaining banter with former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer on the program.
Another area of potential synergy for Portnoy and Fox is horse racing. Portnoy owns racehorses and has an affinity for the sport, while Fox has rights to a number of races, including the NYRA’s Belmont Stakes and races at Saratoga.
Sports leagues and networks have sought to reach younger demographics, and in many ways Fox’s co-opting of Portnoy and Barstool is a decade-plus in the making. It is somewhat of a counterpunch to Pat McAfee, who got his start in media at Barstool, having great success on ESPN’s College GameDay.
Earlier this week, FS1 canceled Breakfast Ball, The Facility, and Speak—three of its five daily programs.
On the Unnamed show, Portnoy said that Barstool will have a daily show from 8–10 a.m. ET on FS1, with a rotating cast of characters from the digital outlet. “They want our audience. … It’s a wide-ranging relationship,” Portnoy said, adding that a studio will be built in Barstool’s Chicago office for the show.
Fox Sports’s announcement also said there would be digital synergies between the two companies to be revealed at a later date.
