• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Friday Five: Barstool Sports CEO Erika Nardini

  • Barstool Sports had planned on being on a tour of Penn National properties this week – instead its staff is creating content from their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic.
  • “It forces us to be really creative, which is when the best of Barstool shines through,” she said.

The sports industry has been left shaken by the widespread ramifications of the global coronavirus pandemic as athletes, media companies, leagues, and teams alike continue to evaluate the impact on their respective businesses.

“It’s an unprecedented time, as well as a very unchartered one,” said Erika Nardini, the CEO of Barstool Sports.

But amid the crises, Nardini said one thing is clear for Barstool: “What Dave [Portnoy] and I believe is that content is more important than ever,” she said.

Nardini spoke with Front Office Sports Editor Ian Thomas about how Barstool is moving forward amid the pandemic, how it has had to alter its coverage of the sports industry as leagues are on hiatus, and how “Pardon My Take” landed Dr. Anthony Fauci to talk about the coronavirus on a recent podcast.

Front Office Sports: What sort of impact is this pandemic having on Barstool’s approach to content?

Erika Nardini: The best part of Barstool is that it is an escape for so many people – you can get away from your daily life and escape to a podcast, a blog, a video series, or what’s happening on social.

We always have felt a big responsibility to be there for the stoolies and our fans and to be that escape and that laugh. Honestly, I think that is true now more than ever, and it’s completely guiding us from a content perspective.

FOS: As a media company, how are you adapting to having your employees and content creators at home as opposed to the office?

Nardini: We never felt constrained by a studio, a production format, or even location, so what you see now is that everyone is bringing their own personality to life in their own way. It’s very different – Dave is doing videos about him betting the stock market as opposed to on games. The team is really energized to do it, and they are creating a lot of conversation around it.

FOS: Has the fact there are no live sports right now changed anything?

Nardini: We’re a bit different since we’ve never had any rights – when you don’t have rights, it’s a bit easier to know what to do without them when you never had them.

It forces us to be really creative, which is when the best of Barstool shines through, and we can be weird, funny, and not particularly rehearsed or polished.

“Spitting Chiclets” is talking about Ryan Whitney’s mites career instead of the NHL playoffs run. There is no college basketball to discuss, which would have been the focus of a lot of our content right now. Brandon Walker is doing a live stream in his basement instead of at a sportsbook.

You need to make storylines because natural storylines aren’t coming out of sports, and I think we’re making the most of it.

Across the business, the blog is up, podcasts are steady, and social is doing well. It’s obviously a day-by-day situation, but we’re making every day count so far.

FOS: Sports betting is a large focus for the company, only increased by the recent Penn National deal – what has been the impact on the business there?

Nardini: Right now, we were supposed to be on a four-stop tour of Penn National properties across the midwest that we were extremely excited about. We’re watching the industry very closely, and it’s a very fluid situation.

We were still building our sports betting app with Penn National, so we’re not missing out by not having betting markets right now. That does give us time to building and refine the app and make sure our approach is right. We want to nail the landing when it comes to what the Barstool sportsbook will be, and this gives us some time to do that.

But for the bettors among us, it’s certainly a void.

FOS: “Pardon My Take” had Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s leading voice on the coronavirus on the podcast – what kind of moment is that for Barstool as a whole?

Nardini: It really is a transcendent episode. The U.S. government is trying to reach young people, and they turned to us – that says a lot. Big Cat and PFT also did an incredible job of telling that story and making it relatable and funny, speaking directly to that demographic.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jon Batiste

Sportsbooks Split on Hotly Disputed Super Bowl National Anthem Prop Bet

FanDuel and DraftKings split on the national anthem duration.
opinion

Super Bowl Broadcast Review: Brady Steps Up, But Room to Grow

After a rocky rookie season, Brady needed to quickly establish himself in the biggest game he would call. He did so immediately.

Fox Sports Debuts Controversial Score Bug for Super Bowl LIX

Reviews on social media were mostly negative as sports fans are resistant to change.
Andy Reid

Sportsbooks Call for Tighter Regulations on Prediction Markets

Sports betting and sports event contracts are treated differently—for now.

Featured Today

Jan 9, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena

‘Important’ 4 Nations Face-Off Can Be NHL’s All-Star Antidote

“The stars have been lobbying the league for an event like this.”
Brady and Mahomes
February 8, 2025

Chiefs Fatigue Is Real. It’s Nowhere Near Patriots Hate Yet

People who have covered both teams say the difference is stark.
Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley (26) after the Eagles defeat the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium.
February 7, 2025

How the Eagles Reinvented Championship Roster Construction

Philadelphia is one of the most innovative franchises in the NFL.
February 3, 2025

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

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
FIFA

Saudis Awarded 2034 World Cup in Uncontested Vote

Saudi Arabia was the only option after Australia decided not to bid.
May 20, 2024

Top Sports Business Jobs This Week (May 2024)

Each week, our staff combs through the thousands of job listings from…
The stands at the Solheim Cup
September 13, 2024

LPGA Apologizes for Solheim Cup Fan Bus Debacle That Left Stands Half-Empty

The USA-Europe women’s team golf event teed off Friday morning.
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.
October 3, 2022

Real Madrid President Renews Call for Super League

Real Madrid’s president believes that soccer is losing ground.
August 10, 2022

PGA Tour Touts Projected Earnings to Keep Players

The PGA Tour is asking its players to consider their potential futures.
August 10, 2022

Bayern Munich to Make Growth Push in U.S. Market

Bayern Munich is looking to expand its reach in the U.S.
Nintendo-logo
August 3, 2022

Nintendo Profits Underwhelm, Switch Sales Decline

Nintendo failed to meet expectations in the company’s latest earnings report.