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Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports removed from Fox Big Noon Kickoff
Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports personalities will no longer appear on Fox Sports’ college football pregame show, ‘Big Noon Kickoff’. The decision ends a year-long partnership between the traditional network and the edgy sports media brand.
Reports from The Athletic suggest the move was driven by the difficulty of integrating Barstool’s controversial persona with Fox’s traditional broadcast format, particularly given the network's significant financial ties to the Big Ten Conference. While Fox Sports declined to comment, Portnoy has publicly attributed the removal to pressure from Ohio State head coach Ryan Day.
Portnoy claimed on social media that Day and Ohio State officials complained to the Big Ten and made threats to Fox, stating, “Juice wasn't worth the squeeze and frankly I don't blame them.” Portnoy, a Michigan alumnus and booster, has had a contentious relationship with Ohio State, including previous reports of being barred from Ohio Stadium. Despite the change to ‘Big Noon Kickoff’, Barstool’s weekday show on FS1 is expected to continue.
Entities
Barstool Sports · Dave Portnoy · Fox Sports · Ohio State University · Ryan Day
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Fox Sports has declined to comment on the decision regarding Barstool Sports. www.sportsmediawatch.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Dave Portnoy claims Ohio State head coach Ryan Day pressured the Big Ten and Fox to remove him from the show. www.essentiallysports.com · www.sportsmediawatch.com · brobible.com · nypost.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ohio State officially denied reports that Dave Portnoy was banned from entering Ohio Stadium. nypost.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The decision was driven by the difficulty of integrating Barstool's provocative style with Fox's traditional presentation. www.essentiallysports.com · www.sportsmediawatch.com · brobible.com · nypost.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports personalities will no longer appear on Fox 'Big Noon Kickoff'. www.essentiallysports.com · www.sportsmediawatch.com · brobible.com · nypost.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Portnoy alleged that Ohio State threatened to withhold access to Fox Sports if he remained on the program. www.sportsmediawatch.com