Dave Portnoy, Barstool Sports Removed From Fox's 'Big Noon Kickoff'
Portnoy attributes the change to pressure from Ohio State coach Ryan Day.
Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports have been removed from Fox Sports' "Big Noon Kickoff" college football pregame show, a move Portnoy confirmed on Friday evening. The partnership, which lasted just over a year, saw Portnoy and other Barstool personalities contribute to Fox's Saturday college football coverage.
According to a report by The Athletic, the decision stemmed from difficulties in reconciling Barstool's edgy brand with Fox's more traditional programming, particularly given the network's association with the Big Ten Conference. Portnoy, a vocal booster of the University of Michigan, had faced criticism for his appearances at Ohio State home games.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Portnoy directly addressed the situation, alleging that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and the university exerted pressure on Fox Sports. "Ohio State and Ryan Day bitched and moaned to the Big 10 and threatened Fox till they had no choice," Portnoy wrote. He characterized Day's actions as "temper tantrums" that threatened the financial interests of the partnership.
Portnoy further commented on Day's perceived sensitivity, stating, "I always knew Ryan Day was soft but holy s–t even I didn’t realize he was this soft." He also suggested that Barstool's college football content would continue, with potential future appearances in Columbus.
Despite the change to "Big Noon Kickoff," Barstool Sports' overall relationship with Fox Sports is not entirely severed. The weekday FS1 show, "Wake Up Barstool," is reportedly still airing.