Story perspectives

Fox Drops Dave Portnoy and Barstool From Big Noon Kickoff

By Drooid · Oct 4, 2026, 2:39 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Fox Sports removed Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports from the Big Noon Kickoff pregame show.
The clash between Fox’s traditional format and Barstool’s style proved unsustainable.
Portnoy blamed Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, claiming he pressured the Big Ten to force the split.
Fox will continue Big Noon Kickoff with Rob Stone and analysts Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Mark Ingram II.

History

Historical Context

Barstool Sports, which claimed 250 million monthly views in 2016, has repeatedly clashed with legacy broadcasters. After a one-episode ESPN2 show was pulled in 2018, the brand secured a $2 billion ESPN licensing deal in 2023, only to see Penn sell it back to founder Dave Portnoy. In February 2024 Fox Sports removed Portnoy from Big Noon Kickoff, reflecting the network’s ongoing caution toward Barstool’s disruptive style.

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Story summary

Fox Sports removed Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports from the Big Noon Kickoff pregame show.
The clash between Fox’s traditional format and Barstool’s style proved unsustainable.
Portnoy blamed Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, claiming he pressured the Big Ten to force the split.
Fox will continue Big Noon Kickoff with Rob Stone and analysts Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Mark Ingram II.

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