Overview
- The Athletic reported Friday that Fox will no longer feature Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports on its lead college football pregame show Big Noon Kickoff after more than a season of appearances.
- Portnoy has publicly said Ohio State officials and coach Ryan Day complained to the Big Ten and Fox, showed network executives a highlight reel of his anti‑Buckeyes remarks, and warned they would withhold cooperation if he appeared.
- Fox sources and industry commentators offered a different explanation, saying the Barstool persona repeatedly clashed with Big Noon Kickoff’s traditional tone and that the partnership became unsustainable over time.
- Ohio State directed media inquiries to Fox and Fox declined detailed comment; Barstool’s broader relationship with Fox, including its Wake Up Barstool program on FS1, has been reported to continue.
- The dispute underscores a larger business trade‑off for broadcasters who must weigh access to marquee programs, stadium cooperation and lucrative rights deals against experimenting with provocative digital talent.