Fox Sports Removes Barstool Sports Personality Dave Portnoy From College Football Pregame Show
New York, Saturday, 3 October 2026.
On October 2, 2026, Fox Sports dropped Dave Portnoy from ‘Big Noon Kickoff,’ citing cultural friction and pressure from Ohio State after a year-long broadcasting experiment.
Fox Sports Ends Barstool Sports Partnership on Big Noon Kickoff
On October 2, 2026, Fox Sports officially removed media personality Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports from its flagship college football pregame show, ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ [1][2]. This decision marks the end of a broadcasting experiment that began approximately 15 months prior, intended to emulate the success of competitor ESPN [3][5]. The removal was confirmed publicly by Portnoy following reports from media insiders regarding the network’s choice to alter its talent roster for the 2026 season [2][5]. Network executives cited the unsustainable contrast between Barstool’s digital-native persona and Fox’s traditional broadcast style as a contributing factor to the dissolution of the partnership [1].
Alleged Pressure from Ohio State University
Dave Portnoy attributed the removal to pressure from Ohio State University and head coach Ryan Day, alleging the school threatened to deny access to Fox personnel if Portnoy participated in the program [1][3]. Portnoy stated that Ohio State complained relentlessly to the Big Ten Conference and Fox Sports, creating a situation where the network felt compelled to act [4][6]. The friction reportedly culminated around September 25, 2026, when Barstool personnel were restricted from accessing the campus in Columbus [1]. Portnoy characterized the coach’s behavior as ‘temper tantrums’ and noted that the financial stakes involved made the network’s decision understandable from a business perspective [4][6].
Broadcast Lineup Changes for October 3
Beginning October 3, 2026, the ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ broadcast featured a revised desk excluding Barstool personalities [1][5]. The lineup for the broadcast from the University of Minnesota included Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Mark Ingram II, and host Rob Stone [1]. This change occurred just as the show prepared for its first broadcast from the University of Minnesota campus to cover the Minnesota Gophers versus Michigan Wolverines game [3][6]. The adjustment reflects the network’s immediate response to the partnership termination announced the previous day [2].
Partnership Duration and Strategic Context
The collaboration between Fox Sports and Barstool Sports was established in July 2025, lasting just over one year before termination [2][3]. The partnership duration spanned approximately 15 months 15, during which Portnoy and personalities like Dan ‘Big Cat’ Katz were integrated into the college football program [1][2]. Fox Sports executives originally added Barstool personalities to ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ to compete with Pat McAfee’s presence on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ [1][3]. Despite the end of this specific arrangement, both parties have indicated that future collaborations remain possible [1][3].
Continuity for Weekday Programming
The removal does not impact ‘Wake-Up Barstool,’ which continues to air on FS1 every weekday [1][3]. Portnoy confirmed that while the ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ appearance was concluded, the relationship with Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks remained positive [1][4]. He noted that ‘the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze’ regarding the pregame show conflicts but emphasized the stability of their broader professional relationship [1][4]. This distinction suggests that while the flagship pregame integration has ended, the corporate partnership between the entities retains viability in other formats [3][4].