Why is Dave Portnoy on Fox's 'Big Noon Kickoff'? Explaining Barstool owner's new role for 2025

Jake Mozarsky

Why is Dave Portnoy on Fox's 'Big Noon Kickoff'? Explaining Barstool owner's new role for 2025 image

© Eric Rueb/Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Fox Sports is shaking up the college football media landscape by bringing in Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy to be a regular contributor to "Big Noon Kickoff" for the 2025 season.

Portnoy's first appearance on the show will be in Columbus, Ohio, for No. 1 Texas vs No. 3 Ohio State, but it won't be his last.

Here's more on Portnoy's role on "Big Noon Kickoff" and Barstool's partnership with Fox Sports.

MORE: Ohio State's Dave Portnoy stadium ban gets surprising update ahead of FOX debut

What is Dave Portnoy's role on Fox's Big Noon Kickoff?

Dave Portnoy's role on "Big Noon Kickoff" is a key part of a new, wide-ranging content deal between Fox Sports and Barstool Sports. Portnoy will serve as a regular contributor for the show, which airs every Saturday morning before the games begin.

While the specifics of his segments are still being finalized, the partnership will integrate his unique, unfiltered brand of commentary directly into Fox's college football coverage. He will appear on "Big Noon Kickoff" weekly, often on-site, and will be joined by other Barstool personalities like Dan "Big Cat" Katz on select dates.

What is Barstool’s partnership with Fox Sports?

Beyond his role on "Big Noon Kickoff," the partnership includes a new daily show on FS1 called "Wake Up Barstool," which will feature personalities including Portnoy, Katz, and more.

“Wake Up Barstool is a great addition to FS1’s daily lineup,” said Mark Silverman, the President and Chief Operating Officer of Fox Sports. “Barstool has built a passionate audience by speaking to sports fans in a way that’s bold and original. Bringing that voice to mornings gives viewers a fresh, authentic way to start their day.” 

The wide-ranging content deal between Fox and Barstool is designed to attract a younger audience. Barstool has a wide following on social media platforms.

  • TikTok: 48.1 million followers

  • Instagram: 17.4 million followers

  • Twitter: 6.6 million followers

  • YouTube: 1.9 million subscribers

"Dave has built a one-of-a-kind brand that connects with a new generation of sports fans – authentic, bold, and original. Their unique voice and loyal fanbase makes them a natural fit for our evolving multiplatform content strategy,” said Eric Shanks, the CEO & Executive Producer at Fox Sports.

Is Dave Portnoy banned from Ohio Stadium?

On Tuesday, Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork told Yahoo Sports that Portnoy — known to be an avid Michigan fan — is not banned from Ohio Stadium. 

MORE: Dave Portnoy Ohio State ban, explained 

Portnoy took to Twitter -- wearing a Michigan hat -- to address the reports.

“Don’t hide. ‘Oh, we didn’t ban him.’ You banned me. You’re scared of Michigan, and the only way you guys are going to compete with us again is you can look yourselves in the mirror and be honest with yourselves,” Portnoy said.

MORE: Dave Portnoy breaks silence on Ohio State ban 

When will Big Noon Kickoff air? 

"Big Noon Kickoff" airs every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET on Fox.

On select weeks -- like Week 1 for Texas vs Ohio State -- the show will start an hour earlier at 9 a.m. ET. The show also has on-site tailgate festivities for fans.

MORE: Arch Manning sends clear message to Ohio State

Jake Mozarsky

Jake Mozarsky joined The Sporting News as an Editorial Intern in August 2025 after earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University. He has previously written for Marquee Sports Network, Chicago This Week, Inside NU and The Daily Northwestern.