Dave Portnoy Can’t Avoid Big Ten Drama Ahead of Upcoming Fox Sports Show
Dave Portnoy, the controversial founder of Barstool Sports and a panelist on Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff,” has found himself embroiled in Big Ten conference drama once again. Portnoy alleged that the Big Ten is keeping him away from next weekend’s “Big Noon Kickoff” show, which he speculates will be broadcast from a Big Ten campus.
Instead of appearing on the Fox panel, Portnoy revealed he will be in Starkville, Mississippi, as part of “The Barstool College Football Show.”
Speaking on the “Unnamed Podcast” Thursday, Portnoy shared his thoughts on the situation: “It wouldn’t shock me, but it also wouldn’t shock me if just to be like, ‘Ya know what, let’s cool tensions a little bit and you guys take a deep breath, go to Mississippi State, make Brandon Walker happy and then we’ll regroup after that and come back together.’”
Behind-the-Scenes Drama and Fox Relationship
While Portnoy speculated on a possible Big Ten request to Fox to keep him away, he clarified he wasn’t sure if any official ask had been made. “That I don’t know, but I know this is 100 percent the truth: We have a great relationship with Fox, and I am not trying to make their lives more difficult because we have a great relationship,” he explained. “So, that is why we’re going to Mississippi State.”
Portnoy will still be live with Fox this Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, covering the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in their much-anticipated matchup against a struggling Penn State team. Following that, he and his Barstool crew will travel south to Starkville for Mississippi State’s home SEC game against Georgia.
When asked whether his absence from the Big Ten show was related to contract terms or simply a week off from Fox duties, Portnoy responded, “I don’t know if it was in the contract or not. There’s no trouble in paradise with us and Fox. Now, is there trouble in paradise with other people? Maybe. But not us and Fox.”
Portnoy emphasized his strong relationship with Fox Sports and dropped hints about where the tension might lie. “We have a great relationship with Fox. I love doing the show. I’m not going to jeopardize my relationship with Fox because it’s a great one. There’s a group that maybe hasn’t cared for Barstool, who has not cared for Barstool throughout this relationship,” he said. Adding, “It’s not really a channel, more of a conference.”
Upcoming Shows and Big Ten Speculation
Although Portnoy does not know the exact location of next week’s Fox show, he suggested it likely won’t be held at a Big 12 school — a conference he says “loves us.” He believes the broadcast will “probably” originate from a Big Ten campus, with possible sites including Indiana hosting Penn State, Iowa welcoming Oregon, or Ohio State visiting Purdue.
When his co-hosts asked why the Big Ten might be opposed to his presence, Portnoy drew a comparison to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. “It’s very (Roger) Goodell,” he said, referencing his own longstanding feud with the NFL boss. “I don’t think they’d even have an answer, my answer would be they potentially take themselves way too seriously.”
Portnoy continued, “We have a great relationship with Fox Sports. They have been nothing but great working with us, it’s like the oppo-world of ESPN. So I’m not trying to agitate it. I think they would probably echo a lot of the things we say, but this is our partner and we’re going to try to make this work as best we can with everybody. But I have no complaints with Fox. None, zero. I love working with them well.”
A Pattern of On-Campus Show Controversy
This isn’t the first time this year that Portnoy has been entangled in controversy regarding his ability to attend on-campus shows. Prior to Ohio State’s season-opening home game against Texas, multiple reports emerged about why Portnoy was not allowed inside the stadium. Some said the school had banned him, while Ohio State’s athletic director explained it was because Portnoy was not part of the show’s main panel.
Portnoy’s presence on “Big Noon Kickoff” has been polarizing among viewers, as he brings a WWE-style personality with his scathing promos. Reflecting on the show’s performance, he said, “I think it is doing better, but I think a lot of ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ is sort of game-dependent.”
As the college football season continues, it remains to be seen how the relationship between Portnoy, Fox Sports, and the Big Ten will evolve — and whether he’ll be welcomed back to the conference’s campus broadcasts anytime soon.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/31/sports/dave-portnoy-alleges-big-ten-is-keeping-him-from-being-on-site-as-drama-continues/